Return multiple variables from function via DBLINK

Question

hey,
I've created a function for use by another database through a dblink.
I created the function to return a ref cursor but
have since found out that this is not allowed so i'm looking for
alternatives?
Assuming I want to keep the function on our database (for maintainability reasons) what other options do i have?
Two suggestions i've got are 1) to return a ',' delimited string
or to have a number of OUT parameters. Is there any reason
why either of these would not work or would be preferable to the other?
Thanks for reading, any help much appreciated.
BTW i'm new to PL/SQL so feel free to dumb it down.
cheers.
function....
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION "GET_SCHEME_DETAILS"
IN_BRANCH IN VARCHAR2,
IN_AGENCY IN VARCHAR2,
IN_PRODUCT_SUFFIX IN VARCHAR2,
IN_TERM IN INTEGER,
IN_LOAN_START_DATE IN DATE
RETURN sys_refcursor AS TYPE RESULTSET IS REF CURSOR;
and its being called like this....
select GET_SCHEME_DETAILS@PPPRO ( '864' , '500086' , 'M7' , 10 , TO_DATE ( '01/02/2010' , 'DD/MM/YYYY' ) ) FROM DUAL ;

Answer 1

I would be amazed if that even compiled.
The function should look something like:
CREATE FUNCTION GET_SCHEME_DETAILS (in_branch          IN VARCHAR2,
                                    in_agency          IN VARCHAR2,
                                    in_product_suffix  IN VARCHAR2,
                                    in_term            IN INTEGER,
                                    in_loan_start_date IN DATE) RETURN sys_refcursor AS
   l_ref_cur SYS_REFCURSOR;
   < any other variables that need declaring >
BEGIN
   OPEN l_ref_cur FOR
      <your select tstatment here>
   RETURN l_ref_cur;
END;and you would call it from the other database like:
DECLARE
   l_other_ref_cur SYS_REFCURSOR;
   < any other variables that need declaring  like one for each column in the ref cursor>
BEGIN
   l_other_ref_cur := get_scheme_details@PPPRO ('864', '500086', 'M7', 10,
                                                TO_DATE ( '01/02/2010' , 'DD/MM/YYYY' ));
   LOOP
      FETCH l_other_ref_cursor INTO <variable list>
      EXIT WHEN l_other_ref_cursor%NOT_FOUND;
      <do something with the values>
   END LOOP;
   CLOSE l_other_ref_cur;
END;Having said that, if you are only expecting to get one row back, then you could just as easily use a procedure with out parameters.
If you expect multiple rows back, you could also just do a query on the other database drectly using the db link assuming that the user that the db link uses to connect has appropriate privileges.
HTH
John