Problem writing a sql query for a select list based on a static LOV

Question

Hi,
I have the following table...
VALIDATIONS
ID          Number     (PK)
APP_ID          Number     
REQUESTED     Date          
APPROVED     Date          
VALID_TIL     Date
DEPT_ID          Number     (FK)
I have a search form with the following field item variables...
P11_DEPT_ID (select list based on dynamic LOV from depts table)
P11_VALID (select list based on static Yes/No LOV)
A report on the columns of the Validations table is shown based on the values in the search form. So far, my sql query for the report is...
SELECT v.APP_ID,
v.REQUESTED,
v.APPROVED,
v.VALID_TIL,
d.DEPT
FROM DEPTS d, VALIDATIONS v
WHERE d.DEPT_ID = v.DEPT_ID(+)
AND (d.DEPT_ID = :P11_DEPT_ID OR :P11_DEPT_ID = -1)
This query works so far. My problem is that I don't know how to do a search based on the P11_VALID item - if 'yes' is selected, then the VALID_TIL date is still valid. If 'no' is selected then the VALID_TIL date has passed.
Can anyone help me to extend my query to include this situation?
Thanks.

Answer 1

Hello !
Let's have a look at my example:create table test
id        number
,valid_til date
insert into test values( 1, sysdate-3 );
insert into test values( 2, sysdate-2 );
insert into test values( 3, sysdate-1 );
insert into test values( 4, sysdate );
insert into test values( 5, sysdate+1 );
insert into test values( 6, sysdate+2 );
commit;
select * from test;
def til=yes
select *
  from test
  where decode(sign(trunc(valid_til)-trunc(sysdate)),1,1,0,1,-1)
       =decode('&til','yes',1,-1);
def til=no
select *                                                                               
  from test                                                                            
  where decode(sign(trunc(valid_til)-trunc(sysdate)),1,1,0,1,-1)
       =decode('&til','yes',1,-1);  
drop table test;  It's working fine, I've tested it.
The above changes to my first idea I did because of time portion of the DATE datatype in Oracle and therefore the wrong result for today.
For understandings:
1.) TRUNC removes the time part of DATE
2.) The difference of to date-values is the number of days between.
3.) SIGN is the mathematical function and gives -1,0 or +1 according to an negative, zero or positiv argument.
4.) DECODE is like an IF.
Inspect your LOV for the returning values. According to my example they shoul be 'yes' and 'no'. If your values are different, you may have to modify the DECODE.
Good luck,
Heinz