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#1 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:45 AM

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

#2 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:45 AM

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

>From more than a decade of experience as a DBA supporting application
developers the answer is yes, the proper use of Oracle packages greatly
aids application development.

Read the PL/SQL manual. Tom Kyte has two pretty good books on how to
make efficient use of Oracle features.

As a developer new to Oracle read the Applications Developer Guide -
Fundaments

If a DBA then read the Concepts manual followed by the DBA
Administrators Guide, Backup and Recovery Concepts, PL/SQL manual, the
Utilities manual, and the first few chapters of the SQL manual. Then
you are ready to start work.

HTH -- Mark D Powell --

#3 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:45 AM

ds_lewis@hotmail.com wrote:

>
> 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.
>

I suppose it depends on your point of view, which you could probably
determine by thinking about the following situation.

If you have a PC, do you use folders or do you just keep everything on
the C drive?

If it is the latter you will probably not find packages very useful.

They also are somewhat more efficient at handling loading code into
memory, but not so that you would typically notice from a performance
pesrpective.

#4 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:45 AM

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

#5 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:48 AM

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

#6 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:48 AM

DA Morgan wrote:
> 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

Very well put Daniel. When I think of package, in my minds eye view I
also think of a "namespace", eg schemaname.packagename.methodname. As
you point out, methodname in a package (namespace) can be overloaded,
something you just can't do with a proc/function outside a package, and
the same methodname can exist in multiple packages, also something you
just can't do by creating a proc/function outside a package. So very
much like a class hierarchy/namespace metaphor to me.
Barry

#7 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 04:51 AM

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

Without being too overly a marketer...my book has a coverage of this and
many other things related to PLSQL usage.

hth
connor
--
Connor McDonald
Co-author: "Mastering Oracle PL/SQL - Practical Solutions"
Co-author: "Oracle Insight - Tales of the OakTable"

web: http://www.oracledba.co.uk
web: http://www.oaktable.net
email: connor_mcdonald@yahoo.com

"Semper in excremento, sole profundum qui variat."

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Packages - for real or just gimmick?