Re: oracle xml / advice required

mrique wrote:

> Hi
> I manage an oracle 9 database with 1 000 000 customers records
> I'm searching a way to implement many different data fields (columns)
> that concern only, each one, few customers
> For exemple if customer is boat captain, name of his boat, if he is
> manager, number of employee..
> I feel that I have to look at an xml implementation in oracle, because
> having hundreds of columns that are almost empty dont please me
> My database acces use odbc/ oledb (from vb, ms office and intranet/asp
> acces)
> Could any one help me about this issue, have simple sample, urls... ?
> typicaly : how to add data, query them, modify them, delete them ? is
> oracle xml the good way ?
> thank's

I would suggest a basic course in data normalization might be appropriate. But there are two choices:

1. Think vertically

CREATE TABLE cust_rec (
person_id NUMBER(10),

name         VARCHAR2(20),
value        VARCHAR2(20));

Use the name-value pair to define the entity and its value.

2. Look at the ANYDATA data type.
Go to http://www.psoug.org
click on Morgan's Library
click on Anydata Data Type

I prefer the first.

-- 
Daniel A. Morgan
University of Washington
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace 'x' with 'u' to respond)