Properties fiel in PLSQL????

Question

Hello All,
I am developing a PLSQL stored procedure in Oracle 11g. The requirement is all the constant values must be configurable in future. Usually we will use parameters in this case. But im thinking in a different way, since some other Vendor is going to trigger this SP.
Can we have a file like properties file in Java and get the values from this file. We are also developing some java components, so defenetly we will have properties file in the server.
Thanks for you suggestions.
KB.

Answer 1

Kannan B wrote:
I am developing a PLSQL stored procedure in Oracle 11g. The requirement is all the constant values must be configurable in future. Usually we will use parameters in this case. But im thinking in a different way, since some other Vendor is going to trigger this SP.
Can we have a file like properties file in Java and get the values from this file. We are also developing some java components, so defenetly we will have properties file in the server.Two basic approaches. In C/C++ fashion, create a "header/library" file that contains the parameters. This can be done as a PL/SQL package header. (only need to define the header - the package can be bodiless):
create or replace package Parameters as
  --// Unix date
  UNIX_DATE constant date := to_date( '1970/01/01', 'yyyy/mm/dd' );
  --// etc..
end;Each session that refers to this package, will load the package into session memory. Thus the parameters are the same in each (same package header), but not shared. For example, should you define a variable (as oppose to a constant) in the package, a session can change the value. That change will be local within that session only. (i.e. the data segment of the package is local per session)
The 2nd method is using an Oracle table. In this case normal ACID rules and concurrency applies. You can also provide a PL/SQL function wrapper. E.g.
create table parameters(
  param_name varchar2(30) primary key,
  param_value varchar2(100)
) organization index;
create or replace function GetParameter( paramName varchar2 ) return varchar2 is
  paramVal parameters.param_value%Type;
begin
  select
    p.param_value into paramVal
  from parameters p
  where p.param_name = paramName;
  return( paramVal );
end;