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Mark Estrada
Mark Estrada

Reputation: 9191

Explicitly set column value to null SQL Developer

I am new to Oracle DB and I am using Oracle SQL Developer (Ver 3.0.02) to query the DB. I wanted to explicitly set one column to null?

How do I do that in the SQL Developer GUI?

Previously in MSSQL, clicking CTRL+0 will explicitly set the value to null. How about Oracle SQL Developer? Thanks

Upvotes: 44

Views: 226471

Answers (4)

Mostafa Vatanpour
Mostafa Vatanpour

Reputation: 1408

Use Shift+Del.

More info: Shift+Del combination key set a field to null when you filled a field by a value and you changed your decision and you want to make it null. It is useful and I amazed from the other answers that give strange solutions.

Upvotes: 13

Robert Bartlett
Robert Bartlett

Reputation: 131

It is clear that most people who haven't used SQL Server Enterprise Manager don't understand the question (i.e. Justin Cave).

I came upon this post when I wanted to know the same thing.

Using SQL Server, when you are editing your data through the MS SQL Server GUI Tools, you can use a KEYBOARD SHORTCUT to insert a NULL rather than having just an EMPTY CELL, as they aren't the same thing. An empty cell can have a space in it, rather than being NULL, even if it is technically empty. The difference is when you intentionally WANT to put a NULL in a cell rather than a SPACE or to empty it and NOT using a SQL statement to do so.

So, the question really is, how do I put a NULL value in the cell INSTEAD of a space to empty the cell?

I think the answer is, that the way the Oracle Developer GUI works, is as Laniel indicated above, And THAT should be marked as the answer to this question.

Oracle Developer seems to default to NULL when you empty a cell the way the op is describing it.

Additionally, you can force Oracle Developer to change how your null cells look by changing the color of the background color to further demonstrate when a cell holds a null:

Tools->Preferences->Advanced->Display Null Using Background Color

or even the VALUE it shows when it's null:

Tools->Preferences->Advanced->Display Null Value As

Hope that helps in your transition.

Upvotes: 5

Leniel Maccaferri
Leniel Maccaferri

Reputation: 102408

If you want to use the GUI... click/double-click the table and select the Data tab. Click in the column value you want to set to (null). Select the value and delete it. Hit the commit button (green check-mark button). It should now be null.

enter image description here

More info here:

How to use the SQL Worksheet in SQL Developer to Insert, Update and Delete Data

Upvotes: 22

Ollie
Ollie

Reputation: 17538

You'll have to write the SQL DML yourself explicitly. i.e.

UPDATE <table>
   SET <column> = NULL;

Once it has completed you'll need to commit your updates

commit;

If you only want to set certain records to NULL use a WHERE clause in your UPDATE statement.

As your original question is pretty vague I hope this covers what you want.

Upvotes: 43

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