How to use DBFS PL/SQL API

Question

Hi guys,
I'm re-posting this question to see if anyone can help me out. I am trying to use the DBFS PL/SQL API to manipulate files stored in DBFS.
Environment details:
Windows 7 or OEL 5.5 (I have tried both platforms)
Database: Oracle DB EE 11.2.0.2
IDE: SQLDeveloper on Windows 7
I have two users, DBFS_USER who owns the DBFS store and MYUSER who connects to the store to manipulate files using the DBFS PL/SQL API.
Creation scripts:
connect / as sysdba;
CREATE TABLESPACE dbfs_ts DATAFILE 'D:\oracle\oradata\orcl\dbfs01.dbf' SIZE 1M AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 1M;
-- create users
create user dbfs_user identified by dbfs_user default tablespace dbfs_ts quota unlimited on dbfs_ts;
create myuser identified by myuser;
-- grant role
GRANT CREATE SESSION, RESOURCE, CREATE VIEW, DBFS_ROLE, CREATE TABLE TO dbfs_user;
GRANT CREATE SESSION, RESOURCE, CREATE VIEW, DBFS_ROLE, CREATE TABLE TO myuser;
-- create file system (as DBFS_USER)
connect dbfs_user/dbfs_user;
exec dbms_dbfs_sfs.createFilesystem('STAGING_AREA_FS');
exec dbms_dbfs_content.registerStore('STAGING_AREA_FS', 'posix', 'DBMS_DBFS_SFS');
exec dbms_dbfs_content.mountStore('STAGING_AREA_FS', 'staging_area');
commit;
-- export store STAGING_AREA_FS (as DBFS_USER)
exec dbms_dbfs_sfs.exportFilesystem('STAGING_AREA_FS');
-- check table names (as MYUSER)
connect myuser/myuser;
-- should see nothing (no mounts)
select * from table(dbms_dbfs_content.listMounts);
-- note down the table_name
select * from table(dbms_dbfs_sfs.listTables);
-- mount as MYUSER (example with table_name SFS$_FST_32)
exec dbms_dbfs_sfs.registerFilesystem('MYUSER_FS', 'DBFS_USER', 'SFS$_FST_32');
exec dbms_dbfs_content.registerStore('MYUSER_FS', 'posix', 'DBMS_DBFS_SFS');
exec dbms_dbfs_content.mountStore('MYUSER_FS', 'staging_area');
commit;
-- check mount (as MYUSER)
select * from table(dbms_dbfs_content.listMounts);
select pathname from dbfs_content;
CREATE STORED PROC (as MYUSER)
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE MYUSER_PKG IS
Function CreateDirectory
(P_File_Path          IN VARCHAR2,
P_ErrMsg          OUT VARCHAR2)
return Number;
END MYUSER_PKG ;
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE BODY MYUSER_PKG IS
Function CreateDirectory
(P_File_Path          IN VARCHAR2,
P_ErrMsg          OUT VARCHAR2)
return Number
IS
l_Return NUMBER;
l_props DBMS_DBFS_CONTENT.PROPERTIES_T;
BEGIN
l_Return := 0;
DBMS_DBFS_CONTENT.createDirectory (
path     => P_File_Path,
properties     => l_props);
RETURN l_Return;
EXCEPTION
WHEN OTHERS THEN
l_Return := NVL(SQLCODE, -1);
P_ErrMsg := SQLERRM;
RETURN l_Return;
END CreateDirectory;
END MYUSER_PKG ;
When compiling the package, I am getting this error:
Error(9,11): PLS-00201: identifier 'DBMS_DBFS_CONTENT' must be declared
Error(9,11): PL/SQL: Item ignored
Error(13,3): PL/SQL: Statement ignored
Error(15,19): PLS-00320: the declaration of the type of this expression is incomplete or malformed
How do I solve the problem in the error message? I'm not a DB expert. I used this reference documentation: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E11882_01/appdev.112/e18294/adlob_client.htm#CIHDEJAA
Thanks in advance.
Cappa

Answer 1

You need to grant directly the privileges from DBFS_ROLE because roles are not enabled in stored PL/SQL:
SQL> select* from v$version;
BANNER
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 - 64bit Production
PL/SQL Release 11.2.0.2.0 - Production
CORE    11.2.0.2.0      Production
TNS for Solaris: Version 11.2.0.2.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 11.2.0.2.0 - Production
SQL> show user
USER is "SYS"
SQL>
SQL> create user myuser identified by myuser;
User created.
SQL> GRANT CREATE SESSION, RESOURCE, CREATE VIEW, DBFS_ROLE, CREATE TABLE TO myuser;
Grant succeeded.
SQL>
SQL> begin
  2  for x in (select privilege, table_name
  3           from dba_tab_privs
  4           where grantee='DBFS_ROLE')
  5  loop
  6   execute immediate 'grant ' || x.privilege || ' on ' || x.table_name
  7   || ' to myuser ';
  8  end loop;
  9  end;
10  /
begin
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-22812: cannot reference nested table column's storage table
ORA-06512: at line 6
SQL>
SQL> connect myuser/myuser
Connected.
SQL>
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE MYUSER_PKG IS
  2  Function CreateDirectory
  3  (P_File_Path IN VARCHAR2,
  4  P_ErrMsg OUT VARCHAR2)
  5  return Number;
  6  END MYUSER_PKG ;
  7  /
Package created.
SQL> show errors
No errors.
SQL>
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE BODY MYUSER_PKG  IS
  2  Function CreateDirectory
  3  (P_File_Path IN VARCHAR2,
  4  P_ErrMsg OUT VARCHAR2)
  5  return Number
  6  IS
  7  l_Return NUMBER;
  8  l_props DBMS_DBFS_CONTENT.PROPERTIES_T;
  9  BEGIN
10  l_Return := 0;
11  DBMS_DBFS_CONTENT.createDirectory (
12  path => P_File_Path,
13  properties => l_props);
14  RETURN l_Return;
15  EXCEPTION
16  WHEN OTHERS THEN
17  l_Return := NVL(SQLCODE, -1);
18  P_ErrMsg := SQLERRM;
19  RETURN l_Return;
20  END CreateDirectory;
21  END MYUSER_PKG ;
22  /
Package body created.
SQL> show errors
No errors.You would need to check why some GRANT statement fails if you have other issue with other piece of code.