UTL_COLL

The UTL_COLL package lets PL/SQL programs use collection locators to query and update.

This chapter contains the following topics:

• Summary of UTL_COLL Subprograms

Summary of UTL_COLL Subprograms

The UTL_COLL package has one subprogram, the IS_LOCATOR function.

Table 1 UTL_COLL Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
IS_LOCATOR Function	Determines whether a collection item is actually a locator or not

IS_LOCATOR Function

This function determines whether a collection item is actually a locator or not.

Syntax

UTL_COLL.IS_LOCATOR (
   coln IN STANDARD)
  RETURNS BOOLEAN;

Pragmas

Asserts WNDS, WNPS and RNPS pragmas

Parameters

Table 2 IS_LOCATOR Function Parameters

Parameter	Description
coln	Nested table or varray item.

Return Values

Table 3 IS_LOCATOR Function Return Values

Return Value	Description
1	Collection item is indeed a locator.
0	Collection item is not a locator.

Examples

CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE list_t as TABLE OF VARCHAR2(20);
/

CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE phone_book_t AS OBJECT (
  pno  number,
  ph   list_t );
/

CREATE TABLE phone_book OF phone_book_t
      NESTED TABLE ph STORE AS nt_ph;
CREATE TABLE phone_book1 OF phone_book_t
      NESTED TABLE ph STORE AS nt_ph_1 RETURN LOCATOR;

INSERT INTO phone_book VALUES(1, list_t('650-633-5707','650-323-0953'));
INSERT INTO phone_book1 VALUES(1, list_t('415-555-1212'));

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE chk_coll IS
  plist list_t;
  plist1 list_t;
BEGIN
  SELECT ph INTO plist FROM phone_book WHERE pno=1;

  SELECT ph INTO plist1 FROM phone_book1 WHERE pno=1;

  IF (UTL_COLL.IS_LOCATOR(plist)) THEN
    DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('plist is a locator');
  ELSE
    DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('plist is not a locator');
  END IF;

  IF (UTL_COLL.IS_LOCATOR(plist1)) THEN
    DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('plist1 is a locator');
  ELSE
    DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('plist1 is not a locator');
  END IF;

END chk_coll;

SET SERVEROUTPUT ON
EXECUTE chk_coll;