SQL$HELP_OLD72.HLB  —  SELECT  General Form, Arguments

1  –  EDIT_USING

    Syntax options:

    EDIT USING edit-string|EDIT USING domain-name

    Associates an edit string with a value expression. This clause
    overrides any EDIT STRING defined for the columns or variables in
    the query. This clause is only permitted for interactive SQL.

2  –  FOR_UPDATE_OF

    Specifies the columns in a cursor that you or your program might
    later modify with an UPDATE statement. The column names in the
    FOR UPDATE clause must belong to a table or view named in the
    FROM clause.

    You do not have to specify the FOR UPDATE clause of the SELECT
    statement to later modify rows using the UPDATE statement:

    o  If you do specify a FOR UPDATE clause with column names and
       later specify columns in the UPDATE statement that are not
       in the FOR UPDATE clause, SQL issues a warning message and
       proceeds with the update modifications.

    o  If you do specify a FOR UPDATE clause but do not specify
       any column names, you can update any column using the UPDATE
       statement. SQL does not issue any messages.

    o  If you do not specify a FOR UPDATE clause, you can update
       any column using the UPDATE statement. SQL does not issue any
       messages.

    The FOR UPDATE OF clause in a SELECT statement provides UPDATE
    ONLY CURSOR semantics by locking all the rows selected.

3  –  OPTIMIZE AS query name

    Assigns a name to the query. You can define the RDMS$DEBUG_FLAGS
    logical name or use SET FLAGS with the option 'STRATEGY' to see
    the access methods used to produce the results of the query. The
    following example shows how to use the OPTIMIZE AS clause:

    SQL> DELETE FROM EMPLOYEES E
    cont> WHERE EXISTS ( SELECT *
    cont>                FROM   SALARY_HISTORY S
    cont>                WHERE  S.EMPLOYEE_ID = E.EMPLOYEE_ID
    cont>                AND    S.SALARY_AMOUNT > 75000)
    cont> OPTIMIZE AS DEL_EMPLOYEE;
    Leaf#01 FFirst RDB$RELATIONS Card=19
       .
       .
       .
    ~Query Name : DEL_EMPLOYEE
       .
       .
       .
    7 rows deleted

4  –  OPTIMIZE_FOR

    Specifies the preferred optimizer strategy for statements that
    specify a select expression. The following options are available:

    o  FAST FIRST

       A query optimized for FAST FIRST returns data to the user as
       quickly as possible, even at the expense of total throughput.

       If a query can be cancelled prematurely, you should specify
       FAST FIRST optimization. A good candidate for FAST FIRST
       optimization is an interactive application that displays
       groups of records to the user, where the user has the option
       of aborting the query after the first few screens. For
       example, singleton SELECT statements default to FAST FIRST
       optimization.

       If the optimization level is not explicitly set, FAST FIRST is
       the default.

    o  TOTAL TIME

       If your application runs in batch, accesses all the records in
       the query, and performs updates or writes a report, you should
       specify TOTAL TIME optimization. Most queries benefit from
       TOTAL TIME optimization.

       The following examples illustrate the DECLARE CURSOR syntax
       for setting a preferred optimization mode:

       SQL> DECLARE TEMP1 TABLE CURSOR
       cont>  FOR
       cont>    SELECT *
       cont>      FROM EMPLOYEES
       cont>      WHERE EMPLOYEE_ID > '00400'
       cont>  OPTIMIZE FOR FAST FIRST;
       SQL> --
       SQL> DECLARE TEMP2 TABLE CURSOR
       cont>  FOR
       cont>    SELECT LAST_NAME, FIRST_NAME
       cont>      FROM EMPLOYEES
       cont>        ORDER BY LAST_NAME
       cont>  OPTIMIZE FOR TOTAL TIME;

    o  SEQUENTIAL ACCESS

       Forces the use of sequential access. This is particularly
       valuable for tables that use the strict partitioning
       functionality.

       When the storage map of a table has the attribute PARTITIONING
       IS NOT UPDATABLE, the mapping of data to a storage area is
       strictly enforced. This is known as strict partitioning.
       When queries on such tables use sequential access, the
       optimizer can eliminate partitions which do not match the
       WHERE restriction rather than scan every partition.

       The following example shows a query that deletes selected rows
       from a specific partition. This table also includes several
       indexes, which may be chosen by the optimizer. Therefore, the
       OPTIMIZE clause forces sequential access.

       SQL> delete from PARTS_LOG
       cont> where parts_id between 10000 and 20000
       cont>   and expire_date < :purge_date
       cont> optimize for sequential access;

       Note that all access performed by such queries will be
       sequential. Care should be taken that the I/O being used is
       acceptable by comparing similar queries using index access.

5  –  OPTIMIZE USING outline name

    Explicitly names the query outline to be used with the select
    expression even if the outline ID for the select expression and
    for the outline are different.

    The following example is the query used to create an outline
    named WOMENS_DEGREES:

    SQL> SELECT E.LAST_NAME, E.EMPLOYEE_ID, D.DEGREE, D.DEGREE_FIELD, D.YEAR_GIVEN
    cont> FROM EMPLOYEES E, DEGREES D WHERE E.SEX = 'F'
    cont> AND E.EMPLOYEE_ID = D.EMPLOYEE_ID
    cont> ORDER BY LAST_NAME

    By using the OPTIMIZE USING clause and specifying the WOMENS_
    DEGREES outline, you can ensure that Oracle Rdb attempts to use
    the WOMENS_DEGREES outline to execute a query even if the query
    is slightly different as shown in the following example:

    SQL> SELECT E.LAST_NAME, E.EMPLOYEE_ID, D.DEGREE, D.DEGREE_FIELD, D.YEAR_GIVEN
    cont> FROM EMPLOYEES E, DEGREES D WHERE E.SEX = 'F'
    cont> AND E.EMPLOYEE_ID = D.EMPLOYEE_ID
    cont> ORDER BY LAST_NAME
    cont> LIMIT TO 10 ROWS
    cont> OPTIMIZE USING WOMENS_DEGREES;
    ~S: Outline WOMENS_DEGREES used  <-- the query uses the WOMENS_DEGREES outline
       .
       .
       .
     E.LAST_NAME      E.EMPLOYEE_ID   D.DEGREE   D.DEGREE_FIELD    D.YEAR_GIVEN
     Boyd             00244           MA         Elect. Engrg.             1982
     Boyd             00244           PhD        Applied Math              1979
     Brown            00287           BA         Arts                      1982
     Brown            00287           MA         Applied Math              1979
     Clarke           00188           BA         Arts                      1983
     Clarke           00188           MA         Applied Math              1976
     Clarke           00196           BA         Arts                      1978
     Clinton          00235           MA         Applied Math              1975
     Clinton          00201           BA         Arts                      1973
     Clinton          00201           MA         Applied Math              1978
    10 rows selected

    See the CREATE OUTLINE statement for more information on creating
    an outline.

6  –  OPTIMIZE_WITH

    Selects one of three optimization controls: DEFAULT (as used by
    previous versions of Oracle Rdb), AGGRESSIVE (assumes smaller
    numbers of rows will be selected), and SAMPLED (which uses
    literals in the query to perform preliminary estimation on
    indices).

7  –  select-expr

    See the Select_Expressions HELP topic for a detailed description
    of select expressions.
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