- •Contents
- •Send Us Your Comments
- •Preface
- •What's New in PL/SQL?
- •1 Overview of PL/SQL
- •Advantages of PL/SQL
- •Tight Integration with SQL
- •Support for SQL
- •Better Performance
- •Higher Productivity
- •Full Portability
- •Tight Security
- •Support for Object-Oriented Programming
- •Understanding the Main Features of PL/SQL
- •Block Structure
- •Variables and Constants
- •Processing Queries with PL/SQL
- •Declaring PL/SQL Variables
- •Control Structures
- •Writing Reusable PL/SQL Code
- •Data Abstraction
- •Error Handling
- •PL/SQL Architecture
- •In the Oracle Database Server
- •In Oracle Tools
- •2 Fundamentals of the PL/SQL Language
- •Character Set
- •Lexical Units
- •Delimiters
- •Literals
- •Comments
- •Declarations
- •Using DEFAULT
- •Using NOT NULL
- •Using the %TYPE Attribute
- •Using the %ROWTYPE Attribute
- •Restrictions on Declarations
- •PL/SQL Naming Conventions
- •Scope and Visibility of PL/SQL Identifiers
- •Assigning Values to Variables
- •Assigning Boolean Values
- •Assigning a SQL Query Result to a PL/SQL Variable
- •PL/SQL Expressions and Comparisons
- •Logical Operators
- •Boolean Expressions
- •CASE Expressions
- •Handling Null Values in Comparisons and Conditional Statements
- •Summary of PL/SQL Built-In Functions
- •3 PL/SQL Datatypes
- •PL/SQL Number Types
- •PL/SQL Character and String Types
- •PL/SQL National Character Types
- •PL/SQL LOB Types
- •PL/SQL Boolean Types
- •PL/SQL Date, Time, and Interval Types
- •Datetime and Interval Arithmetic
- •Avoiding Truncation Problems Using Date and Time Subtypes
- •Overview of PL/SQL Subtypes
- •Using Subtypes
- •Converting PL/SQL Datatypes
- •Explicit Conversion
- •Implicit Conversion
- •Choosing Between Implicit and Explicit Conversion
- •DATE Values
- •RAW and LONG RAW Values
- •4 Using PL/SQL Control Structures
- •Overview of PL/SQL Control Structures
- •Testing Conditions: IF and CASE Statements
- •Using the IF-THEN Statement
- •Using the IF-THEN-ELSE Statement
- •Using the IF-THEN-ELSIF Statement
- •Using the CASE Statement
- •Guidelines for PL/SQL Conditional Statements
- •Controlling Loop Iterations: LOOP and EXIT Statements
- •Using the LOOP Statement
- •Using the EXIT Statement
- •Using the EXIT-WHEN Statement
- •Labeling a PL/SQL Loop
- •Using the WHILE-LOOP Statement
- •Using the FOR-LOOP Statement
- •Sequential Control: GOTO and NULL Statements
- •Using the GOTO Statement
- •Using the NULL Statement
- •5 Using PL/SQL Collections and Records
- •What Is a Collection?
- •Understanding Nested Tables
- •Understanding Varrays
- •Understanding Associative Arrays (Index-By Tables)
- •How Globalization Settings Affect VARCHAR2 Keys for Associative Arrays
- •Choosing Which PL/SQL Collection Types to Use
- •Choosing Between Nested Tables and Associative Arrays
- •Choosing Between Nested Tables and Varrays
- •Defining Collection Types
- •Declaring PL/SQL Collection Variables
- •Initializing and Referencing Collections
- •Referencing Collection Elements
- •Assigning Collections
- •Comparing Collections
- •Using PL/SQL Collections with SQL Statements
- •Using PL/SQL Varrays with INSERT, UPDATE, and SELECT Statements
- •Manipulating Individual Collection Elements with SQL
- •Using Multilevel Collections
- •Using Collection Methods
- •Checking If a Collection Element Exists (EXISTS Method)
- •Counting the Elements in a Collection (COUNT Method)
- •Checking the Maximum Size of a Collection (LIMIT Method)
- •Finding the First or Last Collection Element (FIRST and LAST Methods)
- •Looping Through Collection Elements (PRIOR and NEXT Methods)
- •Increasing the Size of a Collection (EXTEND Method)
- •Decreasing the Size of a Collection (TRIM Method)
- •Deleting Collection Elements (DELETE Method)
- •Applying Methods to Collection Parameters
- •Avoiding Collection Exceptions
- •What Is a PL/SQL Record?
