Re: Corporate Acceptance of Creating Views ?

Tom, you hint at it but do not say it specifically, but surely one major benefit of packages and views is security. You can further protect the underlying data from prying eyes and control access to it using views and packages.

just my 2 penneth

cheers

Pete
www.pentest-limited.com

In article <9rmeoj01bgk_at_drn.newsguy.com>, Thomas Kyte <tkyte_at_us.oracle.com> writes
>In article <eQoD7.43362$C7.13166440_at_news02.optonline.net>, "jane" says...
>>
>>Is it true that in general corporate enviornment, the use of Views is
>>discouraged ? even frowned up ?
>>
>>I was working with this "seasoned" developer on developing reports, I am new
>>to the Oracle enviornment
>>and she insisted that I should NOT use views if at all possible, preferablly
>>not at all.
>>
>>"You should be able to get all the data you need with straight SQL...even if
>>it have to go for pages !"
>>"...you are creating yet another dependency...it's another object that has
>>to be maintained !......"
>>
>>The thing was with tools like Crystal Reports, it does not handle manual SQL
>>very well (requires
>>a separate file to store the query)
>>
>>Is this true ? Was she full of bs ?
>>
>>thanks
>>jane
>>
>>
>
>I love views -- for the same reason packages are the only thing you should use
>in real code (never a standalong procedure).
>
>Packages protect you from changes -- the SPECIFICATION won't change -- but the
>implementation might (eg: you find a bug in the algorithm and fix it -- the
>interface didn't change -- same inputs and outputs but the mechanics changed)
>
>
>Views are the same way. Underlying data structure changes (eg: someone adds a
>column, denormalizes a table, splits a single table into two, whatever) don't
>affect your CODE -- just your view. Consider the view a "specificiation", fix
>the view -- you've fixed ALL pieces of code that use it.
>
>There are some people who say -- you should NEVER query a table. You should
>always query a view. These people are never phased by a request to change a
>column name or the order of columns in a table definition as it is as trivial as
>dropping and recreating the view now.
>
>I might not go that far (but when asked to change a column name -- i will rename
>the table, create a view and grant on the view, no one ever knows)..... but it
>shows there is a difference of opinion out there.
>
>Views are a tool, a programming construct. Anyone who "outlaws" them is *wrong*
>and being very short sighted.
>
>--
>Thomas Kyte (tkyte@us.oracle.com) http://asktom.oracle.com/
>Expert one on one Oracle, programming techniques and solutions for Oracle.
>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1861004826/
>Opinions are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of Oracle Corp
>

-- 
Pete Finnigan
IT Security Consultant
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