OracleParameter.ArrayBindSize is invalid

Question

Hi,
Getting "OracleParameter.ArrayBindSize is invalid" error while using 'ArrayBindCount' method.
We are getting this error while using VARCHAR2 as an OUT parameter in the stored procedure.
'ArrayBindCount' works when we return NUMBER as an OUT parameter.
Stored Procedure Implementation
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE SP_TEST_PA AS
PROCEDURE SP_TEST_PR(i_str_flg IN VARCHAR2,
o_str_err_code OUT VARCHAR2,
o_num_status OUT NUMBER) ;
END SP_TEST_PA;
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE BODY SP_TEST_PA AS
PROCEDURE SP_TEST_PR(i_str_flg IN VARCHAR2,
o_str_err_code OUT VARCHAR2,
o_num_status OUT NUMBER) AS
BEGIN
     o_str_err_code := 'SUCCESS';
     o_num_status := 0;
EXCEPTION
WHEN OTHERS THEN
     o_str_err_code := 'ERROR';
o_num_status := 1;
END SP_TEST_PR;
END SP_TEST_PA ;
VB.NET Code Implementation
Imports Oracle.DataAccess.Client
Dim lOCon As OracleConnection
Dim lOCmd As OracleCommand
Dim lOPRFlag As New OracleParameter("i_str_flg", OracleDbType.Varchar2, ParameterDirection.Input)
Dim lOPRErrorCode As New OracleParameter("o_str_err_code", OracleDbType.Varchar2, ParameterDirection.Output)
Dim lOPRStatus As New OracleParameter("o_num_status", OracleDbType.Decimal, ParameterDirection.Output)
Dim lIntArrayCount As Integer
Dim lArrFlag() As String = New String() {"N"}
Dim lArrErrCode() As String = New String() {"Y"} ' Default Value
Dim lArrStatus() As Integer = New Integer() {0} ' Default Value
Dim lStrProcedureName As String = "SP_TEST_PA.SP_TEST_PR"
Try
' Assign the values to the parameter
lOPRFlag.Value = lArrFlag
lOPRErrorCode.Value = lArrErrCode
lOPRStatus.Value = lArrStatus
' Set the ArrayCount for command to max. number of rows in the preceding arrays
lIntArrayCount = lArrStatus.Length
lOCon = New OracleConnection(CommonFunctionality.GetDBConnectionString)
lOCon.Open()
lOCmd = New OracleCommand(lStrProcedureName, lOCon)
lOCmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure
' Bind the Length
lOCmd.ArrayBindCount = lIntArrayCount
lOCmd.Parameters.Add(lOPRFlag)
lOCmd.Parameters.Add(lOPRErrorCode)
lOCmd.Parameters.Add(lOPRStatus)
lOCmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
Catch ex As Exception
Finally
' Clean-up Activities
If Not (lOCmd Is Nothing) Then
lOCmd.Connection.Close()
lOCmd.Dispose()
End If
lOCmd = Nothing
If Not (lOCon Is Nothing) Then
If lOCon.State <> ConnectionState.Closed Then
lOCon.Close()
End If
lOCon.Dispose()
End If
lOCon = Nothing
End Try
Pl. help us.
Thanks & Regards,
Aditya from India

Answer 1

It does not look like you've set the ArrayBindSize property as required:
"For binding a PL/SQL Associative Array, whose elements are of a variable-length element type, as an InputOutput , Out, or ReturnValue parameter, this property must be set properly."
- Oracle Data Provider for .NET Library, OracleParameter.ArrayBindSize
If you go to the ODP.NET home page and scroll to the bottom, you can get a sample download of 2 chapters from Pro .NET Oracle Programming (as of 16 JUN 2005). The ODP.NET home page can be found here:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/windows/odpnet/index.html
Chapter 5 (which is part of the sample chapters) discusses working with PL/SQL and PLSQLAssociativeArray.
- Mark