Procedure vs Function
Steve Romankiw asked whether there is a compelling reason to choose SPL functions over procedures in IDS 2000, since the documentation only distinguishes them by returning values. Rob Wilson had heard it might be enforced syntactically later; Thomas Parsli and Robert Taylor said returning values or not is a real difference. No technical detail beyond that.
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In IDS.2000, I've noticed that Informix has added FUNCTIONS. According to the documentation, Informix recommends using PROCEDURES when your SPL routine does not return any values and use FUNCTIONS when your SPL routine returns one or more values. To me, this is a very thin line. Is there a more compelling reason to use one or the other? Steve Romankiw
Steve Romankiw (sromankiw@execrisk.com) wrote: : In IDS.2000, I've noticed that Informix has added FUNCTIONS. : According to the documentation, Informix recommends using PROCEDURES : when your SPL routine does not return any values and use FUNCTIONS when : your SPL routine returns one or more values. : To me, this is a very thin line. Is there a more compelling reason to : use one or the other? : Steve Romankiw How about that I had heard rumors this might be enforced syntactically in the future? -- Rob Wilson rwilson@ntsource.com
Steve Romankiw <sromankiw@execrisk.com> writes: > In IDS.2000, I've noticed that Informix has added FUNCTIONS. > > According to the documentation, Informix recommends using PROCEDURES > when your SPL routine does not return any values and use FUNCTIONS when > your SPL routine returns one or more values. > > To me, this is a very thin line. Is there a more compelling reason to > use one or the other? For me this (returning values or not) is a _big_ difference:) ...for the engine to, I guess... Thomas
I don't think it is a thin line. It either returns something or doesn't. If its new stuff do it that way.