Newline character in a column!

How do you check for a newline character in a column with some text in Oracle 8i? Thanks.

Code:

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SELECT my_column, INSTR(my_column, CHR(10)) AS position_of_first_NL
FROM my_table;

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Note that in above, CHR(10) is the standard ASCII code for line_feed (LF). Depending of the OS, the standard newline (NL) character sequence might be just LF, or it might be the sequence of CR+LF. In such case, repleced the above CHR(10) with CHR(13)||CHR(10)

Today's prize question - for 1¢ to be collected from me personally:

For what historical reason is it CR+LF and not LF+CR ?

The way typewriters used to operate in the pre-computer era?

Quote:

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Originally posted by jmodic
The way typewriters used to operate in the pre-computer era?

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Close, but not good enough.

Come to think of it (several hours later) manual typewriters did (or still do) LF+CR.

Ok, DaPi, you've obviously saved yourself 1¢. But now, don't keep us waiting any more, tell us the correct answer. Tell us, tell us, tell us!

Back in the dark ages, the most common "interactive" device was the Teletype(TM) (which explains tty in Unix). They were slow; CR was very sloooooow - the print head perhaps had to move all the way from RH to LH margin. CR+LF was faster than LF+CR because the LF could take place during the CR. On some models, LF+CR+X could even cause the X to print in the middle of the page, CR+LF+X put the X at the LH margin.

Nice! I'll (try to) remember this one.

Good input, Dapi.

Tamil