When is 1 not equal to 1 ?

Question

WHENEVER YOU SEE >< in this code it means "NOT EQUALS" - the forum software removes "empty html tags"
During one of my processes, I compare some values passed into the database with the rowcount of the number of rows I just inserted/updated:
Here is a simplified procedure:
procedure mark_as_done(
  in_batch_id IN NUMBER,
  in_count_a IN NUMBER,
  in_count_b IN NUMBER
  tmp_num NUMBER;
is
  SELECT count(*) INTO tmp_num FROM stuff_to_do WHERE batch = in_batch_id;
  IF tmp_num >< (in_count_a + in_count_b) THEN
    sendErrorEmail('The number of things to do is not equal to the sum of A and B');
    RETURN;
  END IF;
  INSERT INTO done_stuff SELECT * FROM stuff_to_do WHERE batch_id = in_batch_id;
  IF SQL%ROWCOUNT >< (in_count_a + in_count_b) THEN
    sendErrorEmail('The number of things inserted into done_stuff was '||SQL%ROWCOUNT||' but the sum of A and B was '||(in_count_a + in_count_b));
  END IF;
  UPDATE stuff_to_do SET state = 'DONE' WHERE batch_id = in_batch_id;
  IF SQL%ROWCOUNT >< (in_count_a + in_count_b) THEN
    sendErrorEmail('The number of things updated to DONE was '||SQL%ROWCOUNT||' but the sum of A and B was '||(in_count_a + in_count_b));
  END IF;
END mark_as_done;This op is done thousands of times per month. I just got 2 emails:
>
The number of things inserted into done_stuff was 1 but the sum of A and B was 1
The number of things updated to DONE was 1 but the sum of A and B was 1
Can anyone explain Oracle's inability to compared 1 < > 1 and result in TRUE ?
Edited by: charred on Jan 28, 2009 7:23 AM
Stupid "forum cannot handle < or > brackets even in code tags" bug. Edited < > to be ><. Please turn them round in your head. Didnt want to use != in case it is a bug with ><

Answer 1

Hi,
I have doubt, is it running without error
procedure mark_as_done(
in_batch_id IN NUMBER,
in_count_a IN NUMBER,
in_count_b IN NUMBER
tmp_num NUMBER; --DECLARATION
is
SELECT count(*) INTO tmp_num --YOU ARE STORING VALUE HERE
FROM stuff_to_do WHERE batch = in_batch_id;
IF tmp_num (in_count_a + in_count_b) --?WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO HERE?
THEN
sendErrorEmail('The number of things to do is not equal to the sum of A and B');
RETURN;
END IF;
INSERT INTO done_stuff SELECT * FROM stuff_to_do WHERE batch_id = in_batch_id;
IF SQL%ROWCOUNT (in_count_a + in_count_b) THEN
sendErrorEmail('The number of things inserted into done_stuff was '||SQL%ROWCOUNT||' but the sum of A and B was '||(in_count_a + in_count_b));
END IF;
UPDATE stuff_to_do SET state = 'DONE' WHERE batch_id = in_batch_id;
IF SQL%ROWCOUNT (in_count_a + in_count_b) THEN
sendErrorEmail('The number of things updated to DONE was '||SQL%ROWCOUNT||' but the sum of A and B was '||(in_count_a + in_count_b));
END IF;
END mark_as_done;
Shishu Paul