Examples of Using Oracle's Replication Management API

To use Oracle's replication management API, you issue procedure or function calls using a query tool such as an Enterprise Manager SQL Worksheet or SQL*Plus. For example, the following call to the DBMS_REPCAT.CREATE_MASTER_REPOBJECT procedure creates a new replicated table SALES.EMP in the ACCT replication group.

DBMS_REPCAT.CREATE_MASTER_REPOBJECT(
     sname                => 'sales', 
     oname                => 'emp', 
     type                 => 'table', 
     use_existing_object  => TRUE, 
     ddl_text             => 'CREATE TABLE acct_rec.emp AS . . .', 
     comment              => 'created by . . .',
     retry                => FALSE,
     copy_rows            => TRUE,
     gname                => 'acct');

To call a replication management API function, you must provide an environment to receive the return value of the function. For example, the following anonymous PL/SQL block calls the DBMS_DEFER_SYS.DISABLED function in an IF statement.

BEGIN
 IF DBMS_DEFER_SYS.DISABLED('inst2') THEN
  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Propagation to INST2 is disabled.');
 ELSE
  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Propagation to INST2 is enabled.');
 END IF;
END;

Issues to Consider

For many procedures and functions in the replication management API, there are important issues to consider. For example:

• Some procedures or functions are appropriate to call only from the master definition site in a multimaster configuration.

• To perform some administrative operations for master groups, you must first suspend replication activity for the group before calling replication management API procedures and functions.

• The order in which you call different procedures and functions in Oracle's replication management API is extremely important. See the next section for more information about learning how to correctly issue replication management calls.

Replication Manager and Oracle Replication Management API

Oracle Replication Manager uses the replication management API to perform most of its functions. Using Replication Manager is much more convenient than issuing replication management API calls individually because the utility:

• Provides a GUI interface to type in and adjust API call parameters.

• Automatically orders numerous, related API calls in the proper sequence.

• Displays output returned from API calls in message boxes and error files.

An easy way to learn how to use Oracle's replication management API is to use the Replication Manager scripting feature. When you start an administrative session with Replication Manager, turn scripting on. When you are finished, turn scripting off and then review the script file. The script file contains all replication management API calls that were made during the session. See the Replication Manager help documentation for more information about its scripting feature.