Using delimited identifiers allows you to reference database objects such as tables and columns that are identical to reserved words or that contain spaces or other characters disallowed in regular identifiers. If the database was created as case sensitive, you can also use delimited identifiers to distinguish between identical names with different cases (for example, "SALES" as opposed to "Sales").

Report-Writer statements accept delimited identifiers as table names, view names, synonyms, column names, correlation names, and schemas under the following conditions:

Report-Writer also accepts delimited identifiers as user identifiers in system level commands.

In order for Report-Writer to recognize delimited identifiers within a report specification, the .delimid statement must be included in the report specification file. For details, see the chapter "Report-Writer Statements." Otherwise, any use of delimited identifiers within the report specification results in errors when compiling the report.

If you attempt to run a report with delimited identifiers against a database created with an earlier release, Report-Writer interprets the delimited identifiers as string constants, which can result in unpredictable behavior.

Ingres supports delimited identifiers in .query statements if the query language is SQL. Delimited identifiers cannot be used in QUEL queries.

Delimited identifiers are not available for use in QUEL queries. If you have specified the .delimid statement in a report specification that uses a QUEL query, Report-Writer suppresses recognition of delimited identifiers during the query. Although it is possible to use delimited identifiers in other parts of your report specification, we do not recommend that you do so if you are using a QUEL query, as this can cause errors in some circumstances. For example, if you create temporary tables in the .setup section that have delimited identifiers as table names or columns, those tables or columns cannot be accessed in a QUEL query.