Basic Names

Basic names, or simple names, identify such objects as columns, tables, views, and indexes. Basic names must follow these rules:

• The maximum length of a basic name is 30 characters.

• A name can consist of any combination of letters (A to Z a to z), decimal digits (0 to 9), $, #, @, or underscore (_). For identifiers, the first character must be a letter (A-Z a-z) and not a digit or special character. However, for parameter names, the first character can be a letter (A-Z a-z), a decimal digit (0 to 9), or special characters $, #, @, or underscore (_).

  If a column name contains the # special character, enclose the column name in quotation marks. If an object name contains the $ special character, enclose the object name in quotation marks.

• TimesTen changes lowercase letters (a to z) to the corresponding uppercase letters (A to Z). Thus names are not case-sensitive.

• If you enclose a name in quotation marks, you can use any combination of characters even if they are not in the set of supported characters. When the name is enclosed in quotes, the first character in the name can be any character, including one or more spaces.

  If a column, table, or index is initially defined with a name enclosed in quotation marks and the name does not conform to the rule noted in the second bullet, then that name must always be enclosed in quotation marks whenever it is subsequently referenced.

• Unicode characters are not allowed in names.