[pcdunham]

I was wondering if there is any advantage performance or otherwise to having a primary key column be a number datatype instead of varchar. I have a table that stores the possible valid status values for a user account with a record for each possible status value. There will not be more than 20 records and will rarely change. I originaly had a table with two columns, an id number and status value. But since all values in the status column are unique there is no real need for another column used to identify each record unless it will have a performance benefit in the db or application. The db is Oracle 9i and application will be in Java/J2EE.

[r937]

I originaly had a table with two columns, an id number and status value

you probably had a third column, the status description, because if you really only had two, and you removed the id number, leaving only the status value, then i really don't see what this buys you in terms of relational design

as for numeric primary keys versus "real" ones, this is an old argument, and a very good one, and you will find cogent arguments on both sides

do a google search for "natural or surrogate key"

rudy

[pcdunham]

The purpose of the table was to have a foreign key from a users table to the status table to make sure an invalid status value was not entered in the users table. That search returned some good sites, thanks