PLSql return values

Question

Here I go again with some PLSql..

I want to know, if there's any way I can use the following function like a select without having to turn it into a function or procedure (so I can see the code from the script where it is contained).

The code would be like:

DECLARE
    outpt  VARCHAR2(1000) := ''; 
    flow_rI  VARCHAR2(50); 
    CURSOR flow_r IS
      select flow_run_id
        from table
        where CREATED_DATE < sysdate - 32
        and rownum < 10
        order by 1 desc;
BEGIN 
    OPEN flow_r;
    LOOP 
        FETCH flow_r INTO flow_rI; 
        EXIT WHEN flow_r%notfound; 
        BEGIN 
            outpt := outpt ||  ',' || flow_rI;
        EXCEPTION 
            WHEN no_data_found THEN 
              dbms_output.Put_line(outpt); 
        END; 
    END LOOP;
    dbms_output.Put_line(outpt); 
    outpt := '';
    CLOSE flow_r;
END;

The idea is simple, I just want to get a series of codes from my table but having the results formatted like "1234,2434,424,45,767,43" sort of thing, rather than the table result from a query. It will be used later in the code for various purposes including another queries where I could simply do an in ([variable with that string]).

Thing is that using the dbms_output.Put_line(outpt);, I can't access it from my application layer and seems that in plsql I cannot use the return without turning it into a function.

Would anyone have an idea? It doesn't need to be a PlSql like that as long as I can have the whole code in the script.

thanks!

f.

ps.: yeah, I know I have a leftover "," in the beginning of the string -_- — filippo, Oct 14 '10 at 14:18

Michael Pakhantsov · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-14T15:45:02.397

13

Why not use just sql:

   SELECT MAX(ltrim(sys_connect_by_path(flow_run_id, ','), ','))
   FROM
   (
    select flow_run_id, rownum rn
    from table
    where CREATED_DATE < sysdate - 32
    and rownum < 10
    order by 1 desc
   )
   START WITH rn = 1
   CONNECT BY PRIOR rn = rn - 1

edited Oct 14 '10 at 15:45

answered Oct 14 '10 at 14:25

Michael Pakhantsov

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That my friend, is because I'm too newbie to know beauties like `sys_connect_by_path` :) Thank you very much! Works like a charm. f. – filippo Oct 14 '10 at 15:02
+1, nice answer, good illustration of CONNECT BY PRIOR. I did try this on a table I have and it doesn't yield the same answer as OP, but I think the concept is correct and I don't have time to debug it. – DCookie Oct 14 '10 at 15:39
ops... I think this would be predictable but I've got this error `ORA-01489` (output string is too long). Well, I reckon it would be better to deal with that in the code, but, just in case, would you have a suggestion for that ? – filippo Oct 19 '10 at 17:02
@flpgdt, result of sys_connect_by_path can't be more than 4000 char (VARCHAR2 limitation) so if you need longer string, you need have to write function which will be return CLOB – Michael Pakhantsov Oct 20 '10 at 06:29
I see. Vincent gave me a work around with sql (using multiple rows, which solves for me) http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3975967/max-size-in-a-connected-by-prior-oracle/3976166#3976166 Works pretty awesomely. Thanks! – filippo Oct 20 '10 at 09:37

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 14 '10 at 14:23

if you are on Oralce 11 r2 you can use LISTAGG to do exactly this http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E14072_01/server.112/e10592/functions087.htm

but this site has how you can do it an any version (but you need to be >=9i to do it in pure SQL with 11r2 being ideal): http://www.oracle-base.com/articles/misc/StringAggregationTechniques.php (specifically look at ROW_NUMBER() and SYS_CONNECT_BY_PATH functions in Oracle 9i for a pure sql )

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 14 '10 at 15:20

0

Another option would be to define some input/output variables and instead of return assign your result value to an output variable.

answered Oct 14 '10 at 15:20

ZeissS

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score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Aug 07 '21 at 18:31

0

You can use simple method WM_CONCAT as a solution.

-- It will show the output in comma separated form
-- you can change the delimiter as well if needed
-- 1234,2434,424,45,767,43
SELECT WM_CONCAT (flow_run_id)
FROM   table_name
WHERE  created_date < SYSDATE - 32
       AND ROWNUM < 10;

edited Aug 07 '21 at 18:31

Adrian Mole

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answered Aug 07 '21 at 03:53

Shinto Joy

31
6

PLSql return values

4 Answers4

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