SQL Semantics Support for LOBs

In this release, for the first time, you can access LOBs using SQL VARCHAR2 semantics, such as SQL string operators and functions.

By providing you with an SQL interface, which you are familiar with, accessing LOB data can be greatly facilitated. You can benefit from this added functionality in the following two cases:

• When using small-sized LOBs (~ 10-100K) to store data and you need to access the LOB data in SQL queries, the syntax is the same as that of VARCHAR2's.

• When you have just migrated your LONG columns to LOBs. In this release, you can take advantage of an easier migration process using the LONG-to-LOB migration API described in Chapter 8, "Migrating From LONGs to LOBs".

  See Also: Chapter 7, "Modeling and Design", "SQL Semantics Support for LOBs".