- •Using Records as Procedure Parameters and Function Return Values
- •Assigning Values to Records
- •Comparing Records
- •Inserting PL/SQL Records into the Database
- •Updating the Database with PL/SQL Record Values
- •Restrictions on Record Inserts/Updates
- •Querying Data into Collections of Records
- •6 Performing SQL Operations from PL/SQL
- •Overview of SQL Support in PL/SQL
- •Data Manipulation
- •Transaction Control
- •SQL Functions
- •SQL Pseudocolumns
- •SQL Operators
- •Performing DML Operations from PL/SQL (INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE)
- •Overview of Implicit Cursor Attributes
- •Using PL/SQL Records in SQL INSERT and UPDATE Statements
- •Issuing Queries from PL/SQL
- •Selecting At Most One Row: SELECT INTO Statement
- •Selecting Multiple Rows: BULK COLLECT Clause
- •Looping Through Multiple Rows: Cursor FOR Loop
- •Performing Complicated Query Processing: Explicit Cursors
- •Querying Data with PL/SQL
- •Querying Data with PL/SQL: Implicit Cursor FOR Loop
- •Querying Data with PL/SQL: Explicit Cursor FOR Loops
- •Overview of Explicit Cursors
- •Using Subqueries
- •Using Correlated Subqueries
- •Writing Maintainable PL/SQL Queries
- •Using Cursor Attributes
- •Overview of Explicit Cursor Attributes
- •Using Cursor Variables (REF CURSORs)
- •What Are Cursor Variables (REF CURSORs)?
- •Why Use Cursor Variables?
- •Declaring REF CURSOR Types and Cursor Variables
- •Controlling Cursor Variables: OPEN-FOR, FETCH, and CLOSE
- •Avoiding Errors with Cursor Variables
- •Restrictions on Cursor Variables
- •Using Cursor Expressions
- •Restrictions on Cursor Expressions
- •Example of Cursor Expressions
- •Constructing REF CURSORs with Cursor Subqueries
- •Overview of Transaction Processing in PL/SQL
- •Using COMMIT, SAVEPOINT, and ROLLBACK in PL/SQL
- •How Oracle Does Implicit Rollbacks
- •Ending Transactions
- •Setting Transaction Properties with SET TRANSACTION
- •Overriding Default Locking
- •Doing Independent Units of Work with Autonomous Transactions
- •Advantages of Autonomous Transactions
- •Controlling Autonomous Transactions
- •Using Autonomous Triggers
- •Calling Autonomous Functions from SQL
- •7 Performing SQL Operations with Native Dynamic SQL
- •What Is Dynamic SQL?
- •Why Use Dynamic SQL?
- •Using the EXECUTE IMMEDIATE Statement
- •Specifying Parameter Modes for Bind Variables in Dynamic SQL Strings
- •Building a Dynamic Query with Dynamic SQL
- •Examples of Dynamic SQL for Records, Objects, and Collections
- •Using Bulk Dynamic SQL
- •Using Dynamic SQL with Bulk SQL
- •Examples of Dynamic Bulk Binds
- •Guidelines for Dynamic SQL
- •When to Use or Omit the Semicolon with Dynamic SQL
- •Improving Performance of Dynamic SQL with Bind Variables
- •Passing Schema Object Names As Parameters
- •Using Duplicate Placeholders with Dynamic SQL
- •Using Cursor Attributes with Dynamic SQL
- •Passing Nulls to Dynamic SQL
- •Using Database Links with Dynamic SQL
- •Using Invoker Rights with Dynamic SQL
- •Using Pragma RESTRICT_REFERENCES with Dynamic SQL
- •Avoiding Deadlocks with Dynamic SQL
- •Backward Compatibility of the USING Clause
- •8 Using PL/SQL Subprograms
- •What Are Subprograms?
