Comparing Records Question

Question

I have created a record:
TYPE for_list is table of varchar2(4000) index by binary_integer;
TYPE for_loop_state is record (
list for_list,
next_index integer
I would like to create procedure that has stores the values of the previous record into another record. Each time this new procedure is accessed, I would like to compare the contents of both records to determine if they are different. Based of that knowledge I would like to discard the contents of the first record.
I also would like to be able to somehow uniquely distinguish the contents of the second record from the first one, by adding a counter or something. I would like to have some input on how I should go about doing that.
Is this a feasible idea, or should I pursue another direction?
Thx

Answer 1

I have a procedure that is processing steps, the procedure will generates msgs that will be sent to the client (browser, ivrs) based on the ui_type (WEB, IVR, Remote). This procedure will loop over each step to build msgs until no more steps are found.
If it encounters what we call a 'for' step then it executes another procedure that checks the state of the list that is defined in a record. If it exists then it then iterates to the next item in the list to generate a msg to be sent back to the client.
My problem is that I have list variables that have the same name, and when I encounter the same name in my program I want to discard/reinitialize the contents of that list.
I am trying to determine an efficient and quick way to go about it.
CODE EXAMPLE:
TYPE for_list is table of varchar2(4000) index by binary_integer;
TYPE for_loop_state is record (
list for_list,
next_index integer
TYPE for_loops_list is table of for_loop_state index by steps.output_param%TYPE;
all_for_loops for_loops_list;
procedure for_step(list_string IN varchar2, ret_var_name IN varchar2, end_for_label IN varchar2) is
state for_loop_state;
end_idx number;
list_value varchar2(4000);
begin
-- get the current for list state, based on its output variable name
if all_for_loops.exists(ret_var_name) then
state := all_for_loops(ret_var_name);
else
state.next_index := 0;
list_value := parse_next_param(list_string, 1, end_idx);
-- end_idx is thrown away; for loops only have 1 input parameter (the list)
state.list := get_for_list(list_value);
all_for_loops(ret_var_name) := state;
end if;
if state.next_index < state.list.count then
pkg_session_values.put(ret_var_name, state.list(state.next_index));
all_for_loops(ret_var_name).next_index := state.next_index + 1;
else
all_for_loops.delete(ret_var_name);
jump(end_for_label);
end if;
end;