Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!fernwood!oracle!news
From: ddruker@.com (Daniel Druker)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Oracle to have text/memo data types, or blob soon???
Keywords: oracle blob forms
Message-ID: <1990Dec31.095122.6435@oracle.com>
Date: 31 Dec 90 09:51:22 GMT
References: <19615@netcom.UUCP>
Sender: Daniel Druker
Reply-To: ddruker@oracle.com (Daniel Druker)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Oracle Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA
Lines: 52

In article <19615@netcom.UUCP> lpendley@netcom.UUCP (Lou Pendley) writes:
>I have settled on Oracle as a development platform, and am curious if
>they will soon, within the next 2 years, come out with a data type of 
>memo/text that could contain a variable number of lines/characters, and
>if there will ever be a blob: binary large object.
>

Oracle Version 6, the current production version, allows for one column
of length 64k per table. This variable length column can be defined as 
holding character or binary data as type LONG or LONG RAW, respectively. 

SQL*Forms Version 3, now available on many platforms, has a built in pop
up field editor that can be based on an Oracle LONG column. 
The editor includes cut/paste and search capability, and can probably 
give you the memo functionality you need. If you haven't yet seen SQL*Forms
version 3, I'd encourage you to take a look. It's a big step up from the 
previous versions.  

As for Oracle's plan for Blob support, I would encourage you to contact 
your local Oracle users group or sales or support rep for an Oracle Version 7 
statement of direction. This document will give you a better idea of the 
comprehensive set of features that will be implemented in Version 7, and there 
are MANY of them that you will certainly find interesting. 
As the product is not yet officially announced, however, I am not allowed to 
make statements on availablilty. I can tell you that Oracle Version 7 was 
demonstrated at the International Users conference in September, in front 
of several thousand Oracle users.

>I currently am hopefully awaiting these new enhancements to Oracle.
>
>by the way, I don't care about what Ingres, Informix, Sybase, or any others
>are doing.  I'm a loyal Oracle fan.
>

Good for you. So am I.

>your input is welcome.
>
>lou.
>
>lpendley@netcom.UUCP

- Dan

Daniel Druker
Senior Sales Consultant
Oracle Corporation
San Francisco, California


DISCLAIMER: My opinions and statements are mine and mine alone; They do not
reflect policy or position of my employer.