Oracle: Integer field returning NUMBER

Question

I am creating the following table in oracle:

CREATE TABLE TEST
(
 DKEY INTEGER NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
 NOM VARCHAR2(255) NOT NULL
)

When i try to get the type of the DKEY field using this java code, I get the following result:

DatabaseMetaData md = cnx.getMetaData();
ResultSet rsmd = md.getColumns(null, strSchema, strTableName, "%");
while (rsmd != null && rsmd.next()) {
    String strTmp = rsmd.getString("SQL_DATA_TYPE");  // this return 0 for field DKEY
    int intDType = rsmd.getInt("DATA_TYPE");          // this return 3 for field DKEY
    String strFType = rsmd.getString("TYPE_NAME")     // this return NUMBER for field DKEY
}

Why do i get NUMBER instead of INTEGER?

Did you read the chapter in the Oracle manual that describes the available datatypes? Because that does answer your question. — user330315
– user330315, Commented May 30, 2013 at 14:52

Sotirios Delimanolis · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-30 14:49:59Z

5

Although you can specify INTEGER as the data type in the SQL statement, Oracle will use NUMBER(38) in its implementation.

See Oracle data types here and this article.

answered May 30, 2013 at 14:49

Sotirios Delimanolis

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3 Comments

user2318955 Over a year ago

Thank you for your answer, one more question : why rsmd.getString("COLUMN_SIZE") returns 0 not 38? is there another methode to get the size? i tried getPrecision but also it returned 0

Sotirios Delimanolis Over a year ago

If you read the javadoc for getPrecision, docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/sql/…, it says 0 is returned for data types where the column size is not applicable. I don't know any other way. Use SQL to get table metadata with a DESCRIBE statement or whatever Oracle uses.

David Aldridge Over a year ago

getPrecision is going to return 0 if you specify Integer, Number, or Number(*,n) where n is >= 0. sqlfiddle.com/#!4/be559/2

minam.cho · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-30 14:53:45Z

0

I think the table column DKEY property type is NUMBER

But try

while (rsmd != null && rsmd.next()) {
    String strTmp = rsmd.getString("SQL_DATA_TYPE");  // this return 0 for field DKEY
    int intDType = Integer.parseInt(rsmd.getLong("DATA_TYPE"));          // this return 3 for field DKEY
    String strFType = rsmd.getString("TYPE_NAME")     // this return NUMBER for field DKEY
}

answered May 30, 2013 at 14:53

minam.cho

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