Re: COMPATIBILITY flag

Roy Brokvam wrote:
>
> Andrew Thomas wrote in message <_l6K2.2078$Nm3.28848_at_news20.ispnews.com>...
> >Can someone direct me to some documentation on the COMPATIBILITY flag
> (other
> >than an Oracle Press book, if possible)? Web site, PDF, etc. I'm issuing an
> >ALTER TABLE command to change MAXEXTENTS, but I'm getting an error about
> the
> >COMPATIBILITY value. I assume it's set in init.ora, but I'm not sure what a
> >good value is (or how important that value is).
> >
> >Please respond to the email address athomas_at_iminformation.com if at all
> >possible.
> >
> >Thanks,
> > -Andrew Thomas-
> >
> >
> >
>
> Presuming you have misspelled the COMPATIBLE initialisation parameter (I
> don't know which RDBMS version you are using, nor whether the name has
> changed from 7.x to 8.x), I quote from Oracle7 Server Administrator's Guide,
> Appendix A, Initialization Parameter Files:
>
> "
> COMPATIBLE
> Default Value: Release Dependent
> Range of values: Default Version to Current Version
> Multiple instances: Must have the same value
>
> This parameter allows a new release to be used while at the same time
> guaranteeing backwards compatibility with an earlier version (in case it
> becomes necessary to retreat to the earlier version). The version that the
> ORACLE server must retain compatible with is specified by this parameter. In
> order to maintain compatibility, some features of the current version may be
> restricted.
>
> The default value is the earliest version with which compatibility can be
> guaranteed.
> "
>
> As I see it, your change of MAXEXTENTS needs a compatibility level higher
> than the one your database is using. Use svrmgrl to see its current value:
> show parameters compatible
>
> The maximum value for MAXEXTENTS in an Oracle7 RDBMS is 121 (assuming 2K
> block size). As far as I know, this limitation is removed in Oracle8. Maybe
> you have an Oracle8 RDBMS with the COMPATIBLE parameter set to 7.something?
>
> Generally, the COMPATIBLE parameter should be set to the highest level for
> which all your applications still work.
>
> Anyone correct me if I am mistaken.
>
> Regards,
>
> Roy Brokvam
> roy.brokvam_at_conax.com

If I set my COMPATIBLE flag up to 7.3.x.x.x. and find that it blows up some application, is there a problem with setting it back down to whatever it is now?
--
Michael A. Rothwell
Oracle DBA/Oracle Web Applications Developer

Views expressed here are not those of my company No - Actually - Since I am independent, They are the views of my company. Received on Thu Mar 25 1999 - 12:22:10 CST