What's the best approach when the field to be indexed is empty

1. have an entry in the text filter type column for a type for which no text filter exists
2. have an entry in the text filter type column for a type for which a text filter exists that returns an empty string
3. have no entry in the text filter type column

or something totally different

Roy Lambert

Roy,

<< What's the best approach when the field to be indexed is empty

1. have an entry in the text filter type column for a type for which no
text filter exists
2. have an entry in the text filter type column for a type for which a text
filter exists that returns an empty string
3. have no entry in the text filter type column

or something totally different >>

There really is no relationship between an empty text column and the text
filter type column other than the fact that any text filter should be able
to cope with an empty string being passed to it.

--
Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com

Tim


Didn't explain very well there. Using emails as an example we'll both understand. When one arrives I'll check it to see what format it is - mainly HTML or ANSI (plain text), with occasional looney sending them in RTF, and plonk this in the text filter type column so the appropriate text filter is called.

Sometimes, however, I receive an email with no body text (there may be an attachment or the subject may be all that's needed). I could set the text filter type to ANSI, and let it run through a text filter which will return an empty string, leave it blank in which case I assume it passes through your text filter, or but in a value EMPTY for which no text filter exists.

I was just wondering which of these is going to be best for performance. Most of the time it won't matter since the CLOB field involved won't be altered, but if I optimise or repair the table, or the user decides to add full text indexing in, or remove it I'd like to get the best speed possible.

Does that change the answer you gave?

Roy Lambert

Roy,

<< I was just wondering which of these is going to be best for performance.
Most of the time it won't matter since the CLOB field involved won't be
altered, but if I optimise or repair the table, or the user decides to add
full text indexing in, or remove it I'd like to get the best speed possible.
>>

Just use the filter text type that isn't hooked up to anything.  That way
EDB will simply not call any text filter at all, thus making it the fastest
of the options.

--
Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com

Tim


Brill - that's what I wanted to know - I think I'll call it NULL

Roy Lambert