Virtual columns are columns in a database table that derive their values from expressions, rather than being stored physically. They allow computed values to be treated like normal columns, and can be indexed and used in constraints. Virtual columns are populated automatically based on their expression whenever the underlying columns change. They avoid the need for separate views or triggers to store computed values.
Virtual columns are columns in a database table that derive their values from expressions, rather than being stored physically. They allow computed values to be treated like normal columns, and can be indexed and used in constraints. Virtual columns are populated automatically based on their expression whenever the underlying columns change. They avoid the need for separate views or triggers to store computed values.
Virtual columns are columns in a database table that derive their values from expressions, rather than being stored physically. They allow computed values to be treated like normal columns, and can be indexed and used in constraints. Virtual columns are populated automatically based on their expression whenever the underlying columns change. They avoid the need for separate views or triggers to store computed values.
Virtual columns are columns in a database table that derive their values from expressions, rather than being stored physically. They allow computed values to be treated like normal columns, and can be indexed and used in constraints. Virtual columns are populated automatically based on their expression whenever the underlying columns change. They avoid the need for separate views or triggers to store computed values.
derive their value during runtime through an expression. eed of Virtual Column Consider a scenario where you want to compute something based on the columns in your table. For e.g. calculating the salary package of employees based on salary and commission, calculating the price of an item after providing discount based on type of item, etc.
There¶s no syntax of creating a table pre- Oracle
11g which makes use of such computed column, which made you resort to using separate database views and triggers. For e.g. using separate Database views ë Calculating average of three no.s
CREATE TABLE virtual_need ISERT ITO virtual_need
( col_1 BER, VAL ES(5,5,5); col_2 BER, col_3 BER); ISERT ITO virtual_need VAL ES(5,10,15);
sing Database views :-
CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW virtual_need_view AS SELECT col_1, col_2 , col_3 , (col_1 + col_2 + col_3 )/3 AS AVERAGE_VAL E FRO virtual_need
If say, instead of average, only sum needs to be computed, you just need to alter the formula of the view. CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW virtual_need_view AS SELECT col_1, col_2 , col_3 , (col_1 + col_2 + col_3 ) AS S _VAL E FRO virtual_need ;
Limitations- To display derived columns, you¶ll always need to use views.
View attributes are not physically stored in the database. View attributes cannot be indexed and cannot enjoy the rights of a table column You cannot collect statistics/ histograms on such computed columns For e.g. using Trigger to compute value in derived column You can add a column to the table CREATE TABLE virtual_need ( col_1 BER, col_2 BER, col_3 BER, col_4 BER);
And create a BEFORE ISERT trigger on this table which
will contain the logic/formula/expression to be computed on col_4
Limitations- Wastage of hard disk space
Introducing Virtual Columns ë Oracle 11g introduced Virtual columns to handle such computed columns in a more convenient way.
ë In Oracle 11g, a table can contain a virtual column which derives the values by evaluating expressions that might use: ë Columns from the same table ë Constants ë Function calls (user-defined functions or SQL functions)
ë On the fly calculation of values, hence no storage consumption.
ë Virtual columns might be used to
ë Eliminate some views ë Control table partitioning (DBA stuff) ë anage the new "binary" XLType data
ë Virtual columns can be IDEXED.
ë Virtual columns can be used for partitioning of the table.
Syntax : column_name [datatype] [GEERATED ALWAYS] AS [expression] [VIRT AL]
ë Parameters within [ ] are optional.
ë Based on the result of the expression, the datatype of the virtual column can be decided e.g.
CREATE TABLE VIRT AL_COL _TABLE
(COL_1 ITEGER, COL_2 BER, COL_3 GEERATED ALWAYS AS (COL_1 * COL_2) VIRT AL );
2 COL_2 BER 22 O 3 COL_3 BER 22 "COL_1³ * "COL_2" YES Populating virtual columns ë Virtual columns can be used in the WHERE clause of PDATE and DELETE statement but they can¶t be modified by DL. ë You can OT explicitly write to a virtual column
ë You need to specify column names to insert into a table having virtual columns.
ISERT ITO VIRT AL_COL _TABLE (COL_1,COL_2) VAL ES (10,20);
1 rows inserted
SELECT * FRO VIRT AL_COL _TABLE ;
COL_1 COL_2 COL_3
---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- 10 20 200 Adding constraints Virtual columns can hold all type of constraints which a normal column can.
ALTER TABLE VIRT AL_COL _TABLE ADD COSTRAIT
vct_pk PRIARY KEY(COL_3);
SELECT ucc.column_name, uc.COSTRAIT_AE,
uc.COSTRAIT_TYPE, uc.TABLE_AE FRO SER_COSTRAITS uc, SER_COS_COL S ucc WHERE uc.TABLE_AE = 'VIRT AL_COL _TABLE' AD CC.TABLE_AE = C.TABLE_AE AD CC.COSTRAIT_AE = C.COSTRAIT_AE Indexing Virtual Columns Virtual columns can have indexes imposed on them like any other non-virtual columns. CREATE IDEX vct_idx O VIRT AL_COL _TABLE (COL_3);
ote :- The index created on virtual columns is always a function-based index. Oracle internally indexes the expression associated with the value*
SELECT IDEX_AE, IDEX_TYPE, TABLE_AE, F CIDX_STAT S
FRO SER_IDEXES WHERE TABLE_AE = 'VIRT AL_COL _TABLE';
IDEX_AE IDEX_TYPE TABLE_AE F CIDX_STAT S
VCT_IDX F CTIO-BASED ORAL VIRT AL_COL _TABLE EABLED
* - SELECT * FRO SER_ID_EXPRESSIOS WHERE IDEX_AE =µVCT_IDX¶;
explain plan for SELECT * FRO VIRT AL_COL _TABLE where col_3 = 200;
select * from table (dbms_xplan.display);
PLSQL functions with virtual columns CREATE OR REPLACE F CTIO get_product (in_num1 ITEGER, in_num2 BER) RET R BER DETERIISTIC AS BEGI RET R in_num1 * in_num2; ED;
ote : Only DETERIISTIC functions can be used with virtual columns.
CREATE TABLE VIRT AL_COL _TABLE2
(COL_1 ITEGER, COL_2 BER, COL_3 GEERATED ALWAYS AS (get_product(COL_1,COL_2)) VIRT AL );
BEEFITS : You can embed logic at table-level
Limitations ë Virtual column can only be of scalar datatype or XLDATATYE. It can¶t be a user defined type, LOB or RAW ë Columns mentioned as part of the virtual column expression should belong to the same table ë o DLs are allowed on the virtual columns. ë Expression can¶t reference any other virtual column ë Virtual columns can only be created on ordinary tables. ot allowed on index-organized, external, object, cluster or temporary tables ë Virtual column can¶t be used as a partitioning key for virtual column-based partitioning, if deterministic function is used as virtual column expression. |
