Re: Database documentation: Field or Column

["Jennifer C. Bennett" <fritillary -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Joe,

Thank you for your insight!  It is an Oracle database.  "Column" was what I 
was leaning towards, but I've heard the concept referred to as a "field" 
many times, to the point that the two words seemed almost interchangeable. 
But things are quite clear now.  Thanks again!

Jennifer

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Malin" <jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com>
To: "Jennifer C. Bennett" <fritillary -at- gmail -dot- com>; "TECHWR-L" 
<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 7:16 PM
Subject: RE: Database documentation: Field or Column


You don't say what DBMS the database uses.

In SQL databases, "column" is preferred over "field". Both Oracle and
MySQL use this. That may well be because COLUMN is a SQL keyword, and so
is FIELD. COLUMN is what most people mean when they refer to "fields" in
a database; the FIELD keyword has a very specific use that is related to
loading data.

I would above all go with the usage that the DBMS documentation itself
uses.

Joe


Joe Malin
Technical Writer
(408)625-1623
jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com
www.tuvox.com
The views expressed in this document are those of the sender, and do not
necessarily reflect those of TuVox, Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-216553 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-216553 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Jennifer
C. Bennett
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2005 4:57 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Database documentation: Field or Column


Hello,

I am currently working on documentation for a database that contains
descriptions of the purpose of each table and each field/column in the
table.  This document will be used by developers.  Which is the more
correct term, "field" or "column"?  Is it an "either or and be
consistent" matter or is one term more accepted than the other?

Thanks!

Jennifer


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