Oracle Between Operator works

Question

Hi All,
user_key is of varchar2(50) datatype
Table values
user_key
600050001
600050002
600050003
600050004
600050005
600238902
select distinct user_key from app_user where user_key between '600050005' and '600050001';
no output
select distinct user_key from app_user where user_key between '6000500005' and '600050005'
my output
600050001
600050002
600050003
600050004
600050005
can anyone explain how between operator works... ???????

Answer 1

Hi,
althought this is the forum about Oracle Text, we can answer. But better is to use the SQL forum, [url http://forums.oracle.com/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=75]Oracle SQL Forum.
But the answer, "Between and" works just as as greater than and a smaller than pair. But the evaluation is from begin to end.
with x as (select 1 xx from dual union all select 2 from dual union all select 21 from dual}
select *
from  x
where xx between 30 and 1
;This will return no rows (your example 1), because the 30 is bigger than the 1, so Oracle evaluates only 30 and it has no rows
with x as (select 1 xx from dual union all select 2 from dual union all select 21 from dual}
select *
from  x
where xx between 1 and 30
;This will lead to 3 rows (your example 2). Because Oracle starts with 1 and goes to 30. All three rows are valid.
So the boundaries from Between And are included.
Herald ten Dam
http://htendam.wordpress.com
Hopes thi