Re: Call for Participation: new internet draft for WebDAV SEARCH method

Hello,

Here are two SQL-related points with respect to the draft for WebDAV
SEARCH.

1. The reference to SQL92 should be updated to SQL99.  SQL200n is currently
in
     its final editing round, and will be available next year.

    For SQL99, here's a citation:
    Jim Melton (editor), ISO International Standard (IS),
          "Database Language SQL Part 2: Foundation (SQL/Foundation)",
          ISO/IEC 9075-2:1999 (E), July 1999.

2. In the WebDAV SEARCH spec (5.6, DAV:orderby), it says that nulls sort
low, to match SQL92.
    However, SQL92 and SQL99 both say "Whether a sort key value that is
null is
    considered greater or less than a non-null value is
implementation-defined,
    but all sort key values that are null shall either be considered
greater than
    all non-null values or be considered less than all non-null values."
    (words taken from SQL99, 14.1 <declare cursor> General Rule 2)c), in
    reference to null handling for the <order by clause>. )

    I would note that in 5.5.3 WebDAV SEARCH says nulls are less than all
    other values in a comparison, so the DAV:orderby matches that
statement,
    it just gives an inaccurate reason.

Along other lines, has the use of XPath or XQuery for search been
considered, and the XML-ized SQL choice made over them?

Thanks,
Amelia Carlson
Data Management Standards, IBM Silicon Valley Lab
telephone: (360) 460-5001  ( Sequim, WA )
email: ameliac@us.ibm.com
http://www.ibm.com/software/data/
The opinions voiced in this email are mine alone, not necessarily my
employer's

Received on Tuesday, 19 February 2002 18:49:00 UTC