Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to do the

following:

1
• Explain the need for PL/SQL
Introduction to PL/SQL • Explain the benefits of PL/SQL
• Identify the different types of PL/SQL blocks
• Output messages in PL/SQL

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About PL/SQL About PL/SQL

PL/SQL: PL/SQL:
• Stands for “Procedural Language extension to SQL” • Provides a block structure for executable units of code.
• Is Oracle Corporation’s standard data access language for Maintenance of code is made easier with such a well-
relational databases defined structure.
• Seamlessly integrates procedural constructs with SQL • Provides procedural constructs such as:
– Variables, constants, and data types
– Control structures such as conditional statements and loops
– Reusable program units that are written once and executed
many times

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PL/SQL Environment Benefits of PL/SQL

• Integration of procedural constructs with SQL

• Improved performance
PL/SQL engine

procedural Procedural
PL/SQL statement
block executor SQL 1
SQL
SQL 2
…

SQL statement SQL

executor IF...THEN
SQL
ELSE
Oracle database server SQL
END IF;
SQL

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1
 Benefits of PL/SQL PL/SQL Block Structure

• Modularized program development • DECLARE (optional)

• Integration with Oracle tools – Variables, cursors, user-defined exceptions
• Portability • BEGIN (mandatory)
• Exception handling – SQL statements
– PL/SQL statements
• EXCEPTION (optional)
– Actions to perform
when errors occur
• END; (mandatory)

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Block Types Program Constructs

Anonymous Procedure Function

[DECLARE] PROCEDURE name FUNCTION name

IS RETURN datatype
IS Database Server
BEGIN BEGIN BEGIN Tools Constructs Constructs
--statements --statements --statements Anonymous blocks Anonymous blocks
RETURN value;
[EXCEPTION] [EXCEPTION] [EXCEPTION] Application procedures Stored procedures or
or functions functions
END; END; END;
Application packages Stored packages

Application triggers Database triggers

Object types Object types

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Create an Anonymous Block Execute an Anonymous Block

Enter the anonymous block in the SQL Developer workspace: Click the Run Script button to execute the anonymous block:

Run Script

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2
 Test the Output of a PL/SQL Block Test the Output of a PL/SQL Block

• Enable output in SQL Developer by clicking the Enable

DBMS Output button on the DBMS Output tab:
Enable DBMS
Output 1

2
DBMS Output
Tab

• Use a predefined Oracle package and its procedure:

– DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(' The First Name of the
Employee is ' || v_fname);
…

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Quiz Summary

A PL/SQL block must consist of the following three sections: In this lesson, you should have learned how to:
• A Declarative section which begins with the keyword • Integrate SQL statements with PL/SQL program constructs
DECLARE and ends when the executable section starts. • Describe the benefits of PL/SQL
• An Executable section which begins with the keyword • Differentiate between PL/SQL block types
BEGIN and ends with END.
• Output messages in PL/SQL
• An Exception handling section which begins with the
keyword EXCEPTION and is nested within the executable
section.

1. True
2. False

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Practice 1: Overview

This practice covers the following topics:

• Identifying the PL/SQL blocks that execute successfully
• Creating and executing a simple PL/SQL block

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