[hibernate-dev] HHH-6726 LONG and LONG RAW column types in Oracle

Sun Oct 16 14:36:49 EDT 2011

Currently Oracle supports database versions from 10.1 to 11.2 [1]. LONG 
and LONG RAW data types are deprecated since version 8 and 8i (released 
before September 2000) [2]. Oracle keeps those column types only for 
backward compatibility [3].

I tried the following scenario (Oracle 10gR2):
1. Create schema with "hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto" set to "create". The LONG 
column is created.
2. Insert some data.
3. Modify Oracle dialect as Gail suggested. Avoid setting 
"hibernate.hbm2ddl.auto".
4. Insert some data.
To my surprise the test actually passed :). However, I think that we 
cannot guaranty the proper behavior in every situation.

As for performance, ImageType is extracted by calling 
ResultSet.getBytes() method, which fetches all data in one call [4]. I 
don't suppose a major performance difference when data is streamed in 
another call. oracle.jdbc.driver.LongRawAccessor.getBytes also fetches 
data by reading the stream.

The bug reading LONG column affects JDBC drivers since version 10.2.0.4. 
I think that we have to choose between:
- changing Oracle10gDialect. Make a not about it in migration guide to 
4.0 and update "5.2.2. Basic value types" chapter in Hibernate 
documentation.
- introducing Oracle11gDialect. It can sound weird to access Oracle 10g 
database with Oracle 11g dialect.
- disabling execution of Hibernate tests that fail because of this issue 
with @SkipForDialect (and maybe develop another version of them with 
CLOBs and BLOBs, @RequiresDialect). Hibernate is written correctly 
according to "Default Mappings Between SQL Types and Java Types" 
(referenced earlier by Gail) and this is more Oracle's JDBC 
implementation issue. This option came to my mind, but it's weird :P.

I would vote for the first option.

Regards,
Lukasz Antoniak

[1] 
http://www.oracle.com/us/support/library/lifetime-support-technology-069183.pdf 
(page 4)
[2] 
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/A91202_01/901_doc/server.901/a90120/ch4_dep.htm
[3] 
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B28359_01/server.111/b28318/datatype.htm
[4] "Getting a LONG RAW Data Column with getBytes" 
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/java.102/b14355/jstreams.htm

Strong Liu pisze:
> I think oracle 11g is the only one supported DB version by oracle, can we just introduce a new oracle dialect with suggested changes, and deprecate all other existed oracle dialects? this won't affects users app
> 
> -----------
> Strong Liu <stliu at hibernate.org>
> http://hibernate.org
> http://github.com/stliu
> 
> On Oct 15, 2011, at 11:14 AM, Scott Marlow wrote:
> 
>> How does this impact existing applications?  Would they have to convert 
>> LONGs to CLOBs (and LONGRAWs to BLOBs) to keep the application working?
>>
>> As far as the advantage of CLOB over TEXT, if you read every character, 
>> which one is really faster?  I would expect TEXT to be a little faster, 
>> since the server side will send the characters before they are asked 
>> for.  By faster, I mean from the application performance point of view. :)
>>
>> Could this be changed in a custom Oracle dialect?   So new 
>> applications/databases could perhaps use that and existing applications 
>> might use LONGs a bit longer via the existing Oracle dialect.
>>
>> On 10/14/2011 09:22 PM, Gail Badner wrote:
>>> In [1], I am seeing the following type mappings:
>>>
>>> Column type: LONG ->  java.sql.Types.LONGVARCHAR ->  java.lang.String
>>> Column type: LONGRAW ->  java.sql.Types.LONGVARBINARY ->  byte[]
>>>
>>> org.hibernate.type.TextType is consistent with the mapping for LONG.
>>>
>>> org.hibernate.type.ImageType is consistent with the mapping for LONGRAW.
>>>
>>> From this standpoint, the current settings are appropriate.
>>>
>>> I understand there are restrictions when LONG and LONGRAW are used and I see from your other message that there is Oracle documentation for migrating to CLOB and BLOB.
>>>
>>> I agree that changing column type registration as follows (for Oracle only) should fix this:
>>> 		registerColumnType( Types.VARBINARY, 2000, "raw($l)" );
>>> 		registerColumnType( Types.VARBINARY, "blob" );
>>>
>>> 		registerColumnType( Types.LONGVARCHAR, "clob" );
>>> 		registerColumnType( Types.LONGVARBINARY, "blob" );
>>>
>>> 		registerColumnType( Types.VARCHAR, 4000, "varchar2($l char)" );
>>> 		registerColumnType( Types.VARCHAR, "clob" );
>>>
>>> Steve, what do you think? Is it too late to make this change for 4.0.0?
>>>
>>> [1] Table 11-1 of Oracle® Database JDBC Developer's Guide and Reference, 11g Release 1 (11.1) (http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B28359_01/java.111/b31224/datacc.htm#g1028145)
>>> [2] Hibernate Core Migration Guide for 3.5 (http://community.jboss.org/wiki/HibernateCoreMigrationGuide35)
>>> [3] Table 2-10 of Oracle® Database SQL Language Reference
>>> 11g Release 1 (11.1) (http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B28359_01/server.111/b28286/sql_elements002.htm#g195937)
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Łukasz Antoniak"<lukasz.antoniak at gmail.com>
>>>> To: hibernate-dev at lists.jboss.org
>>>> Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 12:50:13 PM
>>>> Subject: [hibernate-dev] HHH-6726 LONG and LONG RAW column types in Oracle
>>>>
>>>> Welcome Community!
>>>>
>>>> I have just subscribed to the list and wanted to discuss HHH-6726
>>>> JIRA
>>>> issue.
>>>>
>>>> Gail Badner wrote
>>>> (http://lists.jboss.org/pipermail/hibernate-dev/2011-October/007208.html):
>>>> HHH-6726 (Oracle : map TextType to clob and ImageType to blob)
>>>> https://hibernate.onjira.com/browse/HHH-6726
>>>> There have been a number of issues opened since the change was made
>>>> to
>>>> map TextType (LONGVARCHAR) 'long' and ImageType (LONGVARBINARY) to
>>>> 'long
>>>> raw'. This change was already documented in the migration notes.
>>>> Should
>>>> the mapping for Oracle (only) be changed back to clob and blob?
>>>>
>>>> HHH-6726 is caused by an issue in Oracle JDBC driver (version
>>>> 10.2.0.4
>>>> and later). This bug appears when LONG or LONG RAW columns are
>>>> accessed
>>>> not as first or last while processing SQL statement.
>>>>
>>>> I have discussed the topic of mapping TextType to CLOB and ImageType
>>>> to
>>>> BLOB (only in Oracle dialect) with Strong Liu. Reasons for doing so:
>>>> - Oracle allows only one LONG / LONG RAW column per table. This might
>>>> be
>>>> the most important from Hibernate's perspective.
>>>> - LONG / LONG RAW - up to 2 GB, BLOB / CLOB - up to 4 GB.
>>>> - In PL/SQL using LOBs is more efficient (random access to data).
>>>> LONG
>>>> only sequential.
>>>> - LONG and LONG RAW are deprecated.
>>>>
>>>> What is your opinion?
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Lukasz Antoniak
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> hibernate-dev mailing list
>>>> hibernate-dev at lists.jboss.org
>>>> https://lists.jboss.org/mailman/listinfo/hibernate-dev
>>>>
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