OUTER UNION

Hello,
>
While looking into a particular SQL statement which seemed to put the
database under pressure, I found the following construct which is new to
me:
>
SELECT ...
FROM ...
OUTER UNION
SELECT ...
FROM ...
>
The statement was seen in the "Dynamic SQL statement text" part of "GET
SNAPSHOT FOR APPLICATION". In other words: The construct was accepted by
DB2. OUTER UNION doesn't seem to part of the SQL standard, and I can't
find documentation for it in DB2's documentation. Is this a documentation
defect, or is it simply me who's not good enough at searching the docs?
>
(The statement was issued from a SAS script, probably part of a SAS "proc
sql" section. OUTER UNION is documented in SAS' docs. I want to make sure
that SAS and DB2 agree on what's going on.)
>

db2 =values 1 outer union values 1; SQL0104N An unexpected token
"outer" was found following "values 1 ". Expected tokens may include:
"<space>". SQLSTATE=42601 db2 =values 1 union values 1;
>
1
-----------
1
>
1 record(s) selected.
>
>
Which platform are you on?

I have never heard of it. What would be it's semantics?

Serge Rielau wrote:

Quote: >db2 =values 1 outer union values 1; SQL0104N An unexpected token >"outer" was found following "values 1 ". Expected tokens may include: >"<space>". SQLSTATE=42601 db2 =values 1 union values 1; >> >1 >----------- > 1 >> > 1 record(s) selected. >> >> >Which platform are you on?

>
DB2 v. 8 on AIX and DB2 v. 9.5 on Linux. On these platforms, your test
with VALUES ... VALUES also results in an error. But if I use real test
tables, "outer union" is accepted. It seems DB2 simply ignores the "outer"
word.
>
>

Quote: >I have never heard of it. What would be it's semantics?

>
http://v8doc.sas.com/sashtml/proc/zueryexp.htm has some examples of it. If
my reading of SAS' docs is right, the semantics of SAS' OUTER UNION is
certainly not to simply ignore the OUTER word. SAS is surely being strange
regarding this (as it is with heaps of other subjects), but so is DB2: Why
doesn't it protest?
>

The OUTER UNION is part of the infixed JOINs we define4d in SQL-99.

--CELKO-- wrote:

Quote: >The OUTER UNION is part of the infixed JOINs we define4d in SQL-99.

>
I can't find it in the draft for SQL:200n. Where in the SQL:1999 standard
is it mentioned?
>

Oh!, Ohh!
>
SELECT outer.c1 FROM T OUTER UNION VALUES 1;

Would DB2 allow re-use of table aliases?

--CELKO-- wrote:

Quote: The OUTER UNION is part of the infixed JOINs we define4d in SQL-99.

>
I can't find it in the draft for SQL:200n. Where in the SQL:1999 standard
is it mentioned?
>