patrickmcginnis59 10839 (10/18/2013)
T.Ashish (10/1/2013)
Hi all,I consider CURSOR and TABLE as data types but some one has argued that these are database objects.
Can you please share your views on the same !!
Thanks.
I agree with your terminology.
For example,
DECLARE some_name CURSOR FOR select_statement
in my mind would create a variable called 'some_name' as type cursor, same with tables, with individual named cursors and tables as instances or "database objects" having those types.
Not sure how excited I would be about having to convince someone about that who thinks otherwise, but its a bit satisfying for a language nerd like myself.
**cough**CURSOR**cough** is listed as a datatype (other). This to me is a bit strange. Generally datatypes can define either a column in a table or a variable. You can't have a column with a type of cursor. That makes no sense, yet it is a datatype of sorts.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187752.aspx
With the exception of cursor and table. You can have a column with any of the other datatypes.
For a table, it depends. If it is a permanent or temp table then I would argue in those circumstances that is a database and NOT a datatype. However, we can have table variables. I would say that the type of that variable is a table. In other words a table can be either in some situations.
An interesting question that can have a number of interpretations and the explanation can be as challenging as the question itself. 😎
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