Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!pacbell!pacbell.com!ames!ucsd!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!tellab5!segel
From: segel@Tellabs.COM (Mike Segel)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: SQL Poser
Message-ID: <2726@tellab5.tellabs.com>
Date: 3 Jun 90 19:46:01 GMT
References: <6588@umd5.umd.edu> <CIMSHOP!DAVIDM.90May31101252@uunet.UU.NET>
Organization: Tellabs, Inc. Lisle IL
Lines: 44


If I can use a 4gl like Informix, the solution would be :

input employee name;
 
select manager from table
where employee_name = emp; /* from Jon's cut */

Print "The chain of command for employee ", employee_name, "is \n";

While ( employee_name  != manager) {
    print manager , " - "; 
    employee_name = manager;
    select manager from table
    where employee_name = emp;
}
print manager , "\n";

-----------------------------------

Now the above program is in a pseudo code. Notice that there is no 
recursion, just a while loop. If you really wanted to get dirty,
you could implement this in an Assembler language. 

Now Oracle has an extension to SQL ?
Their solution is cute. depending on how they did it, I can think of
some drawbacks to it. Does it keep the querried items in a temp table?
Or on a stack? So now you have your sample querry done, how do you get
the data out.

If it is stored in a temp table, then the same solution can be done in
any 4gl. Does it really matter if the extension occurs to the SQL, or
if you are using a 4gl ?

I really question Oracle's solution. Where is the information stored?
If on a stack, then depending on the depth of the querry, and the size 
of the information stored, then you could run into trouble. This type
of example is good reason for 4GLs. They allow for high language type
of control, merged in with std sql. My point is, you need to use
the right tool for the job. 

Am I making sense or have I been working too long?

-Mike