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Oracle 11g: Is a Drop Down literal Field possible?
I'm designing a table to track programitic changes (rudimentary version control). One of the fields will be one of three types of language: we currently deal with: PL/SQL, VBA, PowerBasic.
Typically I would have another table with a unique Type_key and a description. I would then use the Type_id in the main table.
Because the list is so limited, it would be more practicle to have a "drop down" field where the acceptable values would be "hard coded" to avoid mis-spellings.
Is something like this possible, or, is there anything I can do to accomplish this without creating yet another lookup table?
Typically I would have another table with a unique Type_key and a description. I would then use the Type_id in the main table.
Because the list is so limited, it would be more practicle to have a "drop down" field where the acceptable values would be "hard coded" to avoid mis-spellings.
Is something like this possible, or, is there anything I can do to accomplish this without creating yet another lookup table?
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>>Is there a way that I can set up a "hard" relationship so that the Main table "lists" the acceptable values from the look up table?
That would be a feature of the tool you are using. I'm not a Toad person so I don't know if you can create dropdown entries in something like a datasheet view with it.
I know this can be done in Access.
That would be a feature of the tool you are using. I'm not a Toad person so I don't know if you can create dropdown entries in something like a datasheet view with it.
I know this can be done in Access.
Toad does not have such a feature.
It's a rich tool for development and administration; but bulk, manual, data entry is not one of its strong suits.
If you have a lot of data entry you might want to use Excel or Access and then import it.
It's a rich tool for development and administration; but bulk, manual, data entry is not one of its strong suits.
If you have a lot of data entry you might want to use Excel or Access and then import it.
>>use Excel or Access and then import it.
If Access, I would just use Linked Tables. No import necessary.
If Access, I would just use Linked Tables. No import necessary.
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But that requires the hard-coded list of values not a normalized lookup table.
If that suggestion was in answer to:
Then I would go with a foreign key constraint to enforce that the value inserted was one of the acceptable ones.
Granted, you don't get the nice message of allowed values but you don't have hard-coded lists.
If that suggestion was in answer to:
Is there a way that I can set up a "hard" relationship so that the Main table "lists" the acceptable values from the look up table?
Then I would go with a foreign key constraint to enforce that the value inserted was one of the acceptable ones.
Granted, you don't get the nice message of allowed values but you don't have hard-coded lists.
ASKER
Thanks !
I like using the constraint/trigger approach this time - wouldnt use it very often, but in this case it would work great.
Thanks again...
Great solution!
I like using the constraint/trigger approach this time - wouldnt use it very often, but in this case it would work great.
Thanks again...
Great solution!
ASKER
We typically have a lookup table but we do not place any hard coded relationships in oracle.
I'm going to be entering the information directly into the table (we utilize TOAD).
Is there a way that I can set up a "hard" relationship so that the Main table "lists" the acceptable values from the look up table?
For example, If the MAIN_TABLE has a field called PROGRAM_TYPE_ID and the LK_PROGRAM_TYPE table has two Fields: PROGRAM_TYPE_ID and PROGRAM_DESCRIPTION, is there a way that when I try to enter the information into the MAIN_TABLE, it would somehow indicate the possible PRGRAM_TYPE_IDs with the corresponding PROGRAM_DESCRIPTIONs?
or, what's the best solution for something like this other than having a better personal memory than I have?