Advanced Oracle PL/SQL Programming with Packages

8.1. Using PLVtab-Based PL/SQL Table Types

When you use PL/SQL tables, you normally perform a number of common actions, including defining the table type, declaring the table, filling up the rows, referencing the rows, and emptying the table when done. When using a PLVtab-based table, you do not have to declare the table type. Instead you simply reference the package-based type in your declaration. PLVtab predefines the following PL/SQL table TYPEs, shown in Table 8.1:

Table 8.1. Table Types Predefined in PLVtab

Type	Description
boolean_table	PL/SQL table of Booleans
date_table	PL/SQL table of dates
integer_table	PL/SQL table of integers
number_table	PL/SQL table of numbers
vc30_table	PL/SQL table of VARCHAR2(30) strings
vc60_table	PL/SQL table of VARCHAR2(60) strings
vc80_table	PL/SQL table of VARCHAR2(80) strings
vc2000_table	PL/SQL table of VARCHAR2(2000) strings
ident_table	PL/SQL table of VARCHAR2(100) strings; matches PLV.plsql_identifier declaration.
vcmax_table	PL/SQL table of VARCHAR2(32767) strings

Let's compare the "native" and PL/Vision approaches to defining PL/SQL tables. In the following anonymous block, I define a PL/SQL table of Booleans without the assistance of PLVtab.

DECLARE
   TYPE bool_tabtype IS TABLE OF BOOLEAN
      INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;
   yesno_tab bool_tabtype;
BEGIN

With the PLVtab package in place, all I have to is the following:

DECLARE
   yesno_tab PLVtab.boolean_table;
BEGIN

Once you have declared a table using PLVtab, you manipulate that table as you would ...