Creating a subfunction v15

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The FUNCTION clause specified in the declaration section defines and names a subfunction local to that block.

  • The term block refers to the SPL block structure consisting of an optional declaration section, a mandatory executable section, and an optional exception section. Blocks are the structures for standalone procedures and functions, anonymous blocks, subprograms, triggers, packages, and object type methods.

  • The phrase the identifier is local to the block means that the identifier (that is, a variable, cursor, type, or subprogram) is declared in the declaration section of that block and is therefore accessible by the SPL code in the executable section and optional exception section of that block.

Declaring a subfunction

FUNCTION <name> [ (<parameters>) ]
RETURN <data_type>
{ IS | AS }
    [ PRAGMA AUTONOMOUS_TRANSACTION; ]
    [ <declarations> ]
  BEGIN
    <statements>
  END [ <name> ];

Where:

  • name is the identifier of the subfunction.

  • parameters is a list of formal parameters.

  • data_type is the data type of the value returned by the function’s RETURN statement.

  • PRAGMA AUTONOMOUS_TRANSACTION is the directive that sets the subfunction as an autonomous transaction.

  • declarations are variable, cursor, type, or subprogram declarations. If subprogram declarations are included, they must be declared after all other variable, cursor, and type declarations.

  • statements are SPL program statements. The BEGIN - END block can contain an EXCEPTION section.

Example: Recursive subfunction

This example shows the use of a recursive subfunction:

DECLARE
    FUNCTION factorial (
        n           BINARY_INTEGER
    ) RETURN BINARY_INTEGER
    IS
    BEGIN
        IF n = 1 THEN
            RETURN n;
        ELSE
            RETURN n * factorial(n-1);
        END IF;
    END factorial;
BEGIN
    FOR i IN 1..5 LOOP
        DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(i || '! = ' || factorial(i));
    END LOOP;
END;

The following is the output:

Output
1! = 1
2! = 2
3! = 6
4! = 24
5! = 120
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