- •Advantages of PL/SQL Subprograms
- •Understanding PL/SQL Procedures
- •Understanding PL/SQL Functions
- •Using the RETURN Statement
- •Declaring Nested PL/SQL Subprograms
- •Passing Parameters to PL/SQL Subprograms
- •Actual Versus Formal Subprogram Parameters
- •Using Positional, Named, or Mixed Notation for Subprogram Parameters
- •Specifying Subprogram Parameter Modes
- •Using Default Values for Subprogram Parameters
- •Overloading Subprogram Names
- •Guidelines for Overloading with Numeric Types
- •Restrictions on Overloading
- •How Subprogram Calls Are Resolved
- •How Overloading Works with Inheritance
- •Using Invoker's Rights Versus Definer's Rights (AUTHID Clause)
- •Advantages of Invoker's Rights
- •Specifying the Privileges for a Subprogram with the AUTHID Clause
- •Who Is the Current User During Subprogram Execution?
- •How External References Are Resolved in Invoker's Rights Subprograms
- •Overriding Default Name Resolution in Invoker's Rights Subprograms
- •Granting Privileges on Invoker's Rights Subprograms
- •Using Roles with Invoker's Rights Subprograms
- •Using Views and Database Triggers with Invoker's Rights Subprograms
- •Using Database Links with Invoker's Rights Subprograms
- •Using Object Types with Invoker's Rights Subprograms
- •Using Recursion with PL/SQL
- •What Is a Recursive Subprogram?
- •Calling External Subprograms
- •Creating Dynamic Web Pages with PL/SQL Server Pages
- •Controlling Side Effects of PL/SQL Subprograms
- •Understanding Subprogram Parameter Aliasing
- •9 Using PL/SQL Packages
- •What Is a PL/SQL Package?
- •What Goes In a PL/SQL Package?
- •Example of a PL/SQL Package
- •Advantages of PL/SQL Packages
- •Understanding The Package Specification
- •Referencing Package Contents
- •Understanding The Package Body
- •Some Examples of Package Features
- •Private Versus Public Items in Packages
- •Overloading Packaged Subprograms
- •How Package STANDARD Defines the PL/SQL Environment
- •About the DBMS_ALERT Package
- •About the DBMS_OUTPUT Package
- •About the DBMS_PIPE Package
- •About the UTL_FILE Package
- •About the UTL_HTTP Package
- •Guidelines for Writing Packages
- •Separating Cursor Specs and Bodies with Packages
- •10 Handling PL/SQL Errors
- •Overview of PL/SQL Runtime Error Handling
- •Guidelines for Avoiding and Handling PL/SQL Errors and Exceptions
- •Advantages of PL/SQL Exceptions
- •Summary of Predefined PL/SQL Exceptions
- •Defining Your Own PL/SQL Exceptions
- •Declaring PL/SQL Exceptions
- •Scope Rules for PL/SQL Exceptions
- •Associating a PL/SQL Exception with a Number: Pragma EXCEPTION_INIT
- •How PL/SQL Exceptions Are Raised
- •Raising Exceptions with the RAISE Statement
- •How PL/SQL Exceptions Propagate
- •Reraising a PL/SQL Exception
- •Handling Raised PL/SQL Exceptions
- •Handling Exceptions Raised in Declarations
- •Handling Exceptions Raised in Handlers
- •Branching to or from an Exception Handler
- •Retrieving the Error Code and Error Message: SQLCODE and SQLERRM
- •Catching Unhandled Exceptions
- •Tips for Handling PL/SQL Errors
- •Continuing after an Exception Is Raised
- •Retrying a Transaction
- •Using Locator Variables to Identify Exception Locations
- •Overview of PL/SQL Compile-Time Warnings
- •PL/SQL Warning Categories
- •Controlling PL/SQL Warning Messages
- •Using the DBMS_WARNING Package
- •11 Tuning PL/SQL Applications for Performance
- •How PL/SQL Optimizes Your Programs
- •When to Tune PL/SQL Code
- •Guidelines for Avoiding PL/SQL Performance Problems
