Can you reference package variables in a pl/sql object type

Question

I'm trying to create an object type and I would like to use a type from a pacakge definition as one of the parameters for a method in the object. I read that types defined inside a PL/SQL package cannot be used as parameter. Does anyone have a workaround for this?

Answer 1

You could move the type definition out from the package to a schema level object type. Then you should be able to use the schema level object type in both your package and the new object you wish to create.
Below is a short example of what I mean:
-- The way I interpreted your question
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE foo_pkg
AS
TYPE foo_obj IS RECORD (
f1 NUMBER
,f2 VARCHAR2 (10)
in_pkg_foo_obj foo_obj;
END foo_pkg;
SHOW errors
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE newFooObj IS OBJECT (
f1 NUMBER
,f2 VARCHAR2 (3)
,f3 DATE
,MEMBER FUNCTION getAllFoos (inFoo IN foo_pkg.foo_obj)
RETURN NUMBER
SHOW errors
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE BODY newFooObj
AS
MEMBER FUNCTION getAllFoos (inFoo IN foo_pkg.foo_obj)
RETURN NUMBER
IS
BEGIN
RETURN 1;
END;
END;
SHOW errors
-- Clean up
DROP PACKAGE foo_pkg;
DROP TYPE newFooObj;
-- Now try it with a schema level object type
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE foo_obj IS OBJECT (
f1 NUMBER
,f2 VARCHAR2 (10)
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE foo_pkg
AS
in_pkg_foo_obj foo_obj;
END foo_pkg;
SHOW errors
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE newFooObj IS OBJECT (
f1 NUMBER
,f2 VARCHAR2 (3)
,f3 DATE
,MEMBER FUNCTION getAllFoos (inFoo IN foo_obj)
RETURN NUMBER
SHOW errors
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE BODY newFooObj
AS
MEMBER FUNCTION getAllFoos (inFoo IN foo_obj)
RETURN NUMBER
IS
BEGIN
RETURN 1;
END;
END;
SHOW errors
DROP PACKAGE foo_pkg;
DROP TYPE newFooObj;
Bob