RE: Mixed Case Fields and SQL

Please note that this is the same behavior for Oracle, and is consistent
with the SQL specification. The specific paragraph for it is here, although
you may need to read it in context to see how it forces your hand:

"From SQL-92/Sec. 5.2:
=======================================
10)The <identifier body> of a <regular identifier> is equivalent
to an <identifier body> in which every letter that is a lower-
case letter is replaced by the equivalent upper-case letter
or letters. This treatment includes determination of equiva-
lence, representation in the Information and Definition Schemas,
representation in the diagnostics area, and similar uses."

You CAN create column names with special characters, including lower-case
letters, but they must then be enclosed in double quotes for eternity.

The only major database where the column name is case sensitive by default
is SQL Server. As usual, the discrepancy is due to SQL Server not following
the standards.

Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:midrange-l-
bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of JK
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 11:59 PM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Mixed Case Fields and SQL

Brian,

Thanks for the link! Now that I know the magic word 'identifier', it
appears that SQL case-sensitivity depends on the platform. Although it is
possible to force DB2 to use mixed-case identifiers, the necessary
dbl-quotes do indeed become part of the SQL column name. This doesn't
sound
like a good path to follow. Judicious use of underscore is starting to
seem
like a better idea...

JK

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:midrange-l-
bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Brian Johnson
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 5:39 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Mixed Case Fields and SQL

On Dec 21, 2007 2:08 PM, JK <johnking@xxxxxxx> wrote:

The DB analysts at our new parent company are dissing our legacy

system

because of the short field and file names. In their world-view,

anything

Column names are SQL identifiers. Here's a link to the naming rules:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r4/topic/db2/rbafzmstch

2iden.htm

It looks like we are stuck with upper-case, digits and underscore.
--
Brian Johnson
brian.johnson.mn@xxxxxxxxx