Column default option EMPTY

The proprietary column default option EMPTY is pretty much obsolete and
should IMO be removed.

The only place EMPTY has a meaning is in character string columns, meaning
that the default value is an empty string, as opposed to NULL. The
official/standard way of specifying an empty string is ''.

Currently the SQL engine allows EMPTY to be specificed as the default value
for all column types, which is meaningless.

Ole

> The proprietary column default option EMPTY is pretty much obsolete
> and should IMO be removed.

I dont think we'll do that, as long as the proprietary extension is
meaningful to the engine (it translates directly to a core default
descriptor type).

--

Eivind Bakkestuen
Nexus Database Systems Pty Ltd

Ole Willy Tuv wrote:

> What does an "empty" integer value look like,
0

> or an empty datetime
31/12/1899 (= TDateTime 0)

> value, or an empty boolean value ?
False

Cheers,
Thorsten

Eivind,

>> The proprietary column default option EMPTY is pretty much obsolete
>> and should IMO be removed.
>
> I dont think we'll do that, as long as the proprietary extension is
> meaningful to the engine (it translates directly to a core default
> descriptor type).

Yes, but the descriptor is meaningless for anything but character string
columns.

What does an "empty" integer value look like, or an empty datetime value, or
an empty boolean value ?

If you choose to keep this descriptor type, you should probably restrict its
use to character string columns.

Ole

Ole Willy Tuv wrote:
> > > What does an "empty" integer value look like,
> > 0
> That's a bit artifical. 0 is a normal value.
It's not "artificial" It is what you get if you have an integer field
that's NULL and use the AsInteger property.


> > > or an empty datetime
> > 31/12/1899 (= TDateTime 0)
> Silly IMO.
It's not silly. It's what you get if you have a datetime field that's
NULL and use the AsDateTime property.


> > > value, or an empty boolean value ?
> > False
> Again a normal value.

And once again. It's what you get if you have a TBooleanField that's
NULL and use the AsBoolean property.


> IMO, the value that makes sense for an "Empty" descriptor is an empty
> string (length 0).
Let's agree to disagree.

Cheers,
Thorsten

Thorsten,

>> What does an "empty" integer value look like,
> 0

That's a bit artifical. 0 is a normal value.

>> or an empty datetime
> 31/12/1899 (= TDateTime 0)

Silly IMO.

>> value, or an empty boolean value ?
> False

Again a normal value.

IMO, the value that makes sense for an "Empty" descriptor is an empty string
(length 0).

Ole

Thorsten,

> Let's agree to disagree.

Sure, no problem.

Ole

Thorsten Engler wrote:
> Ole Willy Tuv wrote:
>>>> What does an "empty" integer value look like,
>>> 0
>> That's a bit artifical. 0 is a normal value.
> It's not "artificial" It is what you get if you have an integer field
> that's NULL and use the AsInteger property.
>
>
>>>> or an empty datetime
>>> 31/12/1899 (= TDateTime 0)
>> Silly IMO.
> It's not silly. It's what you get if you have a datetime field that's
> NULL and use the AsDateTime property.
>
>
>>>> value, or an empty boolean value ?
>>> False
>> Again a normal value.
>
> And once again. It's what you get if you have a TBooleanField that's
> NULL and use the AsBoolean property.
>
>
>> IMO, the value that makes sense for an "Empty" descriptor is an empty
>> string (length 0).
> Let's agree to disagree.
>
> Cheers,
> Thorsten

Thorsten,

Why is EMPTY defaulting to DELPHI values <BG> <BG>!!!

Merry XMAS!

Shane

Shane,

<< Why is EMPTY defaulting to DELPHI values <BG> <BG>!!! >>

One of the design goals must have been to make NexusDB look as esoteric as
possible

Ole

Ole Willy Tuv wrote:
> Shane,
>
> << Why is EMPTY defaulting to DELPHI values <BG> <BG>!!! >>
>
> One of the design goals must have been to make NexusDB look as esoteric as
> possible
>
> Ole
>
>
I would AGREE with you on that! I do wish Borland had used more
conventional NULLs for data values (but I got use to them (initially it
required several Spaten Optimators))!

Merry XMAS!

Shane