The second one is a replacement for "substring" function that word in mysql and sql server but not on oracle. If you want you code to work across platforms, you need to add "substring" function in oracle.
I will not comment about the wisdom of selecting from dual. Adar Yechiel Rechovot, Israel Connor McDonald wrote:
http://www.oracledba.co.uk/tips/worst_plsql.htm http://www.oracledba.co.uk/tips/substring_substring.htm -- Connor McDonald =========================== email: connor_mcdonald@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:connor_mcdonald@xxxxxxxxx> web: http://www.oracledba.co.uk "Semper in excremento, sole profundum qui variat"
