Validation of database object names

Question

Hello. I need a function that can check whether a given string is a valid database object name. For example:
IsValid('col1') -> Yes
IsValid('col 1') -> No
IsValid('1col') -> No
Is there any build in the Oracle or does anyone have such an UDF?
Thank is advance.

Answer 1

You can use the wildly inappropriately named comma_to_table procedure. It checks the name and generates an exception if it is not valid.
SQL> var s varchar2(30)
SQL> exec :s := 'col1'
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> declare
  2    u dbms_utility.uncl_array;
  3    n pls_integer;
  4  begin
  5    dbms_utility.comma_to_table(:s,n,u);
  6    dbms_output.put_line ('Valid:   ' || :s);
  7  exception
  8    when others then
  9      dbms_output.put_line ('Invalid: ' || :s);
10  end;
11  /
Valid:   col1
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> exec :s := '1col'
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> /
Invalid: 1col
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> exec :s := 'test'
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> /
Valid:   test
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> exec :s := 'test@'
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> /
Invalid: test@
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL>