When selecting a row from a view with a nested table I want just ONE entry returned

Question

Does a nested table in a view "EXPLODE" all values ALWAYS no matter the where clause for the nested table?
I want to select ONE row from a view that has columns defined as TYPE which are PL/SQL TABLES OF other tables.
when I specify a WHERE clause for my query it gives me the column "EXPLODED" with the values that mathc my WHERE clause at the end of the select.
I dont want the "EXPLODED" nested table to show just the entry that matches my WHERE clause. Here is some more info:
My select statement:
SQL> select * from si_a31_per_vw v, TABLE(v.current_allergies) a where a.alg_seq
=75;
AAAHQPAAMAAAAfxAAA N00000 771 223774444 20 GREGG
CADILLAC 12-MAY-69 M R3
NON DENOMINATIONAL N STAFF USMC N
U
E06 11-JUN-02 H N
05-JAN-00 Y Y
USS SPAWAR
353535 USS SPAWAR
SI_ADDRESS_TYPE(NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NUL
L, NULL)
SI_ADDRESS_TAB()
SI_ALLERGY_TAB(SI_ALLERGY_TYPE(69, 'PENICILLIN', '11-JUN-02', NULL), SI_ALLERGY
TYPE(74, 'SHELLFISH', '12-JUN-02', NULL), SIALLERGY_TYPE(68, 'PEANUTS', '13-J
UN-02', NULL), SI_ALLERGY_TYPE(75, 'STRAWBERRIES', '13-JUN-02', NULL))
SI_ALLERGY_TAB()
75 STRAWBERRIES 13-JUN-02
*******Notice the allergy entry of 75, Strawberries, 13-JUN-02 at the
end. This is what I want not all the other exploded data.
SQL> desc si_a31_per_vw
Name Null? Type
........ Omitted uneeded previous column desc because of metalink
character limit but the view is bigger then this.......
DEPT_NAME VARCHAR2(20)
DIV_NAME VARCHAR2(20)
ADDRESSES SI_ADDRESS_TAB
CURRENT_ALLERGIES SI_ALLERGY_TAB
DELETED_ALLERGIES SI_ALLERGY_TAB
SQL> desc si_allergy_tab
si_allergy_tab TABLE OF SI_ALLERGY_TYPE
Name Null? Type
ALG_SEQ NUMBER
ALG_NAME VARCHAR2(50)
START_DATE DATE
STOP_DATE DATE
SQL> desc si_allergy_type
Name Null? Type
ALG_SEQ NUMBER
ALG_NAME VARCHAR2(50)
START_DATE DATE
STOP_DATE DATE

Answer 1

Can you explain what do you mean by the following?
"PL/SQL tables (a.k.a. Index-by tables) cannot be used as the basis for columns and/or attributes"There are three kinds of collections:
(NTB) Nested Tables
(VAR) Varrying Arrays
(IBT) Index-by Tables (the collection formerly known as "PL/SQL tables")
NTB (and VAR) can be defined as persistent user defined data types, and can be used in table DDL (columns) and other user defined type specifications (attributes).
SQL> CREATE TYPE my_ntb AS TABLE OF INTEGER;
SQL> CREATE TABLE my_table ( id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, ints my_ntb );
SQL> CREATE TYPE my_object AS OBJECT ( id INTEGER, ints my_ntb );
/IBT are declared inside stored procedures only and have slightly different syntax from NTB. Only variables in stored procedures can be based on IBT declarations.
CREATE PROCEDURE my_proc IS
   TYPE my_ibt IS TABLE OF INTEGER INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;  -- now you see why they are called Index-by Tables
   my_ibt_var my_ibt;
BEGIN
   NULL;
END;That sums up the significant differences as it relates to how they are declared and where they can be referenced.
How are they the same?
NTB and VAR can also be (non-persistently) declared in stored procedures like IBTs.
Why would you then ever use IBTs?
IBTs are significantly easier to work with, since you don't have to instantiate or extend them as you do with NTB and VAR, or
Many other highly valuable PL/SQL programs make use of them, so you have to keep your code integrated/consistent.
There's a lot more to be said, but I think this answers the question posed by Sri.
Michael