How to write a function with table name as parameter

Question

I created a function like this:
create or replace function "GETNAME"
(did in NUMBER, dtable in VARCHAR2)
return VARCHAR2
is
dname varchar2(200);
begin
select lastname || ' ' || firstname
into dname from dtable
where id = did;
return dname;
end;
i got an error: table or view does not exist.
Could somebody tell me how to fix it?
Thanks,
Jen

Answer 1

or by using a reference cursor:  create or replace function dynamic_cursor (pTab varchar2)
    return sys_refcursor as
    c sys_refcursor;
  begin
    open c for 'select * from '|| pTab;
    return c;
  end;
SQL> exec :c := dnamic_cursor('emp');
SQL> exec :c := dynamic_cursor('emp');
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> print c;
     EMPNO ENAME      JOB              MGR HIREDATE         SAL       COMM     DEPTNO
      7566 JONES      MANAGER         7839 02-APR-81       2975       1000         20
      7902 FORD       ANALYST         7566 03-DEC-81       3000                    20
      7839 KING       PRESIDENT            17-NOV-81       5000                    10
      7698 BLAKE      MANAGER         7839 01-MAY-81       2850                    30
      7782 CLARK      MANAGER         7839 09-JUN-81       2450                    10
      7369 SMITH      CLERK           7902 17-DEC-80        800                    20
      7499 ALLEN      SALESMAN        7698 20-FEB-81       1600        300         30
      7521 WARD       SALESMAN        7698 22-FEB-81       1250        500         30
      7654 MARTIN     SALESMAN        7698 28-SEP-81       1250       1400         30
      7788 SCOTT      ANALYST         7566 09-DEC-82       3000                    20
      7844 TURNER     SALESMAN        7698 08-SEP-81       1500          0         30
      7876 ADAMS      CLERK           7788 12-JAN-83       1100                    20
      7900 JAMES      CLERK           7698 03-DEC-81        950                    30
      7934 MILLER     CLERK           7782 23-JAN-82       1300                    10
      7945 CINDY      SALESMAN        7698 16-JAN-83       1800                    30
      7950 TINA       SALESMAN        7698 18-JAN-83       1850                    30
16 rows selected.
SQL>