MULTIPLES RETURN IN FUNCTIONS?

Question

Is it possible for a function to return more than one value @ a time.?

Answer 1

user4539121 wrote:
Is it possible for a function to return more than one value @ a time.?A function can only pass back a single return item, however that item may be a data structure containing many values.
There are also pipelined functions which act as tables when incorporated into SQL queries. These effectively open up a pipe and can return one return item after another until it chooses to stop. Example...
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE num_descript AS OBJECT(num number, descript varchar2(30))
  2  /
Type created.
SQL>
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE tbl_num_descript AS TABLE OF num_descript
  2  /
Type created.
SQL>
SQL>
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE reftest AS
  2    FUNCTION pipedata(p_choice number) RETURN tbl_num_descript PIPELINED;
  3  END;
  4  /
Package created.
SQL>
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE BODY reftest AS
  2    FUNCTION pipedata(p_choice number) RETURN tbl_num_descript PIPELINED IS
  3      v_obj num_descript := num_descript(NULL,NULL);
  4      v_rc  sys_refcursor;
  5    BEGIN
  6      IF p_choice = 1 THEN
  7        OPEN v_rc FOR SELECT empno as num, ename as descript FROM emp;
  8      ELSIF p_choice = 2 THEN
  9        OPEN v_rc FOR SELECT deptno as num, dname as descript FROM dept;
10      END IF;
11      LOOP
12        FETCH v_rc INTO v_obj.num, v_obj.descript;
13        EXIT WHEN v_rc%NOTFOUND;
14        PIPE ROW(v_obj);
15      END LOOP;
16      CLOSE v_rc;
17      RETURN;
18    END;
19  END;
20  /
Package body created.
SQL> select * from table(reftest.pipedata(1));
       NUM DESCRIPT
      7369 SMITH
      7499 ALLEN
      7521 WARD
      7566 JONES
      7654 MARTIN
      7698 BLAKE
      7782 CLARK
      7788 SCOTT
      7839 KING
      7844 TURNER
      7876 ADAMS
      7900 JAMES
      7902 FORD
      7934 MILLER
14 rows selected.
SQL> select * from table(reftest.pipedata(2));
       NUM DESCRIPT
        10 ACCOUNTING
        20 RESEARCH
        30 SALES
        40 OPERATIONS
SQL>