Re: Oracle NULL vs '' revisited

From: Martin T. <0xCDCDCDCD_at_gmx.at>
Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2007 12:47:07 +0200
Message-ID: <46c6cee2$0$1341$834e42db@reader.greatnowhere.com>

Matthew Harrison wrote:
> Serge Rielau wrote:

>> There are plenty of debates about the usage of NULL in general in data 

>
> In the case I'm working on the string is the command.
>
> In their infinite wisdom, '' (the empty string) has a critical meaning
> ... I need to ensure that this string is specified (i.e. NOT NULL), but
> it can be specified as '' (meaning cancel).
>
>

Actually you have less of a problem than you think. Only if you had to have a column where NULLs and '' would be something different would you be in trouble. As it stands now, you just have to allow NULL in this column and treat it as ''. (In the application layer.)

If you also use other DBs besides oracle just make the column NOT NULL and treat '' as ''.

Simple(?) as that.

cheers,
Martin Received on Sat Aug 18 2007 - 05:47:07 CDT