Indeterminacy in sql, PL-SQL Programming

Assignment Help:

Indeterminacy in SQL

Some SQL expressions are actually not function invocations at all in the mathematical sense, being indeterminate-invocations operating on identical input do not always yield the same value. The indeterminate expressions are among those that the standard defines as possibly non-deterministic, but- caveat lector-not all expressions defined as possibly non-deterministic are actually indeterminate from a mathematical viewpoint. For example, the key word USER denotes the userid (officially, the authorization identifier) of the session in which an expression containing that key word is evaluated. Such an expression is defined as possibly non-deterministic by virtue of the appearance of USER, even though invocations in different sessions, in which USER stands for different userids, are clearly different invocations.

For a more general example, a user-defined function can be explicitly declared as either DETERMINISTIC or NOT DETERMINISTIC. In the latter case the "function" is flagged such that all invocations of it are treated as possibly non-deterministic. Regardless of the appropriateness of the term non-deterministic, there is a good reason for categorizing references to the current user (or, for another example, the current time) along with genuine cases of indeterminacy. It concerns constraint declarations. We clearly want to outlaw a constraint condition whose result, when evaluated, depends on the properties of the session in which, or on the time at which, the evaluation takes place. Of course we must also outlaw genuinely indeterminate conditions-a database might satisfy such a condition but later fail to satisfy it even though the database has not been updated in the meantime! The question then arises as to how it is possible for indeterminacy to arise: surely a computer program always gives the same result when invoked with the same input?


Related Discussions:- Indeterminacy in sql

Using %type-declarations in sql, Using %TYPE The %TYPE attribute gives th...

Using %TYPE The %TYPE attribute gives the datatype of a variable or the database column. In the example below, the %TYPE gives the datatype of a variable: credit REAL(7,2); debi

Role of abstraction in pl/sql, Role of Abstraction in pl/sql: The abst...

Role of Abstraction in pl/sql: The abstraction is a high-level description or model of a real-world entity. The Abstractions keep our daily lives convenient. They help us ca

Substitution and instantiation - sql, Substitution and Instantiation - SQL ...

Substitution and Instantiation - SQL It shows how NULL might appear in substitution for a parameter of a predicate and how it might thus participate in instantiation of that p

Read-only operator (+) - sql, Read-Only Operator (+) - SQL The term r...

Read-Only Operator (+) - SQL The term read-only operator to the mathematical term function. Here I just need to add that the SQL standard reserves the term function for read-

When or then key constraints, WHEN or THEN Key Constraints Suppose a t...

WHEN or THEN Key Constraints Suppose a table has two columns representing a period of time throughout which the information conveyed by the other columns is recorded as having

Type versus representation confusion in sql, Type versus Representation Con...

Type versus Representation Confusion in SQL This describes how a value might have two or more distinct representations. For example, user-defined type POINT might have a decla

Scoping-naming conventions, Scoping Within the similar scope, all the de...

Scoping Within the similar scope, all the declared identifiers should be unique. So, even if their datatypes differ, the variables and parameters cannot share the similar name.

Using operator ref - manipulating objects pl sql, Using Operator REF: ...

Using Operator REF: You can retrieve refs by using the operator REF that, like VALUE, takes as its argument a correlation variable. In the illustration below, you retrieve one

An active database in pl-sql, Consider the following set of database tables...

Consider the following set of database tables (same tables from Assignment 6-1). Please take note of foreign keys (most of them carry the same names as the corresponding primary ke

Remote operations in pl sql, Remote Operations: As the illustration sh...

Remote Operations: As the illustration shows below, the PL/SQL subprograms can execute the dynamic SQL statements which refer to the objects on a remote database: PROCEDURE

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd