SQL Functions,

Records, Table and

Cursor
By Nidhi Bhatnagar
Objectives
 Using SQL Functions in PL-SQL
 Record – Structure like type in PL-SQL
 TABLE – Array like type in PL-SQL
 Cursor – Concept
 Cursor – Implicit and Explicit
 Cursor – Different attributes
 Explicit Cursor and basic steps
Using SQL Functions in PL-
SQL

 Functions like Substr, Instr, Concat, Length

i.e all string and conversion functions work
the same way in PL SQL as in SQL.

 Examples :
 V_Name := Concat(v_firstname, v_lastname);
 V_nm_length := Length (V_name) ;
Using SQL Functions in PL-
SQL

 However functions like Decode cannot be

used with PL SQL variables.

 Functions like max , min avg are aggregate

functions cannot be used directly with PL
SQL variable
Examples : Following are Invalid or not allowed
 v_dept := Decode(v_detpno,10,’Ten’,20,’Twenty’,’Thirty’);
 v_max := max (10,20,30) ;
Using SQL Functions in PL-
SQL

 Important thing here is that you can still use

all the SQL function , if you writing SQL query
in PL SQL i.e with Select Query

 Only place some of these aggregate

functions( Max , Min ) etc cannot be used is
with PL SQL variables or conditional
statements (IF .. Then ) etc .
Example
 Example 16 Sample16.SQL

 Example 17 Sample17.SQL
Record
 Objects of type RECORD are called records.

 Records have uniquely named components, which can belong to

different datatypes.

 For example, suppose you have different kinds of data about an

employee such as name, salary, hire date, and so on. This data
is dissimilar in type but logically related.

 A record that contains such components as the name, salary,

and hire date of an employee would let you treat the data as a
logical unit.
Record
 In short Record in PL SQL is similar to
Structure in ‘C’ Language.

 A variable of record type basically have

subparts and that we can refer with dot
operator.

 Example : v_emp.sal , v_emp.ename etc

Record
 Working with Record is a two step process.
 Declare a Record Type
 Declare variables of Record type

 Once this variable is created then you can

work with them like a normal variables.
Record
 Declaring a Record Type and its variables.
 Declare
Type t_emp is Record
(
Empno number(4)
Name varchar2(25),
Salary number(7,2),
);
-- Now declaring variables
v_emp1 t_emp;
v_emp2 t_emp

 So we have v_emp1 , v_emp2 variables of type t_emp , so we

can refer to its parts as v_emp1.Name, v_emp1.salary,
v_emp1.empno
Record
 In this case in our begin part of the block. We can use them
like normal variables

Begin
v_emp1.empno := &empno;

Select ename , sal into v_emp1.name, v_emp1.sal

from Emp where empno = v_emp1.empno;

End;
Record
 We can assign one Record variable of same type to another

Begin
v_emp1.empno := &empno;

Select ename , sal into v_emp1.name, v_emp1.sal

from Emp where empno = v_emp1.empno;

v_emp2 := v_emp1 ;
End;

 Here v_emp2.empno , v_emp2.name, v_emp2.sal will have

same value as v_emp1.empno , v_emp1.name and v_emp1.sal
Example
 Example 18 Sample18.SQL

 Example 19 Sample19.SQL
Table
 PL/SQL provides a composite datatype named
TABLE.

 Objects of type TABLE are called PL/SQL tables,

which are modeled as (but not the same as)
database tables.

 PL/SQL tables have only one column and give you

array-like access to rows.

 The column can belong to any scalar type (such as

CHAR, DATE, or NUMBER).
Table
 In short Table in PL SQL is similar to Array in ‘C’
Language.

 Difference here is that Array is un-dimensioned ,

what that means is in ‘C’ array subscript position
can be from 0 to any positive number. But in PLSQL
array subscript can be any integer –ve, 0 or +ve
value and in any order.

