Help with simple PL/SQL package

Question

Hi, I'm trying to create a simple PL/SQL package to loop over a list of names and do some fuzzy pattern matching to attempt to clean up the data. Unfortunately..I don't know anything about PL/SQL, and hitting problems getting this to work. Could someone lend a hand?
p.s.
table TMP_UTL_MATCH_INPUT has a list of names to attempt matching in column called CLEAN_MERCHANT
table TMP_UTL_MATCH_OUTPUT should hold the original input row # and value, a matching output row # and value, and calculated edit_distance and jaro_winkler similaritise
table TMP_UTL_MATCH_STATUS is simply updated after each value so I can track how far in the process it's gotten (I suspect this algorithm will take a long time....)
Thanks in advance for any help!
Scott
create or replace
PROCEDURE "PROCESS_UTL_MATCH_DATA"("START_ROW" IN INTEGER DEFAULT 1) IS
--initialize variables here
num_rows integer;
edit_distance_similarity number;
jaro_distance_similarity number;
-- main body
BEGIN
select count(*) into num_rows from tmp_utl_match_input;
declare name_array as varray(num_rows) of varchar2(40);
select clean_merchant into name_array from TMP_UTL_MATCH_INPUT;
truncate table tmp_utl_match_status;
insert into tmp_utl_match_status values (0);
FOR i in 1..num_rows-1 LOOP
FOR j IN i+1..num_rows LOOP
edit_distance_similarity = utl_match.edit_distance_similarity(name_array(i), name_array(j));
jaro_winkler_similarity = utl_match.jaro_winkler_similarity(name_array(i), name_array(j);
if (edit_distance_similarity > 50 or jaro_winkler_similarity > 50)
then
insert into tmp_utl_match_output values (i, name_array(i), j, name_array(j), edit_distance_similarity, jaro_winkler_similarity);
END IF;
END LOOP;
update tmp_utl_match_status set current_row_num = i;
commit;
END LOOP;
EXCEPTION
WHEN OTHERS THEN
NULL; -- enter any exception code here
END;

Answer 1

If you would not defeat Oracle's ability to tell you what errors the procedure may raise, it could help you debug this easier. Do that by deleting or commenting out the EXCEPTION.
Another issue I see is you're trying to call a DDL statement directly. You cannot truncate a table directly. Instead you need to use EXECUTE IMMEDIATE.
Another issue I see is you have a DECLARE statement that has statements following it that are not declarations. Once your declarations are done, you need a BEGIN followed by code followed by END. Either that, or put your "name_array as varray(num_rows) of varchar2(40);" statement above your BEGIN.
It would also help to list your version of Oracle, and any errors you've received so far. Arm us with the same information you have, it makes it easier for us to help you.
Plus, put \ tags around your code, that will preserve the formatting.
Such as:
SELECT column1,
       column2,
       column3
  FROM some_table
WHERE column1 > 1000
   AND column2 IS NOT NULL:
as opposed to:SELECT column1,
column2,
column3
FROM some_table
WHERE column1 > 1000
AND column2 IS NOT NULL:
Edited by: Starlight Rider on May 5, 2011 1:04 PM