- •Avoiding CPU Overhead in PL/SQL Code
- •Avoiding Memory Overhead in PL/SQL Code
- •Profiling and Tracing PL/SQL Programs
- •Using The Trace API: Package DBMS_TRACE
- •Reducing Loop Overhead for DML Statements and Queries (FORALL, BULK COLLECT)
- •Using the FORALL Statement
- •Retrieving Query Results into Collections with the BULK COLLECT Clause
- •Writing Computation-Intensive Programs in PL/SQL
- •Tuning Dynamic SQL with EXECUTE IMMEDIATE and Cursor Variables
- •Tuning PL/SQL Procedure Calls with the NOCOPY Compiler Hint
- •Restrictions on NOCOPY
- •Compiling PL/SQL Code for Native Execution
- •Setting Up Transformation Pipelines with Table Functions
- •Overview of Table Functions
- •Using Pipelined Table Functions for Transformations
- •Writing a Pipelined Table Function
- •Returning Results from Table Functions
- •Pipelining Data Between PL/SQL Table Functions
- •Querying Table Functions
- •Optimizing Multiple Calls to Table Functions
- •Fetching from the Results of Table Functions
- •Passing Data with Cursor Variables
- •Performing DML Operations Inside Table Functions
- •Performing DML Operations on Table Functions
- •Handling Exceptions in Table Functions
- •12 Using PL/SQL Object Types
- •Overview of PL/SQL Object Types
- •What Is an Object Type?
- •Why Use Object Types?
- •Structure of an Object Type
- •Components of an Object Type
- •What Languages can I Use for Methods of Object Types?
- •How Object Types Handle the SELF Parameter
- •Overloading
- •Changing Attributes and Methods of an Existing Object Type (Type Evolution)
- •Defining Object Types
- •Overview of PL/SQL Type Inheritance
- •Declaring and Initializing Objects
- •Declaring Objects
- •Initializing Objects
- •How PL/SQL Treats Uninitialized Objects
- •Accessing Object Attributes
- •Defining Object Constructors
- •Calling Object Constructors
- •Calling Object Methods
- •Sharing Objects through the REF Modifier
- •Manipulating Objects through SQL
- •Selecting Objects
- •Inserting Objects
- •Updating Objects
- •Deleting Objects
- •13 PL/SQL Language Elements
- •Assignment Statement
- •AUTONOMOUS_TRANSACTION Pragma
- •Blocks
- •CASE Statement
- •CLOSE Statement
- •Collection Methods
- •Collections
- •Comments
- •COMMIT Statement
- •Constants and Variables
- •Cursor Attributes
- •Cursor Variables
- •Cursors
- •DELETE Statement
- •EXCEPTION_INIT Pragma
- •Exceptions
- •EXECUTE IMMEDIATE Statement
- •EXIT Statement
- •Expressions
- •FETCH Statement
- •FORALL Statement
- •Functions
- •GOTO Statement
- •IF Statement
- •INSERT Statement
- •Literals
- •LOCK TABLE Statement
- •LOOP Statements
- •MERGE Statement
- •NULL Statement
- •Object Types
- •OPEN Statement
- •OPEN-FOR Statement
- •OPEN-FOR-USING Statement
- •Packages
- •Procedures
- •RAISE Statement
- •Records
- •RESTRICT_REFERENCES Pragma
- •RETURN Statement
- •ROLLBACK Statement
- •%ROWTYPE Attribute
- •SAVEPOINT Statement
- •SCN_TO_TIMESTAMP Function
- •SELECT INTO Statement
- •SERIALLY_REUSABLE Pragma
- •SET TRANSACTION Statement
- •SQL Cursor
- •SQLCODE Function
- •SQLERRM Function
- •TIMESTAMP_TO_SCN Function
- •%TYPE Attribute
- •UPDATE Statement
- •Where to Find PL/SQL Sample Programs
- •Exercises for the Reader
- •Assigning Character Values
- •Comparing Character Values
- •Inserting Character Values
- •Selecting Character Values
- •Advantages of Wrapping PL/SQL Procedures
- •Running the PL/SQL Wrap Utility
- •Input and Output Files for the PL/SQL Wrap Utility
- •Limitations of the PL/SQL Wrap Utility
- •What Is Name Resolution?
