Select function that returns multiple columns.

Question

Currently I have a function that will return 1 column and I can use that in a select statement. What I need is to return multiple columns from a table. In the function I have I return the street address from a table that holds information about dealers, I need to be able to also return the columns that contain the city, state, and zip code so it can be used in an sql select statement. How would I do this?
My function:
FUNCTION GET_ADDRESS(dealer_id IN number)
RETURN tbl_dealer_info.c_street%TYPE AS
v_rc tbl_dealer_info.c_street%TYPE;
CURSOR get_dealer_cur IS
SELECT c_street
FROM tbl_dealer_info
WHERE n_dealer_id = dealer_id;
BEGIN
v_rc := NULL;
OPEN get_dealer_cur;
FETCH get_dealer_cur INTO v_rc;
IF get_dealer_cur%NOTFOUND THEN
NULL;
END IF;
CLOSE get_dealer_cur;
RETURN v_rc;
EXCEPTION
WHEN OTHERS THEN
RETURN NULL;
END GET_ADDRESS;
My select statement:
select GET_ADDRESS(1205) Street, DI.n_inactive_flag, DI.n_onhold_flag
from tbl_dealer_info DI
where DI.n_dealer_id = 1205;
I would like to be able to select the street, city, state, and zip all in this select statement from the GET_ADDRESS function.
Thanks,
Lori Neirynck

Answer 1

"The reality is you've probably already put your blinders on and you won't learn the best approach to solving your problem because you insist on asking a courtroom style question (just "yes" or "no" please)."
Actually, I asked this question because I was looking for the best approach to my problem. I have an SQL statement that correctly selects everything it needs to from all 15 tables. The thing of it is it is very long and difficult to read. I wanted to try using functions so that I could change 12 AND/OR statements into 3 IF statements so everything is easier to read. I have received a couple of different ways to do this from other forums that assumed I knew what I was doing. I have gotten one to work, the other I'm still working on. I'll post the one that worked for others that want to know.
SQL> insert into dealer_info values (1,'Me','13 success street', 'Wonder Town','Wonderland','1313');
SQL> commit;
SQL> create type t_address as object (
2 street varchar2(100),
3 city varchar2(30),
4 state varchar2(30),
5 zip varchar2(10));
6 /
Type created.
SQL> create or replace function get_address (p_id number) return t_address
2 is
3 ret t_address := t_address(null,null,null,null);
4 rec dealer_info%rowtype;
5 begin
6 select * into rec from dealer_info where id=p_id;
7 ret.street := rec.street;
8 ret.city := rec.city;
9 ret.state := rec.state;
10 ret.zip := rec.zip;
11 return ret;
12 end;
13 /
Function created.
SQL> col name format a10
SQL> col address format a70
SQL> select name, get_address(id) address from dealer_info;
NAME ADDRESS(STREET, CITY, STATE, ZIP)
Me T_ADDRESS('13 success street', 'Wonder Town', 'Wonderland', '1313')
1 row selected.
-Lori