PL/SQL Code

Oracle uses a block structure for organising PL/SQL code, the structure contains of the following

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Block header Declaration section Execution section Exception section

Block Header The block header will contain what type of PL/SQL program the code unit is and there are a number of different types always returns a value, the return keyword can be used anywhere in the program, functions can be called in select, where, order by and group by clauses Note: functions are stored within the data dictionary does not require a return value but can pass values between code via parameters, procedures are invoked as stand-alone statements, they are invoked using the execute keyword. Privileges are dropped when you delete a procedure so you need to re-grant any privileges that are required. Note: procedures are stored within the data dictionary block of code that does not contain a header or runs within another piece of code. Anonymous block Note: anonymous blocks are not stored within the database unless within another piece of code and are generally run adhoc is a collection of program units Note: packages are stored within the data dictionary All these program types can have parameters, which are used to provide the program with values or to retrieve values. Each parameter must be associated with a data type (char, number). Parameters can be either in, out or both (travels both ways), you can specify that the value is not null or set a default value (used if not parameter is passed). You can pass the parameter either by positional notation or named notation. create or replace function is_weekend (check_date IN date default sysdate) return varchar2 AS BEGIN return 'Hello World!'; END; create or replace archive_orders ( cust_id IN number, cust_name IN varchar2 ) AS BEGIN dbms_output.put_line('Customer Name: ' || cust_name || 'Customer ID: ' || cust_id); END; alter procedure archive_orders compile;

Function

Procedure

Package

Function example

Procedure example

Recompile

PL/SQL Code
Detect invalid objects select object_name from dba_objects where status = 'INVALID'; Overloading

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As in other OOP programming languages you can overload procedures and functions, basically having the same piece of code with the same name but different parameters, Oracle is clever enough to work out which one to run function overloading_test (city IN varchar2); Overloading examples function overloading_test (city IN varchar2, county IN varchar2); function overloading_test (city IN varchar2, county IN varchar2, country IN varchar2); Declaration Section You can declare one or more variables or constants within the declaration section, you can set default values for them or constraints. Example Execution Section This section is were the action takes place, it start with the begin keyword and stops with the end keyword. You must have one executable line of code or the null keyword. Exception Section This is the final section in the code block, this section is optional but comes before the end keyword. This section handles errors within the code, there are many exception handlers that deal with different errors, using when statements you setup handles to handle that specific type of error, you can have as many when statements as you like. It is alos possible to create your own exceptions and to initiate an exception. Exceptions are all handled with the scope of the block of code. exception when <exception_name> then error handling statements when others default handling statements Note: when other is the catch all exception handler <exception_name> exception; raise <exception_name>; myvariable integer default 1; myvariable constant int := 1;

Example

Own exception Initiate exception

There are two functions that you can use that will provide some information regarding any errors, sqlcode returns the error code and sqlerrm returns the error message.

PL/SQL Code
Character Set The characters allowed in PL/SQL are Letters Numbers Symbols Formatting A-Z and a-z 0-9 ~!@#$%^&*()_-+={}[]|;:'"<>,./? tabs, spaces, carridge return

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PL/SQL keywords are not case-sensitive but may programmers use upper case for keyword. Special Symbols The following symbols are used in PL/SQL Arithmetic +-*/ operations Delimiters ' ( ) " /* */ -Relational = < > <> != ~= ^= <= >= operators Indicators %:@ Component Selector . Item separator , Statement ; terminator && Input operator Note: used to obtain information from the user := => || ** .. := equivalence operator => equates a parameter on the left of the symbol with a value on the right (basically assign values to a parameter) || the concatenation symbol ** used to identify exponents .. used to separate a range ( 1 .. 10 - meaning 1 to 10)

Special operators

Identifers Identifiers are used to name things with PL/SQL as such variables, constants, cursors, sub-programs, packages and exceptions, etc. Every indentifier must start with a letter and can include most of the character mentioned above, however they must not include hyphens, slashes, ampersands or spaces, this rule can be overriden by using double quotes around the identifier name when creating it. You cannot use a reserved word for an identifier, see below on reserved words.

PL/SQL Code
Reserved Words

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Reserved Words have a special meaning in PL/SQL and are used as part of the PL/SQL syntax. There are many reserved words with oracle, so its probably best to comsult the Oracle documentation on the current list. Literals Literals are representations of specific numeric, character, string, boolean or date/time values. Conditional Logic There are a number of conditional logic operations if <condition> then code; end if; if <condition> then code; else code; end if; if <condition> then code; elsif <condition> code; else code; end if; case <selector> when <condition> then code; when 'VALLEP' then code; when ename = 'VALLEP' then code; else code; end case;

IF .. THEN .. ELSE

Case statement

PL/SQL Code

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Note: the when condition can be a string match or an expression Branching You can redirect the flow of the program by using goto statements, but in todays modern day programming you never use this statement. Iterative You will use iterative or repeated logic at sometime, basically you will go through data one row at a time, there are number of iterative logic in Oracle loop code; exit; end loop; Loop loop code; exit when <condition> end loop; Note: you must have a exit otherwise the loop with loop forever for counter [reverse] low .. high loop code; end loop; For .. Loop for <row_index> in [ cursor | select statement ] loop code; end loop; while <condition> loop code; end loop;

While Loop

Complete example Example create or replace procedure addstudent (roomin in int) IS roomname varchar2(20); studentcount int; capacity int; noroom exception;

PL/SQL Code
BEGIN select scount, cap, rname into studentcount, capacity, roomname from scott.rooms where room_id = roomin;

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if studentcount > capacity - 1 then raise noroom; else update scott.rooms set scount = studentcount + 1 where room_id = roomin; commit; dbms_output.put_line( 'Student count now ' || studentcount || ' in ' || roomname ); end if; EXCEPTION when noroom then dbms_output.put_line( 'There is no room in ' || roomname); when others then dbms_output.put_line( 'Error ' || SQLERRM || ' occurred' ); END; Running Code Once you have the stored procedure you need to compile it, the compiler performs serveral tasks

Checks syntax errors Checks for any dependencies Stores the pcode (this is whats actually runs) Set the status of the stored code to valid

If any dependencies are changed that affect the store program then the status will be changed to invalid, what this means it that it will have to be recompiled on the fly when the next user runs it, this can cause a performance hit especially if you are having to continually recompile stored programs. Display Source code select * from all_source where name = 'test_procedure' and owner = 'vallep'; Display Invalid select object_name from dba_objects where status = 'INVALID'; objects Recompile alter procedure test_procedure recompile; Program access rights A user can have access rights to a table which he/she has not been granted to via a procedure or function, basically the PL/SQL code has been complied with the same rights as the one who created it (owners rights), which means when a user runs it the right are already within the code hence you obtain the owners rights.

PL/SQL Code

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However Oracle has a feature called invoker rights, which means that the objects are resolved first and does not use the compiled rights, so if you don't have privileges then access is denied. implementing invokers rights Native Compilation The Compilation process generates pcode which is what is run (like interpreted code), however you have the choice to compile it in native code, to will only see performance improvements if the code is performing a lot of repeated caculations. There are 4 steps to compile native code 1. edit the makefile spnc_makefile.mk which should be in the PLSQL subdirectory under the home directory for your oracle database 2. set the initialization parameter plsql_compiler_flags to native 3. Do the normal compile of the PL/SQL program units 4. check the user_stored_settings data dictionary view to make sure that the objects compiled properly. create or replace procedure test_procedure authid current_user is

Compile native code