- •Examples of Qualified Names and Dot Notation
- •Differences in Name Resolution Between SQL and PL/SQL
- •Understanding Capture
- •Inner Capture
- •Same-Scope Capture
- •Outer Capture
- •Avoiding Inner Capture in DML Statements
- •Qualifying References to Object Attributes and Methods
- •Calling Parameterless Subprograms and Methods
- •Name Resolution for SQL Versus PL/SQL
- •When Should I Use Bind Variables with PL/SQL?
- •When Do I Use or Omit the Semicolon with Dynamic SQL?
- •How Can I Use Regular Expressions with PL/SQL?
- •How Do I Continue After a PL/SQL Exception?
- •How Do I Pass a Result Set from PL/SQL to Java or Visual Basic (VB)?
- •How Do I Specify Different Kinds of Names with PL/SQL's Dot Notation?
- •What Can I Do with Objects and Object Types in PL/SQL?
- •How Do I Create a PL/SQL Procedure?
- •How Do I Input or Output Data with PL/SQL?
- •How Do I Perform a Case-Insensitive Query?
- •Index
- •Symbols
OPEN-FOR-USING Statement
OPEN-FOR-USING Statement
The OPEN-FOR-USING statement associates a cursor variable with a query, executes the query, identifies the result set, positions the cursor before the first row in the result set, then zeroes the rows-processed count kept by %ROWCOUNT. For more information, see "Building a Dynamic Query with Dynamic SQL" on page 7-4.
Because this statement can use bind variables to make the SQL processing more efficient, use the OPEN-FOR-USING statement when building a query where you know the WHERE clauses in advance. Use the OPEN-FOR statement when you need the flexibility to process a dynamic query with an unknown number of WHERE clauses.
Syntax
open_for_using_statement
cursor_variable_name
OPEN FOR dynamic_string : host_cursor_variable_name
,
USING bind_argument
;
Keyword and Parameter Description
cursor_variable_name
A weakly typed cursor variable (one without a return type) previously declared within the current scope.
bind_argument
An expression whose value is passed to the dynamic SELECT statement.
dynamic_string
A string literal, variable, or expression that represents a multi-row SELECT statement.
host_cursor_variable_name
A cursor variable declared in a PL/SQL host environment and passed to PL/SQL as a bind variable. The datatype of the host cursor variable is compatible with the return type of any PL/SQL cursor variable. Host variables must be prefixed with a colon.
USING ...
This optional clause specifies a list of bind arguments. At run time, bind arguments in the USING clause replace corresponding placeholders in the dynamic SELECT statement.
Usage Notes
You use three statements to process a dynamic multi-row query: OPEN-FOR-USING, FETCH, and CLOSE. First, you OPEN a cursor variable FOR a multi-row query. Then, you FETCH rows from the result set. When all the rows are processed, you CLOSE the cursor variable.
PL/SQL Language Elements 13-97
OPEN-FOR-USING Statement
The dynamic string can contain any multi-row SELECT statement (without the terminator). The string can also contain placeholders for bind arguments. However, you cannot use bind arguments to pass the names of schema objects to a dynamic SQL statement.
