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Status Not under consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories Db2 for i
Created by Guest
Created on Jan 2, 2022

Relax or remove the TABLE() Requirement for UDTF

When using SQL Table Functions the use of the TABLE() wrapper is burdensome. It also adds to resistance of user-buy-in of using things like ACS Run SQL Scripts or SQL in general. The sad truth is that unlike the 1970s/1980s and earlier when most highschool graduates took a Typing class, today (sadly) two-finger (or thumb) typists are dominate and us touch-typists are few and far between.
Anything that is seeming unnecessary, such as TABLE(myschema.myVeryLongFunction_Name()) is a barrier to entry for this new developers and non-developer end-users.


Use Case:

The user case is two-finger/hunt-and-peck typists are not a majority and sadly, don't want to type in extra stuff when on other database systems they do not. That is TABLE() is an IBM i-thing and needs to go.


Idea priority Medium
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jan 11, 2022

    IBM does not intend to provide a solution to this request at this time, so it is being closed.

    The syntax with the TABLE keyword is part of the SQL standard. We do not intend to provide alternate, non-standard, syntax for invoking table functions.

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jan 3, 2022

    Using ACS version 1.1.8.8 the RSS tool has better content assist (F4) features. If you type the following "select * from table(" then press the F4 (or Control-Space for the average coder) the CA will present a window of functions to select from. This, unfortunately, does not just produce a list of table functions but all functions.

    If you press F4 on a blank line you will see a list of SQL statement templates you can choose from. It would seem the best place for putting a table function template.

    The base examples are not useful for searching for a pattern to copy for including a select * from table(table function()) statement. You could create your own and then make all developers tag to that examples folder (you can have more than one examples folder in your properties). See the ACS properties files for how.