 Example : v_emp(-43), v_emp(0), v_emp(56) ,

v_emp(1) , v_emp(-23) etc
Table
 Working with Table is a two step process.
 Declare a Table Type
 Declare variables of Table type

 Once this variable is created then you can

work with them like an array.
Table
 Declaring a Table Type and its variables.
DECLARE
--Declaring type
TYPE NumTabTyp IS TABLE OF NUMBER
INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;

-- Declaring Variable
vnum numTabtyp ; -- This will make vnum as an array of numbers
BEGIN
vnum(0) := 100;
vnum(-43) := 4500;
vnum(25) := 4300;
END;

 Here because of writing Index by Binary_Integer we can have

subscript of an array as negative , 0 or positive value.
Binary_Integer should always be written
Table – Few examples

 An Array for character values with width for each string as 15

TYPE tCharTyp IS TABLE OF CHAR(15) INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;

v_str tcharTyp;

 An Array for numbers

TYPE NumTabTyp IS TABLE OF NUMBER INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;
v_num NumTabtyp;

 An Array for empname

TYPE tename IS TABLE OF emp.ename%Type INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;
v_name tename;

Note : In PLSQL Table i.e Array you can store any number of
values no restriction or the upper limit
Table - Functions
 PL SQL provides with some functions that you can use with table
only.

 First: Gets the index or position of first element in array.

 Last : Gets the index or position of last element in array.

 Next (n) : Gets the index or position of element next to element at position
‘n’ in array.

 Prior (n) : Gets the index or position of element Prior to element at position
‘n’ in array.

 Delete (n): Deletes the element at position or Index ‘n’ in the array.

 Count: count the total number of elements in the array

Example
 Example 20 Sample20.SQL

 Example 21 Sample21.SQL

 Example 22 Sample22.SQL
Cursors
 When you execute a SQL statement from PL/SQL,
the Oracle RDBMS assigns a private work area for
that statement.

 The work area contains information about the SQL

statement and the set of data returned or affected
by that statement.

 The PL/SQL cursor is a mechanism by which you

can name that work area and manipulate the
information within it.
Cursors
 In its simplest form, you can think of a cursor
as a pointer into a table in the database.

 For example, the following cursor declaration

associates the entire employee table with the
cursor named employee_cur:

CURSOR employee_cur IS
SELECT * FROM employee;
Cursors
 In PLSQL only way we can refer to a SQL query
that returns muliple rows is through cursors.
 Imagine the query in the last slide returned
following rows.
Work Area

Employee_cur is
a pointer to this
work area and 101 Rajesh 5000 10
data and our 102 Suresh 4500 20
plsql program can
refer to this rows
one by one using
103 Nilesh 4000 10
Data
this cursor
104 Jitesh 3500 20 (Active
Set)
Cursors – Types
 Implict Cursor : Managed by Oracle itself
internally

 Explicit Cursor: It is entirely managed by user

in a pl-sql program and to refer to any multi
row query in PL SQL program it is used.
Cursors – Types
 Implict Cursor : This cursor is managed by Oracle
itself. Whenever we fire any SQL query from SQL
prompt and it returns multiple rows ,oracle internally
uses Implicit cursor.

 We do not have any access to open , close and

manipulate this cursor, its oracle internal process.

 Only thing we can do with Implict cursor is we can

see the number of rows affected by last operation.

 The name of this cursor is fixed it is SQL

Cursors – Types
 Explicit Cursor : This cursor is the only way
user can use a query in PL-SQL program that
returns multiple rows.

 Any name can be given to Cursor in the

program.

 Working with this cursor is a four step

process.
Cursors – Types
 If you are sure that any Select query can return
more then one row then do not directly write that in
Begin block , use Explicit cursor instead.

 Four steps to work with Explicit cursor.

 Declare cursor
 Open cursor
 Fetch rows
 Close cursor
Explicit Cursor
 Step1 : Declare a cursor
In this step we declare a cursor in the declare
section with the query that can return more
then one row.