Every placeholder in the dynamic string must be associated with a bind argument in the USING clause. Numeric, character, and string literals are allowed in the USING clause, but Boolean literals (TRUE, FALSE, NULL) are not. To pass nulls to the dynamic string, you must use a workaround. See "Passing Nulls to Dynamic SQL" on page 7-10.
Any bind arguments in the query are evaluated only when the cursor variable is opened. To fetch from the cursor using different bind values, you must reopen the cursor variable with the bind arguments set to their new values.
Dynamic SQL supports all the SQL datatypes. For example, bind arguments can be collections, LOBs, instances of an object type, and refs. As a rule, dynamic SQL does not support PL/SQL-specific types. For instance, bind arguments cannot be Booleans or index-by tables.
Example
The following example declares a cursor variable, then associates it with a dynamic SELECT statement:
DECLARE
TYPE EmpCurTyp IS REF CURSOR; -- define weak REF CURSOR type
emp_cv |
EmpCurTyp; -- declare cursor variable |
my_ename |
VARCHAR2(15); |
my_sal |
NUMBER := 1000; |
BEGIN |
|
OPEN emp_cv FOR -- open cursor variable
'SELECT ename, sal FROM emp WHERE sal > :s' USING my_sal;
...
END;
Related Topics
EXECUTE IMMEDIATE Statement, OPEN-FOR Statement
13-98 PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference
Packages
Packages
A package is a schema object that groups logically related PL/SQL types, items, and subprograms. Use packages when writing a set of related subprograms that form an application programming interface (API) that you or others might reuse. Packages have two parts: a specification (spec for short) and a body. For more information, see Chapter 9, "Using PL/SQL Packages".
Syntax
package_declaration | package_spec |
|
|
|
|
OR REPLACE |
|
schema_name |
. |
|
CREATE |
PACKAGE |
|
package_name |
|
CURRENT_USER |
|
|
|
|
AUTHID |
|
|
|
|
DEFINER |
IS |
PRAGMA SERIALLY_REUSABLE |
; |
AS
collection_type_definition record_type_definition subtype_definition collection_declaration constant_declaration exception_declaration
object_declaration |
package_name |
END |
; |
record_declaration |
|
variable_declaration |
|
cursor_spec |
|
function_spec |
|
procedure_spec |
|
call spec |
|
pragma_restrict_refs |
|
PL/SQL Language Elements 13-99
Packages
package_body |
|
|
|
|
|
OR REPLACE |
|
schema_name |
. |
CREATE |
PACKAGE BODY |
|
package_name |
|
IS |
PRAGMA SERIALLY_REUSABLE |
; |
|
|
AS |
|
|
|
|
collection_type_definition record_type_definition subtype_definition collection_declaration constant_declaration exception_declaration
BEGIN |
statement |
|
package_name |
object_declaration |
|
END |
; |
record_declaration |
|
|
|
variable_declaration |
|
|
|
cursor_body |
|
|
|
function_body |
|
|
|
procedure_body |
|
|
|
call spec |
|
|
|
Keyword and Parameter Description
AUTHID
Determines whether all the packaged subprograms execute with the privileges of their definer (the default) or invoker, and whether their unqualified references to schema objects are resolved in the schema of the definer or invoker. For more information, see "Using Invoker's Rights Versus Definer's Rights (AUTHID Clause)" on page 8-15.
call_spec
Publishes a Java method or external C function in the Oracle data dictionary. It publishes the routine by mapping its name, parameter types, and return type to their SQL counterparts. For more information, see Oracle Database Java Developer's Guide and
Oracle Database Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals.
collection_declaration
Declares a collection (nested table, index-by table, or varray). For the syntax of collection_declaration, see "Collections" on page 13-21.
collection_type_definition
Defines a collection type using the datatype specifier TABLE or VARRAY.
