Rachel, I have talked to some very talented SQL Server DBA's that have used sql_variant data types. They all agreed that this data type is not worth the time. They would get unexplainable results. It is not so much a database issue but rather it is a coding and understanding of the data problem. In short, they said use standard data types. They also said it caused problems when they had to move data between various database platforms.
Dave -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 2:01 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L I agree, it looks messy and confusing... However, I found an example that makes it a little easier to understand. http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/ask/f?p=4950:8:1062923::NO::F4950_P8_DISPLAYID, F4950_P8_CRITERIA:3099475696866,%7Banydata%7D My guess it was implemented for 2 reasons 1) to say they have every feature as M$ 2) to support 3rd party vendors porting stuff from M$ Kevin -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 1:35 PM To: Toepke, Kevin M; Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Kevin, Looks messy to me, and damned confusing to boot. Dick Goulet "The more you overtake the pluming the easier it is to stop up the drain." Scotty of Star Trek, Search for Spock. ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Author: "Toepke; Kevin M" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: 7/17/2002 9:58 AM Rachel Check out the SYS.ANY datatype in Oracle 9i (from the SQL reference). Me thinks its what SQL server would call a variant data type. Follow this link for more info http://download-east.oracle.com/otndoc/oracle9i/901_doc/appdev.901/a89852/to c.htm Kevin -------- The "Any" types provide highly flexible modeling of procedure parameters and table columns where the actual type is not known. These datatypes let you dynamically encapsulate and access type descriptions, data instances, and sets of data instances of any other SQL type. These types have OCI and PL/SQL interfaces for construction and access. SYS.AnyData This type contains an instance of a given type, with data, plus a description of the type. AnyData can be used as a table column datatype and lets you store heterogeneous values in a single column. The values can be of SQL built-in types as well as user-defined types. -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 1:09 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Okay, I'm working on what feels like 30 new projects all at once and I WILL be RTFM'ing as soon as I can get more than 5 minutes out of meetings but.... first: has anyone heard of any problems with 64-bit Oracle on a Solaris 64-bit OS? second (and this one confuses me a bit)... I've been asked if Oracle9i supports a "variant" datatype -- they are not familiar with oracle but are familiar with SQL Server and say that there is a datatype called "variant" there where you can basically overload the column with whatever datatype you want (string, number, date) and the database knows what type of data it is storing within the column. They referred me to C++ and Java, neither of which I know. Can anyone point in the right direction to start researching this? Thanks! Rachel __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes http://autos.yahoo.com -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Rachel Carmichael INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051 San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists -------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Toepke, Kevin M INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051 San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists -------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Toepke, Kevin M INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051 San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists -------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Farnsworth, Dave INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051 San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists -------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
