Cursors let the user scroll through and update a result set with fewer restrictions than browse mode. Although cursors require a unique index, they do not require a timestamp nor a second connection to a database for updates. Also, they do not create a copy of the entire result set. The following table summarizes these differences:
Item |
Cursors |
Browse mode |
|---|---|---|
Row timestamps |
Not required |
Required |
Multiple connections for updates |
Unnecessary |
Necessary |
Table usage |
Use original tables |
Uses a copy of tables |
