TABLE FUNCTION call - cast - InvalidType ORA-06550

Question

hello, I keep getting the following exception: +"... PL/SQL: ORA-00902: invalid datatype ORA-06550: line 7, column 1: ..."+
I created type here:
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE types
AS
TYPE TmpHiearchyMapTableType IS TABLE OF TMP_HIERARCHYMAP%ROWTYPE INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;
END;
Then my TABLE FUNCTION resembles...
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION spGetParentsTable
ObjectId number,
ObjectClassifier varchar2
RETURN types.TmpHiearchyMapTableType
IS
TmpHierarchyMap types.TmpHiearchyMapTableType;
BEGIN
     RETURN TmpHierarchyMap;
END;
I tried to invoke the table function and loop through it by:
DECLARE
oMappingTable types.TmpHiearchyMapTableType;
BEGIN
-- This OKAY!
oMappingTable := spGetParentsTable(2,'ThinkFundamentals.Util.Security.SystemUser');
-- FAILED here! "Invalid Type"!?!
select * from table(cast(oMappingtable as types.TmpHiearchyMapTableType));
dbms_output.put_line('done!');
END;
Thanks!
REF: http://www.databasejournal.com/features/oracle/article.php/3352091/CASTing-About-For-a-Solution-Using-CAST-and-Table-Functions-in-PLSQL.htm

Answer 1

hello I managed to switched from "Associate Array" to "Nested table" but still having trouble SELECT * FROM table(...), it keep saying "Invalid DataType" - detail as follows:
-- NOTE 1: Here's how I create the object type (Be nice if I can just say "CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE TmpHierarchyMapObjType AS OBJECT      (TMP_HIERACHICAL.ROWTYPE)" instead of having to duplicate column definition.
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE TmpHierarchyMapObjType AS OBJECT     
Id numeric(19,0) ,
ParentId numeric(19,0),
ChildId numeric(19,0),
TmpUID varchar2(32),
ReferencedId numeric(19,0),
-- NOTE 2: I can't put "TmpHierarchyMapObjType" inside the package but that's not crucial I suppose.
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE types
AS
TYPE cursorType IS REF CURSOR;
TYPE TmpHiearchyMapTableType IS TABLE OF TmpHierarchyMapObjType; /* Use "Nested Table" instead of Associative Array */
/* TYPE TmpHiearchyMapTableType IS TABLE OF TMP_HIERARCHYMAP%ROWTYPE INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER; */
END;
-- NOTE 3: Here's my TABLE FUNCTION which now returns a "Nested Table" as supposed to "Associative Array" (with different enumeration syntax)
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION spGetParentsTable
ObjectId number,
ObjectClassifier varchar2
RETURN ty[es.TmpHiearchyMapTableType -- Now an "Nested Table", not "Associative Array"
IS
    TmpHierarchyMap types.TmpHiearchyMapTableType;
    ThisTempId varchar2(32);
    CURSOR spGetParents_cursor IS
        SELECT
        ReferencedId Id,
        ParentId,
        ChildId,
        FROM TMP_HIERARCHYMAP
        WHERE TmpUID = ThisTempId;
BEGIN
    SELECT sys_guid() INTO ThisTempId FROM dual;
    spRecursiveGetParents(ObjectId, ObjectClassifier, ThisTempId);
    -- (Commented out) TmpHierarchyMapMAX := 0;
    FOR oMap in spGetParents_cursor LOOP
        -- (Commented out) TmpHierarchyMapMAX := TmpHierarchyMapMAX + 1;
          _TmpHierarchyMap.Extend();
        TmpHierarchyMap(TmpHierarchyMap.Count) := TmpHierarchyMapObjType( oMap.Id
                                                                , oMap.ParentId
                                                                , oMap.ChildId
          NOTE: *(Commented out)*  Not using "Associative Array", now using "Nested table" instead.
        TmpHierarchyMap(TmpHierarchyMapMAX).Id := oMap.Id;
        TmpHierarchyMap(TmpHierarchyMapMAX).ParentId := oMap.ParentId;
        TmpHierarchyMap(TmpHierarchyMapMAX).ChildId := oMap.ChildId;
    END LOOP;
    DELETE FROM TMP_HIERARCHYMAP WHERE TmpUID = ThisTempId;
    RETURN TmpHierarchyMap;
END spGetParentsTable;
*-- Lastly, I want to enumerate nested table.*
DECLARE
oMappingTable types.TmpHiearchyMapTableType;
BEGIN
oMappingTable := spGetParentsTable(2,'ThinkFundamentals.Util.Security.SystemUser');
*-- NOTE 4: This is my end-goal! But still complaining "ORA-00902: invalid datatype"*
select * from table(cast(oMappingtable as types.TmpHiearchyMapTableType));
dbms_output.put_line('done!');
END;
*REF:*
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/appdev.102/b14261/collections.htm#LNPLS005
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/Oracle/Associative-Arrays-in-Oracle-PLSQL-Introduction/2/
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/Oracle/Database-Interaction-with-PLSQL-Nested-Tables/2/