Re: [HACKERS] Oracle Decode Function

2002-07-25 Thread Marc Lavergne
> would be interested to hear a valid reason why you feel the need > to use decode(). Just let me start by saying that this is NOT for me (see the original email in thread)! Personally, I have no trouble using CASE. However, if I want to create an Oracle-compatibilty layer, I have to implemen

Re: [HACKERS] Oracle Decode Function

2002-07-25 Thread Chris Humphries
if you find yourself using the decode statement, you are probably doing something wrong. why have it, do you _need_ it? if you are using it for display strings based on conditions, you shouldnt be using a function to do this. it should be a table, or something in the middle layer. try to keep th

Re: [HACKERS] Oracle Decode Function

2002-07-25 Thread Marc Lavergne
That would get ugly in a real hurry! Oracle does get around the issue of parameter datatypes by having automatic datatype conversions, more or less, everything becomes a varchar2. The only real attractants to implementing a DECODE() function is that it's one less thing to convert when migratin

Re: [HACKERS] Oracle Decode Function

2002-07-25 Thread Tom Lane
Marc Lavergne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > If you're asking about whether a custom function can have vararg > parameters, the answer appears to depend on the CREATE FUNCTION > syntax. Can't do it, though you could imagine creating a family of functions of the same name and different numbers of

Re: [HACKERS] Oracle Decode Function

2002-07-25 Thread Marc Lavergne
> I would like to implement a function similar to the Decode function in > Oracle. Take a look at the CASE WHEN ... THEN functionality. For example: Oracle: select decode(col1,'abc',1,'xyz',2,0) from test; Postgresql: select case when col1 = 'abc' then 1 when col1 = 'xyz' then 2 else 0 end f

[HACKERS] Oracle Decode Function

2002-07-25 Thread Edwin S. Ramirez
Hello, I would like to implement a function similar to the Decode function in Oracle. I was wondering if it is possible to accept a variable number of parameters (array??). Thanks, Edwin S. Ramirez ---(end of broadcast)--- TIP 5: Have you checked