Re: oracle sql plus - modified table column - but modification not showing in odbc connection

From: jgar the jorrible <joel-garry_at_home.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:39:08 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <85322d9a-2f06-47ba-bb39-88afb7caf2ab_at_q30g2000prq.googlegroups.com>

On Mar 24, 1:31�pm, BookerT <ch..._at_mierbo.com> wrote:
> On Mar 24, 2:54�pm, BookerT <ch..._at_mierbo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mar 24, 2:45�pm, Robert Klemme <shortcut..._at_googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> > > On 24.03.2009 19:20, BookerT wrote:
>
> > > > Inside of Oracle Sql *plus
> > > > � i use the commands alter table tablename
> > > > modify �columname varchar2(10)
> > > > ;
>
> > > > to change the field size to 10
>
> > > > When I open up Access to view the linked table via an odbc connection,
> > > > in the design view, it still shows the field �as having a field size
> > > > of 5.
>
> > > > What did I miss.
>
> > > Probably the refresh button in Access.
>
> > > > This is all tied to a web app, where, I changed all of the web forms
> > > > to accept 10 characters.....
>
> > > You have tied MS Access into a web app which also uses Oracle? �That
> > > sounds spooky.
>
> > > Your question sounds more suitable for a MS Access specific forum. �Even
> > > there you should probably include the version of Access.
>
> > > Good luck!
>
> > > � � � � robert
>
> > Thanks...
>
> > no the web app is tied to oracle, but since it is an oracle databse,
> > sometimes, I will use Access (2007) to look at the database instead of
> > Oracle. �Remember, I am just using the ODBC connection to make a link
> > to the tables...... thast is the only use for Access........
>
> > Refresh should not be an issue because I made the change yesterday,
> > and opened up a new conection to it today, so it should show the
> > updated value
>
> > But I hit refresh anyway, and no change. � �I wanted to make sure I
> > covered all of the oracle bases. �if Oracle shows it as varchar2(10)
> > then it should allow 10 characters correct?
>
> > Another footnote. �In my web app, I put in a digit in that field that
> > was bigger than 5 characters, but sure enough when I look at the
> > linked table in Access, it only shows 5 characters as the field limit
> > suggessts
>
> > Thanks- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Never mind, once I created a "new" database and relinked the tables,
> it showed the updated field length size. �Why a refresh did not do
> that, I am not sure?

Doing a quick google on access refresh, looks like it only refreshes the data, not the metadata. cf http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb238065.aspx

In the Oracle world, it has long been a basic DBA habit to not change metadata while people are accessing data. Any DDL does a commit before and after the DDL, which kinda gets past a lot of potential problems, so some people do it anyways, and there are exceptions with certain DDL commands, truncate comes to mind. Any particular application may not be happy with this, especially if it is not written with an Oracle world-view in mind.

Of course, nowadays my car changes the number of cylinders it uses while I'm driving - a feature with notable $ advantages, not a bug. It's a brave new world.

jg

--
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Received on Tue Mar 24 2009 - 17:39:08 CDT