首先搞清楚DUAL是什么OBJECT :
SQL> connect system/manager
Connected.
SQL> select owner, object_name , object_type from dba_objects where object_name like '%DUAL%';
OWNER OBJECT_NAME OBJECT_TYPE
--------------- --------------- -------------
SYS DUAL TABLE
PUBLIC DUAL SYNONYM
原来DUAL是属于SYS schema的一个表,然后以PUBLIC SYNONYM的方式供其他数据库USER使用.
再看看它的结构:
SQL> desc dual
Name Null? Type
----------------------------------------- -------- ----------------------------
DUMMY VARCHAR2(1)
只有一个名字叫DUMMY的字符型COLUMN .
然后查询一下表里的数据:
SQL> select dummy from dual;
DUMMY
----------
X
只有一条记录, DUMMY的值是’X’.
插入一条记录:
SQL> connect sys as sysdba
Connected.
SQL> insert into dual values ( 'Y');
1 row created.
SQL> commit;
Commit complete.
SQL> select count(*) from dual;
COUNT(*)
----------
1 //我的测试count(*)总是1,在网上其它地方看到有不是1值的,不知是否与Oracle版本有关?
然而当我们再次查询记录时,奇怪的事情发生了
SQL> select * from dual;
DUMMY
----------
X
刚才插入的那条记录并没有显示出来 ! 明明DUAL表中有两条记录, 可就是只显示一条!
再试一下删除 !
SQL> delete from dual;
1 row deleted.
SQL> commit;
Commit complete.
SQL> select * from dual;
DUMMY
----------
Y
结果也只有一条记录被删掉, 为什么会这样呢? 难道SQL的语法对DUAL不起作用吗?带着这个疑问, 我查询了一些ORACLE官方的资料. 原来ORACLE对DUAL表的操作做了一些内部处理,尽量保证DUAL表中只返回一条记录.当然这写内部操作是不可见的 .
附: ORACLE关于DUAL表不同寻常特性的解释
There is internalized code that makes this happen. Code checks that ensure that a table scan of SYS.DUAL only returns one row. Svrmgrl behaviour is incorrect but this is now an obsolete product.
The base issue you should always remember and keep is: DUAL table should always have 1 ROW. Dual is a normal table with one dummy column of varchar2(1).
54com.cn
This is basically used from several applications as a pseudo table for getting results from a select statement that use functions like sysdate or other prebuilt or application functions. If DUAL has no rows at all some applications (that use DUAL) may fail with NO_DATA_FOUND exception. If DUAL has more than 1 row then applications (that use DUAL) may fail with TOO_MANY_ROWS exception.
So DUAL should ALWAYS have 1 and only 1 row