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set Variable value

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CrystalProgDev

Programmer
Oct 1, 2010
69
US
I need to place the select statement into a variable. I have some thing like this

SELECTSTMT VARCHAR2 (2500)
:= 'TO_CHAR (Date_Col, 'MM/DD/RRRR'),'
+'col_nm1,'
+'" DECODE ('col_nm2,''0', 'Active Part',' DECODE (col_nm2,''1', 'Obsolete Part',DECODE(col_nm2, '2', 'In-Process Release'))) AS col_nm2val,"'
+' col_nm3 ,'
+'col_nm4 ,'
+ 'col_nm5';


It looks like there is some problem with single quotes. I tried with double quotes and single quotes. but no luck. Can any one please provide me the right way to do this?
 
CrystalProgDev,

The are a couple of ways to do this in Oracle:[ul][li]The Old Way: strings are bounded by single quotes ('), and within single quotes if you need/want a single quote, you must code with two successive single quotes ('') [not a single double quote].[/li]

Code:
select 'This is how to place '' characters, and carriage returns -> '||chr(10)||'into a string in Oracle' sample from dual;

SAMPLE
----------------------------------------------------------
This is how to place ' characters, and carriage returns ->
into a string in Oracle

(As you can see from above, you use two successive pipe symbols for string concatenation in Oracle...not "+".

[li]The New(er) Way: use the Oracle "q" operator. Example:

Code:
select q'~This is how to place ' characters, and carriage returns ->
into a string in Oracle~' sample from dual;

SAMPLE
----------------------------------------------------------------
This is how to place ' characters, and even carriage returns ->
into a string in Oracle
[/li][/ul]

Let us know if you have additional questions.

[santa]Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
“People may forget what you say, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
 
Santa, could you elaborate a little about the new(er) Oracle "q" operator, please?
I have an Oracle’s reference book from 1997 and there is nothing about it :-( I guess the book is too old

I would guess this is the 'secret':[tt]
select [blue]q'~[/blue]This is how to place ' characters, and carriage returns ->
into a string in Oracle[blue]~'[/blue] sample from dual;[/tt]

Have fun.

---- Andy
 
Andy,

Oracle SQL's "q operator" allows you to specify character strings without typical concerns for single-quote definitions and <end-of-line> definitions. You may use the "q operator" anywhere that you would use a character operator or character function.

The syntax of the "q operator" is:

Code:
...q'<left-delimiter><your string><right-delimiter>'

As a left- and right-delimiter, you may use any single numeric character (i.e., 0 thru 9), any single alphabetic character (i.e., a thru z or A thru Z), or most special characters (i.e., ~!@#$%^*_+=|\:;"/?), provided that the <left-delimiter> is the same character as the <right-delimiter>. You may also use the following "enclosure pairs": (), [], {}, <>. (e.g., if you use "[" as the left-delimiter, you must use "]" as the right-delimiter.)

Because of their special meanings or purposes in Oracle, you may not use these characters as "q operator" delimiters: ' (standard single quote) and & (unless you specify "set define off" in SQL*Plus).

If you have any additional questions about Oracle's "q operator", please follow up here.

[santa]Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
“People may forget what you say, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
 
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