[AccessD] Number vs text data type

Developer Developer at UltraDNT.com
Sat Oct 25 13:33:49 CDT 2003


Ok, here's one more on this ...
I am sure that a number search would be faster than text, but in the
case of the Zip code, or any other value where there might be a leading
zero, a truly fair comparison would have to include the logic and
padding to put back the missing "0"s
  if stored as a number, thus diminishing the difference.  Or, you would
have to check/pad it at every mention in your front-end, not something I
would want to have to deal with.
So, again, I vote for ZipCode=text.  (My personal criteria is on
calculation - if the value will NEVER be used in a calculation, like zip
or SSN, I make it text.)

Steve


-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Gustav Brock
Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 10:34 AM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Number vs text data type


Hi all

If you are bored to death by the discussion on datatypes why not use a
typeless (and completely free public domain) engine!

  http://www.sqlite.org/

  http://www.sqlite.org/datatypes.html

  http://www.sqlite.org/cvstrac/wiki?p=SqliteWrappers

It handles TB size databases and claims to be faster than MySQL. It is,
however, not well suited for multiuser applications.

/gustav


> Whoa, whoa, wait a second! I didn't mean to imply that
> there are never cases where storing a number as text
> doesn't make sense, in fact I said exactly that in my 
> message (granted, in just one line, but sheesh!). What you 
> cite are "compelling reasons" to store a number as text. 
> But when there is no compelling reason to store a numeric 
> value as text it should be stored as a number, I believe 
> that and have far fewer problems by following that 
> strategy. 

> Ron

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