CREATE INDEXTYPE

Purpose

Use the CREATE INDEXTYPE statement to create an indextype, which is an object that specifies the routines that manage a domain (application-specific) index. Indextypes reside in the same namespace as tables, views, and other schema objects. This statement binds the indextype name to an implementation type, which in turn specifies and refers to user-defined index functions and procedures that implement the indextype.

See Also: Oracle9i Data Cartridge Developer's Guide and Oracle9i Database Concepts for more information on implementing indextypes

Prerequisites

To create an indextype in your own schema, you must have the CREATE INDEXTYPE system privilege. To create an indextype in another schema, you must have CREATE ANY INDEXTYPE system privilege. In either case, you must have the EXECUTE object privilege on the implementation type and the supported operators.

An indextype supports one or more operators, so before creating an indextype, you should first design the operator or operators to be supported and provide functional implementation for those operators.

See Also: CREATE OPERATOR

Syntax

create_indextype::=

Text description of create_indextype

Semantics

schema

Specify the name of the schema in which the indextype resides. If you omit schema, Oracle creates the indextype in your own schema.

indextype

Specify the name of the indextype to be created.

FOR Clause

Use the FOR clause to specify the list of operators supported by the indextype.

• For schema, specify the schema containing the operator. If you omit schema, Oracle assumes the operator is in your own schema.
• For operator, specify the name of the operator supported by the indextype.

  All the operators listed in this clause should be valid operators.

• For parameter_type, list the types of parameters to the operator.

USING Clause

The USING clause lets you specify the type that provides the implementation for the new indextype.

For implementation_type, specify the name of the type that implements the appropriate Oracle Data Cartridge interface (ODCI).

• You must specify a valid type that implements the routines in the ODCI interface.
• The implementation type must reside in the same schema as the indextype.

  See Also: Oracle9i Data Cartridge Developer's Guide for additional information on this interface

Example

Creating an Indextype: Example

The following statement creates an indextype named position_indextype and specifies the position_between operator that is supported by the indextype and the position_im type that implements the index interface. Please refer to "Using Extensible Indexing" for an extensible indexing scenario that uses this indextype:

CREATE INDEXTYPE position_indextype
   FOR position_between(NUMBER, NUMBER, NUMBER)
   USING position_im;