RE: SQL Delete from multiple files

I agree that a cascaded delete can be scary. Normally I use the option to
stop you cold in your tracks (restrict). For example, if I delete an item
class should that delete all items using that item class (and all order
lines, etc using those items) or should it stop me and say "dude, you
can't delete that item class because it's in use". That's what restrict
versus a cascaded delete do. In that case, perhaps an alternate decision
may need to be made. That's what active record codes and triggers are
for. Don't allow any new items to be assigned an inactive item class.
Don't allow any existing items to have their item class be changed to an
inactive item class.

But if you want the delete to be one line of SQL, or one delete operation
in rpg, then you're going to have to cascade.

I don't think you could build this huge view that would join all
dependencies together and then
delete from myview where thiscolumn='deleteme'
and have that work. Can you delete from any view, let alone a view that
spans multiple tables?



Rob Berendt