IS (NULL = 1) equal to NOT(NULL = 1)?

Of course not right? Oracle says it is!

I have the following *simple* code:

set serveroutput on
BEGIN
DECLARE N NUMBER; BEGIN N := NULL; IF (N = 1)
THEN
        dbms_output.put_line('TRUE');
ELSE
        dbms_output.put_line('FALSE');
END IF;
/* Notice the expression has been "notted" */

IF NOT(N = 1)
THEN
        dbms_output.put_line('TRUE');
ELSE
        dbms_output.put_line('FALSE');
END IF; END;
END;
/

This code returns:

FALSE
FALSE Now I've been doing this for a while. I know that 1 is not equal to NULL. I thought this meant (1 = NULL) = FALSE which might be true. However if it is true then certainly NOT(1 = NULL) would then be TRUE. NOT of *any* expression is the opposite boolean value. But not here.

Anyway, if anyone could point out my error here please do so. I wouldn't even mind a little "... any rookie that knows anything know should know that null, etc..." stuff. Hmmm, well maybe not.

Virtually,

John Dennis Received on Wed Aug 21 1996 - 00:00:00 CEST