Creating a Subfunction v13
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 within the declaration section of that block and is therefore accessible by the SPL code within the executable section and optional exception section of that block.
Where:
name
name
is the identifier of the subfunction.
parameters
parameters
is a list of formal parameters.
data_type
data_type
is the data type of the value returned by the function’s RETURN
statement.
PRAGMA AUTONOMOUS_TRANSACTION
PRAGMA AUTONOMOUS_TRANSACTION
is the directive that sets the subfunction as an autonomous transaction.
declarations
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
statements
are SPL program statements (the BEGIN - END
block may contain an EXCEPTION
section).
Examples
The following example shows the use of a recursive subfunction:
The output from the example is the following: