Re: Allow Zero Length String Property - 2000 vs 2003

From: Brendan Reynolds (brenreyn)
Date: 12/17/04 

Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2004 15:40:53 -0000

Well, if that was the reason, I believe my second point still stands -
changing this property does not solve the problem, as web developers still
have to deal with Null values in numeric and date/time fields. 

-- 
Brendan Reynolds (MVP)
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"david epsom dot com dot au" <david@epsomdotcomdotau> wrote in message 
news:uPKcujA5EHA.3616@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>> I can only assume that it was a misguided attempt to 'protect'
>> inexperienced users
>
> I'm not sure that I agree. While I understand the arguments
> for Null in a database, the fact is that Web Interfaces do
> not do Null.  Web Interfaces do empty strings.  Coercing
> Web Interfaces into using Null values is painful, irritating,
> and misguided.
>
> So my first guess would be that it was the push towards
> Web Interfaces which encouraged MS to set the text property
> to allow empty strings.
>
> To a lesser extent, the same is true of any interface other
> than the native Access interface, so my second guess would
> be that it was part of the historical move from an optimised
> database system to the loose collection of standard parts
> (office, vba, etc) that is Access today.
>
> (david)
>
>
>
> "Brendan Reynolds" <brenreyn at indigo dot ie> wrote in message
> news:Ow%237Li54EHA.3784@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>> I can only assume that it was a misguided attempt to 'protect'
> inexperienced
>> users from having to deal with Null values. If so, it was of course 
>> doomed
>> to failure, as they will sooner or later have to deal with Null values in
>> numeric or date fields anyway.
>>
>> Are you the same person who posted the 'Allow Zero Length String in MS
>> Access 2002 and 2003' post? If not, be sure to check out that thread if
> you
>> haven't already done so.
>>
>> -- 
>> Brendan Reynolds (MVP)
>> http://brenreyn.blogspot.com
>>
>> The spammers and script-kiddies have succeeded in making it impossible 
>> for
>> me to use a real e-mail address in public newsgroups. E-mail replies to
>> this post will be deleted without being read. Any e-mail claiming to be
>> from brenreyn at indigo dot ie that is not digitally signed by me with a
>> GlobalSign digital certificate is a forgery and should be deleted without
>> being read. Follow-up questions should in general be posted to the
>> newsgroup, but if you have a good reason to send me e-mail, you'll find
>> a useable e-mail address at the URL above.
>>
>>
>> "Ash" <Ash@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:2EDDB913-E7FA-4BA7-9CED-425292A6A7A9@microsoft.com...
>> > Hello,
>> >
>> > I created a table using MS Access 2003 (Which uses Access 2000 format
>> > database), the default value for the attribute, "Allow Zero Length
> String"
>> > has been changed to Yes.
>> >
>> > Can anyone please verify, why it has been done?  Is there any way to
>> > change
>> > this default.
>> >
>> > My two cents: For the past 6 years I am used to seeing the default  for
>> > "Allow Zero Length String" to No.  Changing all of a sudden to Yes,
> broke
>> > a
>> > whole lot of things.  It is extremely frustrating.  Why the folks at
>> > Microsoft do not get the concept of backward compatibility.  Actually,
> if
>> > you
>> > look at every other relational database, Null value is what goes into a
>> > column, when you try to insert a zero length string.  With that in 
>> > mind,
>> > the
>> > defaul of No for the attribute made sense.
>> >
>> > I would appreciate the comments.
>> >
>> > -- 
>> > Ash
>>
>>
>
>