Oracle PL/SQL - How to create a simple array variable?

Question

I\'d like to create an in-memory array variable that can be used in my PL/SQL code. I can\'t find any collections in Oracle PL/SQL that uses pure memory, they all seem to b

Answer 1

You could just declare a DBMS_SQL.VARCHAR2_TABLE to hold an in-memory variable length array indexed by a BINARY_INTEGER:

DECLARE
   name_array dbms_sql.varchar2_table;
BEGIN
   name_array(1) := 'Tim';
   name_array(2) := 'Daisy';
   name_array(3) := 'Mike';
   name_array(4) := 'Marsha';
   --
   FOR i IN name_array.FIRST .. name_array.LAST
   LOOP
      -- Do something
   END LOOP;
END;

You could use an associative array (used to be called PL/SQL tables) as they are an in-memory array.

DECLARE
   TYPE employee_arraytype IS TABLE OF employee%ROWTYPE
        INDEX BY PLS_INTEGER;
   employee_array employee_arraytype;
BEGIN
   SELECT *
     BULK COLLECT INTO employee_array
     FROM employee
    WHERE department = 10;
   --
   FOR i IN employee_array.FIRST .. employee_array.LAST
   LOOP
      -- Do something
   END LOOP;
END;

The associative array can hold any make up of record types.

Hope it helps, Ollie.