Error with function that returns a rowtype...

Question

i have a function that returns a rowtype. below is a simplified version:
create or replace function "GETC"
return mytable%rowtype
is
rec mytable%rowtype;
begin
rec.rowid := 1;
return rec;
end;
eventually i'll want to call this from java. but for now i'd settle for calling it from the XE web front end (and sqlplus).
SQLPLUS: i try to call it from sqlplus by first declaring a variable where i can store the return:
var a mytable%rowtype;
it instantly stops me saying that i can only declare a var of a particular type. so what do i do?
XE interface: i tried various ways to call getc(), but they were all unsuccessful. what should i be doing?
thanks so much for your time.
marko

Answer 1

Given a function like this:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION get_employee
     ( p_empno emp.empno%TYPE )
     RETURN emp%ROWTYPE
AS
     v_result emp%ROWTYPE;
BEGIN
     SELECT * INTO v_result
     FROM   emp
     WHERE  empno = p_empno;
     RETURN v_result;
END get_employee;You can call it within PL/SQL like this:
DECLARE
     rec emp%ROWTYPE;
BEGIN
     rec := get_employee(7902);
     DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(rec.ename);
END;However,
1. Unless there is a column named "ROWID" in the table (unlikely since it would conflict with the actual rowid and is therefore not allowed), the type will not have an attribute named "rowid".
2. "1" would not be a valid rowid anyway.
3. %ROWTYPE defines a PL/SQL type, which will not be recognised in other environments such as SQL and Java.