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Guidelines for Choosing Block Data Sources

When deciding on a block datasource, consider the requirements:

A table is the most commonly used block datasource. Unless you have special needs, a table is the best choice for a block datasource.

Consider also the functional restrictions for each datasource type.

Datasource

Allows Query

Allows DML (INSERTS, UPDATES, and DELETES

Allows Array Processing

Allows Query by Example

Table

yes

yes

yes

yes

View

yes

yes (certain Join views may not allow DML)

yes

yes

FROM clause

yes

no

yes (only for queried records)

no

Procedure

yes

no (if your procedure uses a ref cursor variable)

no (if your procedure uses a table of records)

no

Transactional trigger

yes

yes

no (if your trigger uses a table of records)

no

Note: You can specify separate query and DML datasources for a data block.


DML Data Target Type property

Query Data Source Type property

Using tables as block datasources

Using transactional triggers as block datasources

Using stored procedures as block datasources

Using the FROM clause as a block datasource

About array processing