Using apex_plsql_job

Question

Apex 4.0.2
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E23903_01/doc/doc.41/e21676/apex_plsql_job.htm#BGBFGBIB
If I am reading this right, APEX_PLSQL_JOB.SUBMIT_PROCESS returns a unique job_id that is used by APEX_PLSQL_JOB.UPDATE_JOB_STATUS to record periodic status updates for long-running jobs.
Maybe I am missing something but doesn't this present a chicken-and-egg problem? How can I pass the job_id as a parameter to the long-running job via the submit_process's p_sql parameter when the job_id is returned by that same API?!
The documentation for the update_job_status API further on that page talks about a special variable APP_JOB that the submitted PL/SQL can use but I am not sure how to use it without getting a compilation error (PLS-00049: bad bind variable 'APP_JOB')
Help? Thanks

Answer 1

Hello Vikas,
>> The documentation for the update_job_status API further on that page talks about a special variable APP_JOB that the submitted PL/SQL can use but I am not sure how to use it without getting a compilation error (PLS-00049: bad bind variable 'APP_JOB')
I want to draw your attention to the comment at the bottom of the following code, taken from the SUBMIT_PROCESS documentation:
DECLARE
    l_sql VARCHAR2(4000);
    l_job NUMBER;
BEGIN
    l_sql := 'BEGIN MY_PACKAGE.MY_PROCESS; END;';
    l_job := APEX_PLSQL_JOB.SUBMIT_PROCESS(
        p_sql => l_sql,
        p_status => 'Background process submitted');
    --store l_job for later reference
END;I believe that you should define APP_JOB as an application item and assign it the returned job ID (in the example it’s the l_job variable).
For process status updating, if you are using an inline PL/SQL code, you can use the bind variable notation of this application item, e.g. *:APP_JOB* . When using in your own package, you should use v(‘APP_JOB’).
I fully agree that the documentation on this point is not clear.
Hope this helps,
Arie.
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