Please provide real time scenario for when we use object type in PL/SQL.

Question

Hi Experts,
When we use this kind of code in PL/SQL block.
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE sample_object IS OBJECT
(id       NUMBER
,name     VARCHAR2(30));
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE sample_table IS TABLE OF sample_object;I have read some docs ,but I didn't get any information where exactly we use this.
Please provide one real time scenario with an example.
How this is different from record.
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hi,
For an example please have a look at this....
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE FML_DAT_ITEMS_OBJ AS OBJECT
                  (F_NAME VARCHAR2 (20), L_NAME VARCHAR2 (20));
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE FML_DAT_ITEMS_FTAB AS TABLE OF FML_DAT_ITEMS_OBJ;
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION GET_FML_ITEMS_DAT (PFML_NR IN NUMBER)
   RETURN FML_DAT_ITEMS_FTAB
   PIPELINED
AS
   OUT_REC   FML_DAT_ITEMS_OBJ;
BEGIN
   SELECT FML_DAT_ITEMS_OBJ ('peter', 'zwan') INTO OUT_REC FROM DUAL;
   FOR I IN 1 .. PFML_NR
   LOOP
      PIPE ROW (OUT_REC);
   END LOOP;
END GET_FML_ITEMS_DAT;To view the o/p:
SELECT * FROM TABLE (get_fml_items_dat (5));
F_NAME, L_NAME
peter,zwan
peter,zwan
peter,zwan
peter,zwan
peter,zwan Refer these links to know more about the topic...
http://www.oracle-developer.net/display.php?id=207
http://www.oracle-base.com/articles/misc/pipelined-table-functions.php