> SELECT... Col_1 INDICATOR vIndicator, Col_2 INDICATOR vIndicator ... > > Assuming, of course, that you don't actually need the indicator!!
In fact, in R:Base you never need the indicator because all R:Base variables support the NULL value directly. Indicators were added to SQL to allow SQL to be embedded in languages such as C in which the variable types do not allow you to specify a NULL value (for instance, you can have an integer with a value 0, but not with the value NULL). In that situation you need a separate mechanism to let the calling program know that a NULL value was encountered. I can understand why indicators were added to the R:Base language to ensure compatiblity with other SQL code, but I've never figured out why they are required -- it's extra work for the programmer with no particular benefit to the program. -- Larry
