Invoking of functions with number parameters

Question

Oracle 9i PL/SQL dictates that
if the constraints of the formal parameter do not suffice actual parameter constraints,runtime error is raised.
I tried the following code snippet to check this out.
test_returntype7 returns a floationg point literal
test_returntype8 returns a floationg point number
SQL> create or replace function test_returntype7
2 return number
3 as
4 begin
5 null;
6 return 21.345;
7 end test_returntype7;
8
9 /
Function created.
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(1);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype7;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: number precision too large
ORA-06512: at line 4
--This is fine
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(2);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype7;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
--This is fine
21
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
--This is fine
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(3);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype7;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
21
--This is fine
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(2,3);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype7;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: number precision too large
ORA-06512: at line 4
--Why is this not working
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(2,10);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype7;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: number precision too large
ORA-06512: at line 4
--Why is this not working
SQL> create or replace function test_returntype8
2 return number
3 as
4 v_num number(2,3);
5 begin
6 v_num := 21.345;
7 return v_num;
8 end test_returntype8;
9 /
Function created.
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(2);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype8;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7
8 /
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: number precision too large
ORA-06512: at "CERT.TEST_RETURNTYPE8", line 6
ORA-06512: at line 4
--Why is this not working
SQL>
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(2,3);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype8;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7
8 /
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: number precision too large
ORA-06512: at "CERT.TEST_RETURNTYPE8", line 6
ORA-06512: at line 4
--Why is this not working
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(3);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype8;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: number precision too large
ORA-06512: at "CERT.TEST_RETURNTYPE8", line 6
ORA-06512: at line 4
--Why is this not working
Could any body clarify the behaviour of code snippets
Thanks in advance
Ann.

Answer 1

KK,
I tried the following
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(4,2);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype7;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
This is fine.
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(4,2);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype8;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: number precision too large
ORA-06512: at "CERT.TEST_RETURNTYPE8", line 6
ORA-06512: at line 4
Why is this not working
What do you mean by precision should be a part of scale?
I tried this also
SQL> declare
2 v_output number(5,3);
3 begin
4 v_output := test_returntype8;
5 dbms_output.put_line(v_output);
6 end;
7 /
declare
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-06502: PL/SQL: numeric or value error: number precision too large
ORA-06512: at "CERT.TEST_RETURNTYPE8", line 6
Thanks,
Ann.