13-100 PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference
Packages
constant_declaration
Declares a constant. For the syntax of constant_declaration, see "Constants and Variables" on page 13-28.
cursor_body
Defines the underlying implementation of an explicit cursor. For the syntax of cursor_body, see "Cursors" on page 13-38.
cursor_spec
Declares the interface to an explicit cursor. For the syntax of cursor_spec, see "Cursors" on page 13-38.
exception_declaration
Declares an exception. For the syntax of exception_declaration, see "Exceptions" on page 13-45.
function_body
Implements a function. For the syntax of function_body, see "Functions" on page 13-67.
function_spec
Declares the interface to a function. For the syntax of function_spec, see "Functions" on page 13-67.
object_declaration
Declares an object (instance of an object type). For the syntax of object_declaration, see "Object Types" on page 13-86.
package_name
A package stored in the database. For naming conventions, see "Identifiers" on page 2-3.
pragma_restrict_refs
Pragma RESTRICT_REFERENCES, which checks for violations of "purity" rules. To be callable from SQL statements, a function must obey rules that control side effects. If any SQL statement inside the function body violates a rule, you get an error at run time (when the statement is parsed). For the syntax of the pragma, see "RESTRICT_REFERENCES Pragma" on page 13-113.
The pragma asserts that a function does not read and/or write database tables and/or package variables. For more information about the purity rules and pragma
RESTRICT_REFERENCES, see Oracle Database Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals.
PRAGMA SERIALLY_REUSABLE
Marks a package as serially reusable, if its state is needed only for the duration of one call to the server (for example, an OCI call to the server or a server-to-server remote procedure call). For more information, see Oracle Database Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals.
PL/SQL Language Elements 13-101
Packages
procedure_body
Implements a procedure. For the syntax of procedure_body, see "Procedures" on page 13-104.
procedure_spec
Declares the interface to a procedure. For the syntax of procedure_spec, see "Procedures" on page 13-104.
record_declaration
Declares a user-defined record. For the syntax of record_declaration, see "Records" on page 13-110.
record_type_definition
Defines a record type using the datatype specifier RECORD or the attribute %ROWTYPE.
schema_name
The schema containing the package. If you omit schema_name, Oracle assumes the package is in your schema.
variable_declaration
Declares a variable. For the syntax of variable_declaration, see "Constants and Variables" on page 13-28.
Usage Notes
You can use any Oracle tool that supports PL/SQL to create and store packages in an Oracle database. You can issue the CREATE PACKAGE and CREATE PACKAGE BODY statements interactively from SQL*Plus, or from an Oracle Precompiler or OCI host program.
You cannot define packages in a PL/SQL block or subprogram.
Most packages have a spec and a body. The spec is the interface to your applications; it declares the types, variables, constants, exceptions, cursors, and subprograms available for use. The body fully defines cursors and subprograms, and so implements the spec.
Only subprograms and cursors have an underlying implementation. If a spec declares only types, constants, variables, exceptions, and call specs, the package body is unnecessary. The body can still be used to initialize items declared in the spec:
CREATE PACKAGE emp_actions AS
...
number_hired INTEGER; END emp_actions;
CREATE PACKAGE BODY emp_actions AS BEGIN
number_hired := 0; END emp_actions;
You can code and compile a spec without its body. Once the spec has been compiled, stored subprograms that reference the package can be compiled as well. You do not need to define the package bodies fully until you are ready to complete the application. You can debug, enhance, or replace a package body without changing the package spec, which saves you from recompiling subprograms that call the package.
13-102 PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference
Packages
Cursors and subprograms declared in a package spec must be defined in the package body. Other program items declared in the package spec cannot be redeclared in the package body.
To match subprogram specs and bodies, PL/SQL does a token-by-token comparison of their headers. Except for white space, the headers must match word for word. Otherwise, PL/SQL raises an exception.
Variables declared in a package keep their values throughout a session, so you can set the value of a package variable in one procedure, and retrieve the same value in a different procedure.
Related Topics
Collections, Cursors, Exceptions, Functions, Procedures, Records
PL/SQL Language Elements 13-103