SQL & PL/SQL

In a SELECT ... from ... WHERE col1 = f(a1) ...

There, col1, say, is 'test1'; the a1 could be test1, test-1, test_1, or test 1, depending on the runtime entry. The function f(a1) will check if it is the stored values, if it is one of them, it will deem it a synonym, therefore return the value "test1"; otherwise, return some other value.

I intend to use the CTX_THES Package so that first use ctx_thes.create_phrase to create the synonyms, then use ctx_thes.syn to find the match.

I am not sure if this is the right way to do it? Or are there other ways to do it?

Finally, if I place all the processing logic in a JAVA program, then access the Java code via the function f(a1) as above, will the java layer slow down the SQL?


Scott