Steve Howard wrote:
> ds_lewis@hotmail.com wrote:
>> I'm a newbie to Oracle. I walked onto a contract job where they are
>> just switching to Oracle and I'd like to help them get started off in
>> the right direction.
>>
>> Do packages really provide something valuable from a design
>> perspective? I've seen some example code but the descriptions have
>> been somewhat vague as any actual benefits from using packages.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Targus
>
> The biggest benefits to me are the following:
>
> 1) Data/method hiding. It allows you to hide data (variables) and
> methods (procedures/functions) that are only needed by something else
> in the same package. You don't have to expose them to the world if it
> doesn't make sense to do so.
>
> 2) You can recompile the body of the package, and not invalidate
> objects that depend on the package specifcation. The only time you
> invalidate dependent objects (requires recompilation) is when you
> recompile the specification.
>
> HTH,
>
> Steve

When I think of packages there are a lot of things I think of but the
two items you list are the minor ones. When I think of the real value
of packages it is:

1. All related code in a single object
2. All related code loaded into memory simultaneously
3. Session global variables and types
4. Single object compilation
5. Variables persist for term of session
6. Initialization section
7. Overloading
8. Fewer objects to manage and grant/revoke privileges
--
Daniel A. Morgan
University of Washington
damorgan@x.washington.edu
(replace x with u to respond)
Puget Sound Oracle Users Group
www.psoug.org