How to retrieve report region source statement programmatically?

Question

Hi all,
I have several report regions in an apex application each
of type "PL/SQL function body returning SQL query"
and of same structure like:
bq. declare \\ stmt varchar2(32767); \\ ... \\ begin \\ /* some stuff preparing sql query string */ \\ stmt := 'select' || ' a,b,c' || 'from table'; \\ return stmt; \\ end;
Now I need to retrieve the region source returned sql statement programmatically.
The region source is stored in apex view "apex_application_page_regions.region_source".
But what is the best way to retrieve the SQL statement value, by executing
the anonymous pl/sql block OR how does it work in apex internally?
An "execute immediate +region_source+ ... " approach does not work due to PLS-00372.
Any hints?
Regards,
Matthias

Answer 1

Dear Matthias,
an interesting problem you raise here. The solution is to create a function from the region source, call that function and then do something useful with the result.
Let's suppose your region source is :
declare v_text varchar2(100); begin return(''select * from emp''); end;
- put this text instead of the first declare
declare
v_statement varchar2(4000) := '
declare
function test return varchar2 is
- put this code behind the source:
begin
dbms_output.put_line(test);
end;';
begin
execute immediate v_statement;
end;
Now you have created a anonymous PL/SQL block that can be performed. The whole code looks like:
declare
v_statement varchar2(4000) := '
declare
function test return varchar2 is
begin return(''select * from emp''); end;
begin
dbms_output.put_line(test);
end;';
begin
execute immediate v_statement;
end;
Instead of the put_line you might set a package variable, so that you can use the result in another way,
good luck, DickDral