title: Oracle RPAD() padding with an empty string
body: <p>I am trying to create a dump file from within SQL*Plus. The requirement is to create null '' for padding but when I use NULL even the data value is getting nullified see below.</p>
  
  <pre>
  SQL&gt; select RPAD(1234,10,' ') from dual ;
  
  RPAD(1234,
  ----------
  1234
  
  SQL&gt; select RPAD(1234,10,'') from dual;
  
  R
  -
  </pre>
  
  <p>I have seen other scripts where they seem to be using null('')  for padding </p>
  
  <p>Please help thanks </p>