> > > CHAR(n) CHARACTER SET OCTETS, where n = 8 * the number of
> tables involved
> > > in the set.
> > >
> > > Not true that you can't pass it around stored procedures. It
> will remain
> > > stable for the duration of your transaction, *inside your
> > > transaction*. Just don't use it to update the rdb$db_key of any
> > > other table!
> > >
> > > /hb
> >
> >8 * the number of tables? not fields?
>
> Yes, tables. When you join tables, the 8-byte rdb$db_keys are
> concatenated
> together. (Really, each rdb$db_key is 16 hex digits, a
> combination of the
> page id and the offset of the record on the page).
>
>
> >Anyway - what would you use it for?
>
> ;-) Read my forthcoming book - it's an optimization topic in chapter 22.
> But seriously, Claudio is the one who has done all the research.
> Read his
> articles at www.cvalde.net
>
> /hb

so if you add a table to the db, you need to go around and increase the size
of all your references to this variable? How is that efficient?

BTW - ^H -> /hb - are we seeing a move from total control to escape control?

Alan