1.2 Session Context Information for Workspace Manager

Users perform Workspace Manager operations within a standard Oracle session.

A session is a specific connection of a user to an Oracle instance through a user process; a session lasts from the time the user connects until the time the user disconnects or exits the database application. When you perform Workspace Manager operations, information relating to the session context is automatically recorded.

The session context information includes the workspace name and a context value, and it determines what data the session can see in the workspace and what workspaces the session can enter. The context value is one of the following:

• LATEST: The session is currently set to the LATEST savepoint (explained in Using Savepoints), and it can see changes as they are made in the workspace. The context is automatically set to LATEST when the session enters the workspace (using the GotoWorkspace procedure).

• A savepoint name: The session is currently set to a savepoint in the workspace. The session cannot see changes as they are made in the latest version of the workspace, but instead sees a static view of the data as of the savepoint creation time. The session context is set to the savepoint name after a call to the GotoDate procedure.

• An instant (a point in time): The session is currently set to a specific point in time. The session cannot see changes as they are made in the latest version of the workspace, but instead sees a static view of the data as of the specific time. The session context is set to an instant after a call to the GotoDate procedure. (The exact time point depends on the history option for tracking modifications, as set by the EnableVersioning procedure or modified by the SetWoOverwriteOFF or SetWoOverwriteON procedure.)

You can retrieve information about the session context by using the GetSessionInfo procedure. Retrieving this information can be useful if you need to know where a session is (workspace and context) -- for example, after you performed a combination of GotoWorkspace, GotoSavepoint, and GotoDate operations.