From: Phil!Gregory Date: 22:58 on 11 Nov 2003 Subject: Delphi and Inconsistencies At work, I write programs in Delphi. Generally, these programs access their databases using Delphi's built-in components and the Borland Database Engine. Occasionally, I need to change the structure of certain tables. I generally do this in the program, for various reasons, usually by handing the database object an SQL statement to run. (Note that these are often Paradox tables (and _that's_ a different hate), so I'm using SQL to update a Paradox "database".) Why SQL? Well, Borland's native components only support changing column definitions if you're creating a table; if you want to do it on the fly, you have to use SQL. I recently needed to change the primary index on a table. BDE SQL supports this. It even has a specific syntax for deleting the primary key (as opposed to a named secondary key). Does it have a special syntax for creating a primary key? Well, no. Actually, you can't create a primary key with SQL; you have to use a method from the built-in components. (Don't ask how long it took to figure this one out.) Argh! Hm. Need to be less long-winded in my hates. And possibly less obscure. But I've got a couple more Delphi hates kicking around, just waiting for me to be annoyed enough at them to vent.
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