Can we declare a Cursor in Package Specs?

Question

Dear buddies
Can I Declare a Cursor in Package Specs so that I can call that cursor and use its data in some procedures and functions of package. Otherwise I've to write that cursor for every sub-program of a package which I don't feel a smart way to accomplish the job.

Answer 1

Hi,
here is a short example with the whole way down. Maybe the concept is getting clearer with this:
first of all, if you do not have the table emp, here the DDL for this example.
Be carefull, works only for german clients because of the names of months, sorry for that.
CREATE TABLE EMP
(EMPNO NUMBER(4) NOT NULL,
ENAME VARCHAR2(10),
JOB VARCHAR2(9),
MGR NUMBER(4),
HIREDATE DATE,
SAL NUMBER(7, 2),
COMM NUMBER(7, 2),
DEPTNO NUMBER(2));
set echo on
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7369, 'SMITH', 'CLERK', 7902,
TO_DATE('17-DEZ-1980', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 800, NULL, 20);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7499, 'ALLEN', 'SALESMAN', 7698,
TO_DATE('20-FEB-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1600, 300, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7521, 'WARD', 'SALESMAN', 7698,
TO_DATE('22-FEB-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1250, 500, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7566, 'JONES', 'MANAGER', 7839,
TO_DATE('2-APR-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 2975, NULL, 20);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7654, 'MARTIN', 'SALESMAN', 7698,
TO_DATE('28-SEP-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1250, 1400, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7698, 'BLAKE', 'MANAGER', 7839,
TO_DATE('1-MAI-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 2850, NULL, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7782, 'CLARK', 'MANAGER', 7839,
TO_DATE('9-JUN-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 2450, NULL, 10);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7788, 'SCOTT', 'ANALYST', 7566,
TO_DATE('09-DEZ-1982', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 3000, NULL, 20);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7839, 'KING', 'PRESIDENT', NULL,
TO_DATE('17-NOV-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 5000, NULL, 10);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7844, 'TURNER', 'SALESMAN', 7698,
TO_DATE('8-SEP-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1500, 0, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7876, 'ADAMS', 'CLERK', 7788,
TO_DATE('12-JAN-1983', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1100, NULL, 20);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7900, 'JAMES', 'CLERK', 7698,
TO_DATE('3-DEZ-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 950, NULL, 30);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7902, 'FORD', 'ANALYST', 7566,
TO_DATE('3-DEZ-1981', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 3000, NULL, 20);
INSERT INTO EMP VALUES
(7934, 'MILLER', 'CLERK', 7782,
TO_DATE('23-JAN-1982', 'DD-MON-YYYY'), 1300, NULL, 10);2. Package Spec:
create or replace
package test_cursor as
  --Type for the returncode of the function
  TYPE typ_emp IS TABLE OF emp%rowtype;
  --Array for fetching, of course also possible in the body
  t_emp typ_emp;
  --function wich returns the array from fetching the cursor
  function get_emp return typ_emp;
  --function for manupilation data retrieved by the function
  PROCEDURE man_emp;
end test_cursor;3. Package Body
create or replace
package body test_cursor as
  FUNCTION get_emp RETURN typ_emp AS
  cursor c_emp is select * from emp;
  BEGIN
    open c_emp;
    fetch c_emp BULK COLLECT INTO t_emp;
    CLOSE c_emp;
    --t_emp returns the whole table set from emp
    return t_emp;
  end get_emp;
  PROCEDURE man_emp AS
  --just for not confusing names, is the same as t_emp of course
  v_emp_array typ_emp;
  BEGIN
    --call the function and retrieve the whole data set
    v_emp_array := get_emp;
    --now manipulate the data, in this case just write the names to the calling client
    FOR rec IN v_emp_array.FIRST .. v_emp_array.LAST
    loop
      dbms_output.put_line(v_emp_array(rec).ename);
    end loop;
  end man_emp;
end test_cursor;4. Calling the procedure
SET serveroutput ON
exec test_cursor.man_emp;5. And this is the result:
anonymer Block abgeschlossen
SMITH
ALLEN
WARD
JONES
MARTIN
BLAKE
CLARK
SCOTT
KING
TURNER
ADAMS
JAMES
FORD
MILLERPlease be aware, this is just for demonstration purpose, of course it makes no sense to display the names this way. But how to call a funktion returning arrays with datasets from fetching cursors is shown here.
Hth
Joerg