Re: Would be really nice if...

"Jaap W. van Dijk" <j.w.vandijk.removethis_at_hetnet.nl> wrote in message news:juj021te1dogrbvcq316t1407dq62e85bb_at_4ax.com...
> On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 14:50:11 +0100, Frank van Bortel
> <fvanbortel_at_netscape.net> wrote:
>
>>kirtan wrote:
>>> Using the same logic,
>>> 'select * from t' would also break any application if an alter table
>>> has been done to it.
>>> This would happen where the columns are being retrieved by position and
>>> not by name.
>>> But ain't this feature still there?!
>>>
>>
>>Correct - it is known as A Bad Habit (tm).
>>ROT: Always specify the column list.
>
> As a ROT I agree, but I happily code the following in PL/SQL for a
> table with a lot of columns:
>
> cursor c_cur is select * from tabble;
> r_cur c_cur%rowtype;
>
> and use r_cur everywhere it is needed.
>
> This provides better readable and modifyable code than code where you
> have to plow through loads of column specifications.
>
> Jaap.

actually, i think the bigger breakage issue is INSERT without a columns list

++ mcs Received on Sat Feb 26 2005 - 06:45:03 CST