Long Column Functions

Scope

SQL Syntax

  { OUTPUT_DEVICE (LongColumnName)
    OUTPUT_NAME (LongColumnName)  }

Parameters

OUTPUT_DEVICE

returns an integer value indicating the output device type stored in the long column descriptor for LongColumnName. The values returned are shown in the table below:

Value Returned	Output Device Type
0	none specified
1	system file
2	shared memory

OUTPUT_NAME

returns the output device name stored in the long column descriptor for LongColumnName. The string returned is a 44 byte value.

LongColumnName

is the name of the column that has a long data type (LONG BINARY or LONG VARBINARY).

Description

• The long column functions can appear in the select list or search condition of an SQL data manipulation statement.

• The long column functions are useful when you need information about the long column descriptors, but do not want to fetch the data.

• For more information on long column data types, see the "Data Types" chapter.

• Referencing a LONG column in a LONG column function does not cause the LONG data to be written out to the output device.

Examples

1. OUTPUT_DEVICE example

   Change the PartPicture output device name to NewHammer in any row whose output device type for PartPicture is a system file.

   
      UPDATE PartsIllus
         SET PartPicture = '> NewHammer'
       WHERE OUTPUT_DEVICE(PartPicture) = 1
   
   

2. OUTPUT_NAME example

   Select the output device name of the PartPicture column for any row with a PartNumber of 100.

   
      SELECT OUTPUT_NAME(PartPicture)
        FROM PartsIllus
       WHERE PartNumber = 100
   
   

   Change all occurrences of the output device name of the PartPicture column to NewHammer if the current output device name is Hammer.

   
      UPDATE PartsIllus
         SET PartPicture = '> NewHammer'
       WHERE OUTPUT_NAME(PartPicture) = 'Hammer'