[thelist] can i merge columns in an Oracle query?

Luther, Ron Ron.Luther at hp.com
Mon Mar 15 08:11:46 CDT 2010


The Rudymiester noted:

>>NVL will do the job (nice one, Ron), but COALESCE will, too
>>COALESCE is standard SQL, and can also handle more than two parameters

Hi Rudy,

Really?  That would be cool.  And it would certainly be more elegant than nested NVLs!  But I always thought COALESCE was the MSSQL command for doing this.  It didn't used to work in Oracle.  Hmmm.  I don't see it listed in my "Oracle - The Complete Reference" volume.  

Aha!  Well whaddaya know?  I see it listed online as working for Oracle versions 9i, 10g, and 11g.  What the hey?  Oh crap!  Looks like my dead tree reference book is woefully out of date.  <checks date /> Goodness!  Copyright 1997.  Covers up to Oracle version 7.3!  Ooopsie!


>>by the way, i thought oracle doesn't like the AS keyword...

Always worked okay for me ... and it _is_ listed in my [antique] Oracle reference book.  Oh dear, do you think maybe the command is now deprecated?

Mumble mumble ... Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!
RonL.




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