Re: Would be really nice if...

Haximus wrote:
> ...if there was a select_list:: feature to do wildcard selects on
columns,
> then EXCLUDE specified columns, e.g.:
>
> SELECT * EXCEPT UNIT_NO, ETC, ETC ...
>
> Oracle, will ya get on this right away!!!!
>
> ;)

How would that be useful? Given the following table:

create inventory(unit_no   number,
                 unit_desc varchar2(40),
                 unit_price number(9,2),
                 unit_location varchar2(4),
                 qty_on_hand number);

your query, as you would wish, would be:

select * except unit_no, unit_price from inventory;

Which isn't much different from:

select unit_desc, unit_location, qty_on_hand from inventory;

Not much difference in what is typed, in terms of number of characters.  So why have such a 'feature'? Yes, if one column is being eliminated from a result set that COULD be considered convenient, however I still wouldn't call convenience usefulness. And it isn't really saving keystrokes.

Possibly someone could explain how this would be beneficial as the fundamental concept of this request escapes me.

David Fitzjarrell Received on Wed Feb 23 2005 - 16:44:42 CST