Query xml data from a CLOB datatye

Question

All,
I read in an oracle white paper that is is possible to query XML data from CLOB datatype using oracle text index using operators HASPATH() and INPATH(). I am not able to find any example on how to do this. Can someone please post a simple example here.
Thank You very much!

Answer 1

SCOTT@10gXE> CREATE TABLE your_table (id NUMBER, xml_data CLOB)
  2  /
Table created.
SCOTT@10gXE> INSERT INTO your_table (id, xml_data)
  2  SELECT t.deptno,
  3           DBMS_XMLGEN.GETXML
  4             ('SELECT d.dname,
  5                   CURSOR (SELECT e.ename, e.job
  6                        FROM   emp e
  7                        WHERE  e.deptno = d.deptno) emp_data
  8            FROM   dept d
  9            WHERE  d.deptno = ' || t.deptno)
10  FROM   dept t
11  /
5 rows created.
SCOTT@10gXE> COMMIT
  2  /
Commit complete.
SCOTT@10gXE> begin
  2    ctx_ddl.create_section_group('xmlpathgroup', 'PATH_SECTION_GROUP');
  3  end;
  4  /
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SCOTT@10gXE> CREATE INDEX myindex
  2  ON your_table(xml_data)
  3  INDEXTYPE IS ctxsys.context
  4  PARAMETERS ('datastore ctxsys.default_datastore
  5              filter ctxsys.null_filter
  6              section group xmlpathgroup'
  7            )
  8  /
Index created.
SCOTT@10gXE> SELECT * FROM your_table
  2  WHERE  CONTAINS (xml_data, 'PERSONNEL INPATH (//DNAME)') > 0
  3  /
        ID XML_DATA
        50 <?xml version="1.0"?>
           <ROWSET>
            <ROW>
             <DNAME>PERSONNEL</DNAME>
             <EMP_DATA>
             </EMP_DATA>
            </ROW>
           </ROWSET>
SCOTT@10gXE> SELECT * FROM your_table
  2  WHERE  CONTAINS (xml_data, 'HASPATH (//DNAME="PERSONNEL")') > 0
  3  /
        ID XML_DATA
        50 <?xml version="1.0"?>
           <ROWSET>
            <ROW>
             <DNAME>PERSONNEL</DNAME>
             <EMP_DATA>
             </EMP_DATA>
            </ROW>
           </ROWSET>
SCOTT@10gXE> SELECT * FROM your_table
  2  WHERE  CONTAINS (xml_data, 'CLARK INPATH (//ENAME)') > 0
  3  /
        ID XML_DATA
        10 <?xml version="1.0"?>
           <ROWSET>
            <ROW>
             <DNAME>ACCOUNTING</DNAME>
             <EMP_DATA>
              <EMP_DATA_ROW>
               <ENAME>CLARK</ENAME>
               <JOB>MANAGER</JOB>
              </EMP_DATA_ROW>
              <EMP_DATA_ROW>
               <ENAME>KING</ENAME>
               <JOB>PRESIDENT</JOB>
              </EMP_DATA_ROW>
              <EMP_DATA_ROW>
               <ENAME>MILLER</ENAME>
               <JOB>CLERK</JOB>
              </EMP_DATA_ROW>
             </EMP_DATA>
            </ROW>
           </ROWSET>
SCOTT@10gXE> SELECT * FROM your_table
  2  WHERE  CONTAINS (xml_data, 'HASPATH (//ENAME="CLARK")') > 0
  3  /
        ID XML_DATA
        10 <?xml version="1.0"?>
           <ROWSET>
            <ROW>
             <DNAME>ACCOUNTING</DNAME>
             <EMP_DATA>
              <EMP_DATA_ROW>
               <ENAME>CLARK</ENAME>
               <JOB>MANAGER</JOB>
              </EMP_DATA_ROW>
              <EMP_DATA_ROW>
               <ENAME>KING</ENAME>
               <JOB>PRESIDENT</JOB>
              </EMP_DATA_ROW>
              <EMP_DATA_ROW>
               <ENAME>MILLER</ENAME>
               <JOB>CLERK</JOB>
              </EMP_DATA_ROW>
             </EMP_DATA>
            </ROW>
           </ROWSET>
SCOTT@10gXE>