SET OPTION PUBLIC.GLOBAL_DATABASE_ID vs SELECT db_property('GlobalDBID')

[Former Member]

Simple question -- why is setting the db property use "GLOBAL_DATABASE_ID" but when you need to retrieve it you use GlobalDBID?

[VolkerBarth · Accepted solution]

They are technically two different things (an option and a property) and therefore can have two different names (although, AFAIK, in many other cases, the option and the according property share the same name):

• "global_database_id" (originally in lower case) is a public database option, and you can set it via SET OPTION and also retrieve it via

  select * from sysoption where "option" = 'global_database_id';
  

• "GlobalDBID" is a database property, and as such, read only, and used with select db_property()

• With v9 or v10 and above, there's also a connection property "global_database_id" that's named like the option (and returns the same value - I don't know why it is there, as the option itself is public and therefore applies to all databases users and connections...)

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks, Volker.