Stragg Distinct

Question

Hi,
My DB is 9i.
I run a script that deletes all records from a table, and then repopulates based on a SQL insert.
This works fine.
I try to run the same combination but with...
BEGIN
END;...around the code, all other things being equal, and the script errors, complaining that my combination of stragg and distinct is not valid.
"ORA-06550: line 36, column 22:
PL/SQL: ORA-30482: DISTINCT option not allowed for this function
ORA-06550: line 5, column 1:
PL/SQL: SQL Statement ignored"
This being the offending line>
,        apps.stragg(distinct substr(cmt_code,1,2)) parent_typesBut it does work as pure SQL....
Stragg, being a string aggregation text summary function that I picked up courtesy of 'Ask Tom' - shameless plug!
http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=100:11:0::::P11_QUESTION_ID:2196162600402
My full code, is below - anyone have any idea why this would fail in an anonymous block run as exactly the same user???
Thanks for your time,
Robert
begin
delete cust.xx_eris_users_all;
insert into cust.xx_eris_users_all
(RAW_ENCRYPTED_KEY,
  NAME,
  E_MAIL,
  COST_CENTRES,
  NUM_COST_CENTRES,
  PARENT_CODES,
  PARENT_TYPES,
  NUM_OF_PARENTS,
  PERIOD_NAME,
  PERIOD_NUM,
  PERIOD_YEAR,
  QUARTER_NUM
(select UTL_RAW.CAST_TO_RAW(isis.inner_text_link_1) raw_encrypted_key
       ,       isis.inner_attribute_1 name
       ,       isis.inner_attribute_2 e_mail
       ,        apps.stragg(eris.cost_centre) cost_centres
       ,        count(eris.cost_centre) num_cost_centres
       ,        inna.parent_codes
       ,        inna.parent_types
       ,        count(inna.parent_codes) num_of_parents
       ,        to_char(add_months(sysdate,-1),'MON-YY') period_name
       ,        prd.period_num
       ,        prd.period_year
       ,        prd.quarter_num
       from   cust.xx_isis_all isis
       ,        gl.gl_periods prd
       ,        CUST.XX_ERIS_COST_CENTRE_SECURE_MV eris
       ,        (select encrypted_key
       ,        apps.stragg(cmt_code) parent_codes
       ,        apps.stragg(distinct substr(cmt_code,1,2)) parent_types
       from     CUST.XX_ERIS_CMT_SECURE_MV eriscmt
       group by
                encrypted_key) inna
       where  isis.isis_protocol_id = 'XX_ERIS_USER'
       and      isis.inner_attribute_1 <> 'ALL'
       --and      isis.inner_attribute_1 = 'Robert Angel'
       and      eris.encrypted_key(+) = isis.inner_text_link_1
       and      inna.encrypted_key(+) = isis.inner_text_link_1
       and      prd.period_name = to_char(add_months(sysdate,-1),'MON-YY')
       group by
            UTL_RAW.CAST_TO_RAW(isis.inner_text_link_1)
       ,       isis.inner_attribute_1
       ,       isis.inner_attribute_2
       ,        inna.parent_codes
       ,        inna.parent_types
       ,        prd.period_num
       ,        prd.period_year
       ,        prd.quarter_num);
end;Edited by: Robert Angel on 11-Nov-2010 02:02 - Added Ask Tom link to summary function

