REF CUR within FUNC

Question

I'm trying to check if rows exist on table_a - I'm using ref curs b/c need for dynamic FROM clause - getting message : PLS-00455: cursor 'L_REF_CUR' cannot be used in dynamic SQL OPEN statement
vers 8.1.7.2.0
Thanks for help.
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION func_summ_verify
(ais_table IN varchar2,
ais_rept_date IN date,
ais_app_code in varchar2)
RETURN VARCHAR2
IS
ln_err_num app_errors.err_num%TYPE ;
ls_err_msg app_errors.err_msg%TYPE ;
ls_app_id app_errors.app_id%TYPE ;
ls_app_msg app_errors.app_msg%TYPE ;
ls_sql long ;
ln_row_count number := 0 ;
ln_return number ;
TYPE ref_cur IS REF CURSOR RETURN table_a%ROWTYPE ;
l_ref_cur ref_cur ;
l_ref_cur_row table_a%ROWTYPE ;
BEGIN
ls_app_id := 'func_summ_verify.fun' ;
ls_app_msg := 'Determine if rows exist on sum tbl' ;
ls_sql := ' select *'||
' from '||ais_table|| /*in as table_a*/
' where application_cd = '||''''||ais_app_code||''''||
' and '||
' report_date = '||''''||ais_rept_date||''''||
' and rownum < 10 ' ;
OPEN l_ref_cur FOR ls_sql ;
FETCH l_ref_cur INTO l_ref_cur_row ;
ln_row_count := SQL%ROWCOUNT ;
sp_putline(ls_sql,ln_return) ;
sp_putline('sql%rowcount: '||ln_row_count,ln_return) ;
CLOSE l_ref_cur ;
IF ln_row_count > 0 THEN
RETURN 'T' ;
ELSE
RETURN 'F' ;
END IF ;
EXCEPTION

Answer 1

Brian:
If all you are trying to do is to see if at least one row exists for the set of criteria, you do not need a REF CURSOR at all. You can construct the sql statement then use EXECUTE IMMEDIATE to run it, and trap for NO_DATA_FOUND.
I would write your function like this:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION func_summ_verify     (ais_table IN VARCHAR2,
                                              ais_rept_date IN DATE,
                                              ais_app_code in VARCHAR2)
          RETURN VARCHAR2 IS
ln_return number;
BEGIN
     ls_app_id := 'func_summ_verify.fun' ;
     ls_app_msg := 'Determine if rows exist on sum tbl' ;
     ls_sql := 'SELECT 1 FROM '||ais_table|| /*in as table_a*/
                     ' WHERE application_cd = :appcd and
                     report_date = :rptdt and
                     rownum = 1';
     EXECUTE IMMEDIATE ls_sql INTO ln_return USING ais_app_code, ais_rept_date;
     RETURN 'T' ;
EXCEPTION WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
   RETURN 'F';
END;Happy Surfing
John