How do you get nicely formatted results from an Oracle procedure that returns a reference cursor?

Question

In MS SQL Server if I want to check the results from a Stored procedure I might execute the following in Management Studio.

--SQL SERVER WAY
exec sp_GetQuest         


        

Answer 1

SQL Developer automatically catches the output from running your stored procedures. Running the stored procedure directly from our procedure editor, you can see this behavior detailed in my post here

SQL Developer Tip: Viewing REFCURSOR Output

Now, if you want to run the refcursor as part of an anon block in our SQL Worksheet, you could do something similar to this

var rc refcursor
exec :rc := GET_EMPS(30)
print rc

--where GET_EMPS() would be your sp_GetQuestions('OMG Ponies') call. The PRINT command sends the output from the 'query' which is ran via the stored procedure, and looks like this:

anonymous block completed
RC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EMPLOYEE_ID FIRST_NAME           LAST_NAME                 EMAIL                     PHONE_NUMBER         HIRE_DATE                 JOB_ID     SALARY     COMMISSION_PCT MANAGER_ID DEPARTMENT_ID 
----------- -------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------- ------------------------- ---------- ---------- -------------- ---------- ------------- 
114         Den                  Raphaely                  DRAPHEAL                  515.127.4561         07-DEC-94 12.00.00        PU_MAN     11000                     100        30            
115         Alexander            Khoo                      AKHOO                     515.127.4562         18-MAY-95 12.00.00        PU_CLERK   3100                      114        30            
116         Shelli               Baida                     SBAIDA                    515.127.4563         24-DEC-97 12.00.00        PU_CLERK   2900                      114        30            
117         Sigal                Tobias                    STOBIAS                   515.127.4564         24-JUL-97 12.00.00        PU_CLERK   2800                      114        30            
118         Guy                  Himuro                    GHIMURO                   515.127.4565         15-NOV-98 12.00.00        PU_CLERK   2600                      114        30            
119         Karen                Colmenares                KCOLMENA                  515.127.4566         10-AUG-99 12.00.00        PU_CLERK   2500                      114        30            

Now, you said 10g. If you're in 12c, we have enhanced the PL/SQL engine to support implicit cursor results. So this gets a bit easier, no more setting up the cursor, you just make a call to get the data, as documented here: http://docs.oracle.com/database/121/DRDAA/migr_tools_feat.htm#DRDAA230