Answer 1

In the same page search for the post dated "November 23, 2009". Tom, has provided an alternative to this problem.
Alternatively you can code two separate functions one performs distinct and one doesn't. Something like this.
SQL> select * from v$version;
BANNER
Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.2.0.4.0 - 64bi
PL/SQL Release 10.2.0.4.0 - Production
CORE    10.2.0.4.0      Production
TNS for 64-bit Windows: Version 10.2.0.4.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 10.2.0.4.0 - Production
SQL> create or replace type string_agg_nodist_type as object
  2      (
  3         total varchar2(4000),
  4 
  5         static function
  6              ODCIAggregateInitialize(sctx IN OUT string_agg_nodist_type )
  7              return number,
  8 
  9         member function
10             ODCIAggregateIterate(self IN OUT string_agg_nodist_type ,
11                                  value IN varchar2 )
12             return number,
13 
14        member function
15             ODCIAggregateTerminate(self IN string_agg_nodist_type ,
16                                    returnValue OUT  varchar2,
17                                    flags IN number)
18             return number,
19 
20        member function
21             ODCIAggregateMerge(self IN OUT string_agg_nodist_type ,
22                                ctx2 IN string_agg_nodist_type)
23             return number
24 
25     );
26  /
Type created.
SQL> create or replace type body string_agg_nodist_type
  2      is
  3 
  4      static function ODCIAggregateInitialize(sctx IN OUT string_agg_nodist_type )
  5      return number
  6      is
  7      begin
  8          sctx := string_agg_nodist_type ( null );
  9          return ODCIConst.Success;
10     end;
11 
12     member function ODCIAggregateIterate(self IN OUT string_agg_nodist_type ,
13                                          value IN varchar2 )
14     return number
15     is
16     begin
17         self.total := self.total || ',' || value;
18         return ODCIConst.Success;
19     end;
20 
21     member function ODCIAggregateTerminate(self IN string_agg_nodist_type ,
22                                            returnValue OUT varchar2,
23                                            flags IN number)
24     return number
25     is
26     begin
27         returnValue := ltrim(self.total,',');
28         return ODCIConst.Success;
29     end;
30 
31     member function ODCIAggregateMerge(self IN OUT string_agg_nodist_type ,
32                                        ctx2 IN string_agg_nodist_type)
33     return number
34     is
35     begin
36         self.total := self.total || ctx2.total;
37         return ODCIConst.Success;
38     end;
39 
40 
41     end;
42     /
Type body created.
SQL>
SQL> create or replace type string_agg_dist_type as object
  2      (
  3         total varchar2(4000),
  4 
  5         static function
  6              ODCIAggregateInitialize(sctx IN OUT string_agg_dist_type )
  7              return number,
  8 
  9         member function
10             ODCIAggregateIterate(self IN OUT string_agg_dist_type ,
11                                  value IN varchar2 )
12             return number,
13 
14        member function
15             ODCIAggregateTerminate(self IN string_agg_dist_type ,
16                                    returnValue OUT  varchar2,
17                                    flags IN number)
18             return number,
19 
20        member function
21             ODCIAggregateMerge(self IN OUT string_agg_dist_type ,
22                                ctx2 IN string_agg_dist_type)
23             return number
24 
25     );
26  /
Type created.
SQL>
SQL> create or replace type body string_agg_dist_type
  2      is
  3 
  4      static function ODCIAggregateInitialize(sctx IN OUT string_agg_dist_type )
  5      return number
  6      is
  7      begin
  8          sctx := string_agg_dist_type ( null );
  9          return ODCIConst.Success;
10     end;
11 
12     member function ODCIAggregateIterate(self IN OUT string_agg_dist_type ,
13                                          value IN varchar2 )
14     return number
15     is
16     begin
17         if instr(nvl(self.total,' '), value,1) = 0
18         then
19            self.total := self.total || ',' || value;
20         else
21            self.total := self.total;
22         End If;
23         return ODCIConst.Success;
24     end;
25 
26     member function ODCIAggregateTerminate(self IN string_agg_dist_type ,
27                                            returnValue OUT varchar2,
28                                            flags IN number)
29     return number
30     is
31     begin
32         returnValue := ltrim(self.total,',');
33         return ODCIConst.Success;
34     end;
35 
36     member function ODCIAggregateMerge(self IN OUT string_agg_dist_type ,
37                                        ctx2 IN string_agg_dist_type)
38     return number
39     is
40     begin
41         self.total := self.total || ctx2.total;
42         return ODCIConst.Success;
43     end;
44 
45 
46     end;
47     /
Type body created.
SQL>
SQL>
SQL> CREATE or replace
  2      FUNCTION stragg_nodistinct(input varchar2 )
  3      RETURN varchar2
  4      PARALLEL_ENABLE AGGREGATE USING string_agg_nodist_type;
  5  /
Function created.
SQL>
SQL> CREATE or replace
  2      FUNCTION stragg_distinct(input varchar2 )
  3      RETURN varchar2
  4      PARALLEL_ENABLE AGGREGATE USING string_agg_dist_type;
  5  /
Function created.
SQL> begin
  2  for i in (
  3  with t
  4  as
  5  (
  6   select 1 empno, 'hello' name from dual union all
  7   select 1, 'hello' from dual union all
  8   select 1, 'world' from dual union all
  9   select 2, 'abc' from dual union all
10   select 2, 'dual' from dual
11  )
12  select empno, stragg_nodistinct(name) nodistinct_string, stragg_distinct(name) distinct_string from t
13  group by empno
14  )
15  Loop
16     dbms_output.put_line('Empno : ' || i.empno);
17     dbms_output.put_line('No distinct string : ' || i.nodistinct_string);
18     dbms_output.put_line('Distinct String : ' || i.distinct_string);
19  end loop;
20  end;
21  /
Empno : 1
No distinct string : hello,hello,world
Distinct String : hello,world
Empno : 2
No distinct string : abc,dual
Distinct String : abc,dual
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> spool offHope this helps.
Regards
Raj