 Syntax :
Cursor <Cursor_Name> IS
<Query> ;
Explicit Cursor

Example:

 Cursor c_emp IS
Select * from emp where sal > 4500;

This query can return more then one rows as

more then one person can have salary greater
then 4500
Explicit Cursor
 Step2 : Open a cursor
In this step we open a cursor in the Begin Section of
the program

 It is at this point the query inside the cursor get fired

and data is returned in the work area and cursor
point to the start of that work area.

 Syntax :
Open <Cursor_Name> ;
Explicit Cursor

Example:

 Open c_emp;
Explicit Cursor
 Step3 : Fetch the rows

 This step actually moves cursor from one row to another

 It is called in a loop that many times as many rows we have.
 You cannot move backward.
 To move backward you have to close and open the cursor again.
 After every fetch cursor moves to new row so after every fetch we
should take that data in variables and use them to display or manipulate
in a program.

Syntax
Loop
Fetch <Cursor_Name> INTO <Variables> ;
Exit when <Condition>
End Loop;
Explicit Cursor

Example:
 Loop
Fetch c_emp INTO v_empno, v_ename, v_sal ;
Exit When c_emp%NotFound;
End Loop;

 Actually as many columns are there in Select Query

in the declaration of cursor that many variables are
required here after INTO to take the values.
 %NOTFOUND is a attribute discussed later.
Explicit Cursor

Example:
 Loop
Fetch c_emp INTO v_emp ;
Exit When c_emp%NotFound;
End Loop;

 We can also use a Record type or %RowType variable here. Here

v_emp is:
v_emp Emp%Rowtype;

 %NOTFOUND is a attribute discussed later.

Explicit Cursor
 Step4 : Close a cursor
In this step we Close a cursor in the Begin Section
of the program

 It is at this point the work area no longer contains

data and cursor now points to nothing.

 Syntax :
Close <Cursor_Name> ;
Explicit Cursor

Example:

 Close c_emp;
Cursors - Summary
 In case of Implicit cursor the open , close fetch
everything is managed by oracle.

 This is the way any query in oracle works , even

when we give query from SQL prompt then also we
do not write a cursor but implicit cursor is managed
by Oracle for that.

 Explict cursor however we have to take care of all

the steps.
Cursors attributes in short…
 %ISOPEN is used if we want to check whether a
particular cursor is successfully opened or not.

 %Found returns true or false based on Fetch is

successful or not.

 %NotFound does the same work but returns reverse

results.

 %Rowcount returns how many rows are fetched at

any point.
Cursors Attributes
 Oracle provides four attributes to help working with Cursor

Attribute Explanation
%ISOPEN - Returns TRUE if the cursor is open, FALSE if the cursor is closed.

%FOUND - Returns INVALID_CURSOR if cursor is declared, but not open; or if

cursor has been closed.
- Returns NULL if cursor is open, but fetch has not been executed.
- Returns TRUE if a successful fetch has been executed.
- Returns FALSE if no row was returned.
%NOTFOUND - Returns INVALID_CURSOR if cursor is declared, but not open; or if
cursor has been closed.
- Return NULL if cursor is open, but fetch has not been executed.
- Returns FALSE if a successful fetch has been executed.
- Returns TRUE if no row was returned.

%ROWCOUNT - Returns INVALID_CURSOR if cursor is declared, but not open; or if

cursor has been closed.
- Returns the number of rows fetched.
Cursors attributes
 To use this attributes we simply have to say:

Cursor_Name%Attribute ;

Example:
 c_emp%Found;
 c_emp%NotFound;
 c_emp%RowCount;
 c_emp%IsOpen
Cursors attributes
 In case of Implicit cursor we say:

SQL%Attribute ;

Example:
 SQL%Found;
 SQL%NotFound;
 SQL%RowCount;
 SQL%IsOpen
Example
 Example 23 Sample23.SQL

 Example 24 Sample24.SQL

 Example 25 Sample25.SQL

 Example 26 Sample26.SQL