Stored procedure that returns multiple tables

Question

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if there's a way to write a stored procedure that returns multiple result set as in sql server. for example, in sql server, you can write 2 select statements and when loading them in c#, u can get two data tables.
I am not sure having a single ref cursor for each select is the only solution. I might need to return a variable number of tables per procedure call (based on a certain criteria).
Any ideas?
thanks for your time

Answer 1

Sure. Ref cursor is the only easier answer for your problem.
satyaki>
satyaki>select * from v$version;
BANNER
Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Prod
PL/SQL Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Production
CORE    10.2.0.3.0      Production
TNS for 32-bit Windows: Version 10.2.0.3.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 10.2.0.3.0 - Production
Elapsed: 00:00:01.43
satyaki>
satyaki>create or replace procedure ref_gen_arg(choice in int,b in out sys_refcursor)
  2  is  
  3    str   varchar2(500);
  4  begin   
  5    if choice = 1 then      
  6      str := 'select * from emp';   
  7    elsif choice = 2 then      
  8      str := 'select * from dept';   
  9    end if;       
10   
11    open b for str;
12  exception  
13    when others then     
14      dbms_output.put_line(sqlerrm);
15  end;
16  /
Procedure created.
Elapsed: 00:00:04.38
satyaki>
satyaki>
satyaki>declare   
  2    rec_x emp%rowtype;   
  3    rec_y dept%rowtype;       
  4    w sys_refcursor;
  5  begin  
  6    dbms_output.enable(1000000);  
  7    ref_gen_arg(1,w);  
  8    loop    
  9      fetch w into rec_x;     
10      exit when w%notfound;             
11        dbms_output.put_line('Employee No: '||rec_x.empno||' - '||                          
12                             'Name: '||rec_x.ename||' - '||                          
13                             'Job: '||rec_x.job||' - '||                          
14                             'Manager: '||rec_x.mgr||' - '||                          
15                             'Joining Date: '||rec_x.hiredate||' - '||                          
16                             'Salary: '||rec_x.sal||' - '||                          
17                             'Commission: '||rec_x.comm||' - '||                          
18                             'Department No: '||rec_x.deptno);  
19    end loop;  
20    close w;    
21   
22    ref_gen_arg(2,w);  
23    loop    
24      fetch w into rec_y;
25      exit when w%notfound;            
26         dbms_output.put_line('Department No: '||rec_y.deptno||' - '||                           
27                              'Name: '||rec_y.dname||' - '||                           
28                              'Location: '||rec_y.loc);  
29    end loop;  
30    close w;
31  exception  
32    when others then    
33      dbms_output.put_line(sqlerrm);
34  end;
35  /
Employee No: 9999 - Name: SATYAKI - Job: SLS - Manager: 7698 - Joining Date: 02-NOV-08 - Salary: 55000 - Commission: 3455 - Department No: 10
Employee No: 7777 - Name: SOURAV - Job: SLS - Manager:  - Joining Date: 14-SEP-08 - Salary: 45000 - Commission: 3400 - Department No: 10
Employee No: 7521 - Name: WARD - Job: SALESMAN - Manager: 7698 - Joining Date: 22-FEB-81 - Salary: 1250 - Commission: 500 - Department No: 30
Employee No: 7566 - Name: JONES - Job: MANAGER - Manager: 7839 - Joining Date: 02-APR-81 - Salary: 2975 - Commission:  - Department No: 20
Employee No: 7654 - Name: MARTIN - Job: SALESMAN - Manager: 7698 - Joining Date: 28-SEP-81 - Salary: 1250 - Commission: 1400 - Department No: 30
Employee No: 7698 - Name: BLAKE - Job: MANAGER - Manager: 7839 - Joining Date: 01-MAY-81 - Salary: 2850 - Commission:  - Department No: 30
Employee No: 7782 - Name: CLARK - Job: MANAGER - Manager: 7839 - Joining Date: 09-JUN-81 - Salary: 4450 - Commission:  - Department No: 10
Employee No: 7788 - Name: SCOTT - Job: ANALYST - Manager: 7566 - Joining Date: 19-APR-87 - Salary: 3000 - Commission:  - Department No: 20
Employee No: 7839 - Name: KING - Job: PRESIDENT - Manager:  - Joining Date: 17-NOV-81 - Salary: 7000 - Commission:  - Department No: 10
Employee No: 7844 - Name: TURNER - Job: SALESMAN - Manager: 7698 - Joining Date: 08-SEP-81 - Salary: 1500 - Commission: 0 - Department No: 30
Employee No: 7876 - Name: ADAMS - Job: CLERK - Manager: 7788 - Joining Date: 23-MAY-87 - Salary: 1100 - Commission:  - Department No: 20
Employee No: 7900 - Name: JAMES - Job: CLERK - Manager: 7698 - Joining Date: 03-DEC-81 - Salary: 950 - Commission:  - Department No: 30
Employee No: 7902 - Name: FORD - Job: ANALYST - Manager: 7566 - Joining Date: 03-DEC-81 - Salary: 3000 - Commission:  - Department No: 20
Department No: 10 - Name: ACCOUNTING - Location: NEW YORK
Department No: 20 - Name: RESEARCH - Location: DALLAS
Department No: 30 - Name: SALES - Location: CHICAGO
Department No: 40 - Name: LOGISTICS - Location: CHICAGO
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
Elapsed: 00:00:00.73
satyaki>Regards.
Satyaki De.