RE: Primary Keys optional?

From: Mercadante, Thomas F \(LABOR\) <Thomas.Mercadante_at_labor.state.ny.us>
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 13:16:15 -0400
Message-ID: <ABB9D76E187C5146AB5683F5A07336FF681510@EXCNYSM0A1AJ.nysemail.nyenet>

Stephen,

It sounds like the developers don't know enough about relational design to care. I would insist and create PK's on every table. And then I would start creating and enforcing FK's. You have just been appointed new sheriff in town. So you get to insist and create all relationships in the database. You will be happy you did!!

Good Luck!

Tom

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-----Original Message-----

From: oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org
[mailto:oracle-l-bounce_at_freelists.org] On Behalf Of Stephen Andert Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2006 12:47 PM To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org
Subject: Primary Keys optional?

OK, just starting a new job with more design than I have done in a while. Looking into things, I have been noticing that many tables have no PK. Some have a unique index, but not all.

When I pointed this out to folks (developers) they shrugged and said "if you need a PK, then create one".

So my questions are:

Is it considered acceptable to have a unique index instead of a pk?
What are the circumstances when a table might be allowed to exist without any sort of primary key or unique index? (i.e. temp table, static small table, etc)

Thanks In Advance

--

Stephen Andert
http://spaces.msn.com/andert-news/
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http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
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http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l Received on Thu Aug 17 2006 - 12:16:15 CDT