Altering more than one column in a table in oracle

Question

Will the two scripts below (for altering a table) make diff..??

script 1 :

alter table ACNT_MGR_HSTRY add DM_BTNUMBER DATA_TYPE ;
alter table ACNT_MGR_HSTRY add DM_BTID DATA_TYPE ;
alter table ACNT_MGR_HSTRY add DM_USERID DATA_TYPE ;
alter table ACNT_MGR_HSTRY add DM_WSID DATA_TYPE ;

script 2 :

alter table  ACNT_MGR_HSTRY
add
(
DM_BTNUMBER DATA_TYPE,  
DM_BTID DATA_TYPE,
DM_USERID DATA_TYPE,
DM_WSID DATA_TYPE
);

will update makes a diff..???

update OPERATIONAL_UNIT
 set ( BANK_ID=
 ENTY_CODE_ID=
 TIME_ZONE=
 DM_BTNUMBER=
 DM_BTID=
 DM_USERID=
 DM_WSID=
 );
 -----------
 update OPERATIONAL_UNIT set BANK_ID=;
 update OPERATIONAL_UNIT set ENTY_CODE_ID=;
 update OPERATIONAL_UNIT set TIME_ZONE=;
 update OPERATIONAL_UNIT set DM_BTNUMBER=;
 update OPERATIONAL_UNIT set DM_BTID=;
 update OPERATIONAL_UNIT set DM_USERID=;
 update OPERATIONAL_UNIT set DM_WSID=;

Answer 1

The two examples are equivalent.

I've only ever used statements like you have in the first example; I don't know if it's possible that you won't get as good an error message if using the second example format in the event of an error.. Gary Myers confirmed my belief:

Mostly the same. If, for example, DM_WSID already existed then the relevant statement would fail. In script 1, you'd get three of the columns added. In script 2 you wouldn't. If you have DDL triggers or AUDIT, then they will get fired multiple times for case 1. Script 1 will commit multiple times and MAY wait for an exclusive table lock several times.