Question

maximum size of VARCHAR2()

Asked by: javamate06

What is the maximum size of VARCHAR2(),
Is it 3000?
If yes,
If I create table with VARCHAR2(3000) is it wasting the memory or it will cover only what space I used?


For example,

         Create table x (name VARCHAR2(3000));

 and

          Insert into x (name) values (‘SQL’);

I used only 3, Does this waste 2997 or not?

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Asked On
2006-07-15 at 23:54:48ID21920840
Tags

varchar2

,

size

,

maximum

Topic

Databases Miscellaneous

Participating Experts
4
Points
30
Comments
7

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Answers

 

by: mgh_mgharishPosted on 2006-07-16 at 00:42:15ID: 17116765

Hi javamate06, in which database ? Oracle ?

If you use VARCHAR2, it won't waste any space.

http://www.ss64.com/orasyntax/datatypes.html


---
Harish

 

by: angelIIIPosted on 2006-07-16 at 00:50:24ID: 17116777

In Oracle: 4000
In MSSQL (2000): 8000
in MSSQL (2005):  MAX = 2GB

In all the databases, there is NO waste of space.

 

by: cdemirPosted on 2006-07-16 at 00:53:20ID: 17116784

in Oracle;

>> What is the maximum size of VARCHAR2(),
varchar2(4000)

>> I used only 3, Does this waste 2997 or not?
No. Allowing extra space in a VARCHAR column is usually harmless — after all, the definition doesn’t affect the storage — but it does affect sorts.

 

by: javamate06Posted on 2006-07-16 at 01:03:34ID: 17116805

thanks mgh_mgharish

You said "If you use VARCHAR2, it won't waste any space.". So, is there a type like VARCHAR2 wasiting spaces by initializing the size?

 

by: angelIIIPosted on 2006-07-16 at 01:04:54ID: 17116807

yes, using CHAR(4000) will allocate each time 4000 characters

 

by: mgh_mgharishPosted on 2006-07-16 at 01:13:43ID: 17116822

angel is correct..

>> but it does affect sorts.
Performence can be increased slightly by creating index on that column

 

by: LowfatspreadPosted on 2006-07-16 at 02:00:27ID: 17116880

Hi javamate06,
performance is also affected by having to store the length of the data with the column...
but that's not usually a concern if your storing a lot of data...

a general rules of thumb from db2/udb
if its less than 30 bytes define it as char to its maximum value
if it generally varies by less than 10-20 bytes use char


hth
 


Cheers!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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