Using DBMS_PIPE

Question

Hi all,
I have a stored proc which generates a csv file from a table's data . Once the csv is generated, I have to move the file to a new location and send out an email.
I have a Unix script which can move a given file and send an email.
I am trying to use DBMS_PIPE to invoke the Unix shell script, however the script is not executing - though the value of status is 0 below:-
Am I missing something? Pls suggest.
create or replace
procedure host(cmd in varchar2)
as
    status number;
begin
    dbms_pipe.pack_message(cmd);
    status := dbms_pipe.send_message( 'HOST_PIPE' );
    dbms_output.put_line('status is: '||status);
    if ( status <> 0 ) then raise_application_error( -20001, 'Pipe error' );
    end if;
end;I have tried to make sense of documentation about this - but couldnt grip the concepts fully.
Edited by: Chaitanya on Mar 28, 2011 9:53 PM

Answer 1

Hi Chaitanya,
Can you please try this below code , instead of that.
CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE host (cmd in VARCHAR2) AS
status NUMBER;
BEGIN
DBMS_PIPE.PACK_MESSAGE(LENGTH(cmd));
DBMS_PIPE.PACK_MESSAGE(cmd);
status := DBMS_PIPE.SEND_MESSAGE('HOST_PIPE');
dbms_output.put_line('status is: '||status);
IF status == 0 THEN
raise_application_error(-20001, 'Pipe error');
END IF;
END host;
Hope it will help you :)
Thanks,
Balaji K.