rogergorden_at_gmail.com wrote:
> Dan;
>
> You said;
>
> 7. NULL means NULL not an empty string
>
> But in an earlier post on oracle.misc you and Frank van Bortel both
> agree that
> NULL and the empty string are "one and the same"
>
> Frank van Bortel wrote:
>
>>>I concluded from this that empty string and null in Oracle are one
>
> and
>
>>>the same (at least as far as PLSQL), which is very different that in
>
>
>>>just about every other language.
>
>
>>Right. As documented, as known, as being taught in Oracle Basic
>>SQL, 2nd day, before lunch.
>
>
>
>>Oh - and it's not just PL/SQL, but SQL, too.
>>PEBKAC
>>--
>>Frank van Bortel
>
>
> You wrote:
> "In my class it is covered in the first 2nd hour of lecture."
>
> I my class, I teach that:
>
> 7. NULL means NULL not an empty string
>
> So not to re-open a flame war, but which is it?
>
> Is NULL and the empty string one and the same? (or is this just for
> PL/SQL)
> or does NULL mean NULL and not an empty string?
>
> Roger
>
There's a subtle difference in ' ' (an empty string?)
and ''.
Oracle treats '' as NULL - this is not ANSI SQL compliant,
as correctly stated before.
Nevertheless, treating NULLs as '' would be a bad habit.
--
Regards,
Frank van Bortel
Received on Fri Mar 11 2005 - 06:03:50 CST
