关联数组:
一维的,无界限的,同种元素的稀疏集合,只在PL/SQL中可用。
在oracle 8i中称为索引表,9i后改为关联数组。
嵌套表:
一维的,无界限的,同种元素的稀疏集合;
初始化是紧密的,可能被删除能稀疏的。嵌套表在PL和数据库里使用。
嵌套表是多重表,里面元素没有继承顺序。
变长数组:
一维的同种元素集合。有限的,并且不是稀疏的。当定义变长数组时必须指定最大长度。
可以PL/SQL及数据库里使用。变长数组是保留顺序的。
选择合适的集合类型。
普遍情况:在都能使用的情况下,优先使用关联数组,因为它能减少coding.不用初始化,不用extend.性能最高(在老的数据库版本中)。如果有储存到数据里的话只能使用嵌套表或是变长数组。
Guidelines:
- 稀疏数组使用关联数组
- 下标使用负数,使用关联数组。
- 使用Oracle 10g的话,如果要使用高层集合操作,更倾向使用嵌套表而不是关联数组
- 在表中储存少量数据使用变长数组
- 表中储存大量数据使用嵌套表
- 想要保证数据储存的顺序,并且是小数据量的话使用变长数组。“小”是指能储存到一个block里
- 在使用变长数组时,不用担心删除中间数据。
Table 12-2. Comparing Oracle collection types
Characteristic
Associative array
Nested table
VARRAY
Dimensionality
Single
Single
Single
Usable in SQL?
No
Yes
Yes
Usable as column datatype in a table?
No
Yes; data stored "out of line" (in separate table)
Yes; data stored "in line" (in same table)
Uninitialized state
Empty (cannot be null); elements undefined
Atomically null; illegal to reference elements
Atomically null; illegal to reference elements
Initialization
Automatic, when declared
Via constructor, fetch, assignment
Via constructor, fetch, assignment
In PL/SQL, elements
referenced via
BINARY_INTEGER (-2,147,483,647 .. 2,147,483,647)
VARCHAR2 (Oracle9i Database Release 2 and above)
Positive integer between 1 and 2,147,483,647
Positive integer between 1 and 2,147,483,647
Sparse?
Yes
Initially, no; after deletions, yes
No
Bounded?
No
Can be extended
Yes
Can assign value to any
element at any time?
Yes
No; may need to EXTEND first
No; may need to EXTEND first, and cannot EXTEND past upper bound
Means of extending
Assign value to element with a new subscript
Use built-in EXTEND procedure (or TRIM to condense), with no predefined
maximum
EXTEND (or TRIM), but only up to declared maximum size
Can be compared for equality?
No
Yes, in Oracle Database 10g
No
Can be manipulated with set operators
No
Yes, in Oracle Database 10g
No
Retains ordering and subscripts when stored in and retrieved from database?
N/A
No
Yes