Re: Oracle DBA Studio, almost useful

mcstock wrote:

<snipped>

> regarding reserved words -- V$RESERVED_WORDS is the public synonym used for
> accessing the list -- unless you're logged in as SYS, selecting from
> V_$RESERVED_WORDS will not work unless you prefix it with the owner (i.e.
> SYS.V_$...)
Thanks for bringing up one of my favorite rants. Are you reading carefully Mr. Townsend? ;-)

Exactly what possible benefit, to security or anything else, is the intended result of hiding the names of reserved words from developers and users? What can it possibly do other than guarantee that reseved words will be misused?

This magic view belongs in the catalog role about as much as DUAL and user_tables: Maybe less.

> but by default not all users have access to it -- they need the
> SELECT_CATALOG_ROLE privilege, which is too broad a set of privs for
> developers. so, you'll likely need to be connected as SYSTEM or a more
> privileged account to access the list

And you will note in my advice to the OP that he log on as SYSTEM.

> when you do, don't bother with the LOWER(keyword) syntax -- all keywords are
> in upper case, and it's a bad habit to get into to unnecessarily wrap
> columns in functions within where clause predicates

A rotten habit but I wanted to make sure the OP always found the word rather than trying to remember upper or lower since the search is case sensitive.

> more to the point -- in 8.1.7 NAME is not a reserved word, but NAMED is
> (perhaps NAME is a reserved word in 9i?).

It is.

SQL> select keyword from v_$reserved_words

   2 where keyword like 'N%';

KEYWORD

  good advise,

Thank you.

[Quoted] but not actually the problem here

Didn't say it was. ;-)
[Quoted] [Quoted] I am just encouraging the OP to get out of DBA Studio which is a rotten place to learn anything about Oracle or SQL.

-- 
Daniel Morgan
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/oad/oad_crs.asp
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/aoa/aoa_crs.asp
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace 'x' with a 'u' to reply)