How to extract a string value from a varchar column

Question

Hi,
I've a varchar2 column which has got xml data. I want to extract the value of some tag <test></test>
I can't use EXTRACT as the column is not XMLTYPE.
Please suggest.

Answer 1

Hi,
make a new temporary table table wirth columns as the same name as TAGS in your XML.
extract the XML in a temporary variable.
pass it to the below proc with the table name created in step1 , it will populate the temporary table with the XML data.
PROCEDURE prc_save_xml(
iv_table_name IN VARCHAR2,
ic_xmlstring IN CLOB,
on_count OUT NUMBER,
ov_remarks OUT VARCHAR2,
ov_status OUT VARCHAR2,
iv_row_tag IN VARCHAR2 DEFAULT 'ROW'
) IS
insctx dbms_xmlsave.ctxtype;
doc CLOB;
BEGIN
--Get a context handle
insctx := dbms_xmlsave.newcontext(iv_table_name);
dbms_xmlsave.setdateformat(insctx, 'YYYYMMDD');
dbms_xmlsave.setrowtag(insctx, iv_row_tag);
ov_remarks := 'Inserting now';
on_count := dbms_xmlsave.insertxml(insctx, ic_xmlstring);
ov_remarks := 'Inserted now';
dbms_xmlsave.closecontext(insctx);
--set return status as Success
ov_remarks := 'Sucess';
ov_status := gv_success;
EXCEPTION
WHEN OTHERS THEN
DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line('IN OTHERS :' || SQLERRM);
ov_status := gv_failure;
ov_remarks := ov_remarks || ':' || SQLERRM;
on_count := 0;
END prc_save_xml;