Commented by: Alice F. Bird (firebirds)

Date: 2004-08-25 19:20
Sender: danielrail
Logged In: YES
user_id=238419

In SQL-2003 standard, there's a new DML statement that has
been created just for this purpose. And, it's called MERGE.

Here's the syntax:
<merge statement> ::=
MERGE INTO <target table> [ [ AS ] <merge correlation
name> ]
USING <table reference>
ON <search condition> <merge operation specification>

<merge correlation name> ::= <correlation name>

<merge operation specification> ::= <merge when clause>...

<merge when clause> ::=
<merge when matched clause>
| <merge when not matched clause>

<merge when matched clause> ::=
WHEN MATCHED THEN <merge update specification>

<merge when not matched clause> ::=
WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN <merge insert specification>

<merge update specification> ::= UPDATE SET <set clause
list>

<merge insert specification> ::=
INSERT [ <left paren> <insert column list> <right paren> ]
[ <override clause> ]
VALUES <merge insert value list>

<merge insert value list> ::=
<left paren>
<merge insert value element> [ { <comma> <merge insert
value element> }... ]
<right paren>

<merge insert value element> ::=
<value expression>
| <contextually typed value specification>

Now, there's a standard that can be followed to implement
this feature.

Daniel Rail

Commented by: @pmakowski

Q/A tested ok