At 11:32 PM 7/10/2003 +0000, you wrote:

>--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, Helen Borrie <helebor@t...>
>wrote:
>
> > SPs expect constants as input
>
>I - as a user - expect to be able to input whatever I like and the SP
>cast my expression into the expected type of parameter.
>
>I guess that SPs are made for users and not the other way around :)

Actually, SPs are made for applications, not users, and applications are
supposed to know how to interpret what users want and how to compose
constants. :-)

>I suspect that the related code is already there, because in the
>SELECT instance the casting is done alright.

Maybe, but the assumption is wrong. The SELECT works on output, not input.

>Besides, this different behaviour (btw SELECT and EXECUTE) surprises
>me and as a rule a user should never be surprised :)

Exactly. That's why you write applications for users.

h.