Creating function that returns table that isn't declared yet - oracle

Question

Our product has several components that can be installed separately and supports oracle. But we do not grant Create type privilege. So during installation of one of the components, I need to ask customer to install the component, add Create type privilege and then run my component.
In the SQL file that will create functions I was planning to give following code:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION get_some_data (input INT)
RETURN my_table
AS
my_table_var my_table := my_table ();
ret_code INT := 0;
BEGIN
ret_code := create_my_type_and_table ();
IF 1 = ret_code
THEN
NULL; -- add some data to my_table_var here
END IF;
RETURN my_table_var;
END get_some_data;
/
The function create_my_type_and_table would use execute immediate to create record and table type.
Obviously, the problem is since function get_some_data says it will return my_table, compilation fails.
I wanted to know:
is there a way out?
the reason why I want to create and return table is because I need to return multiple fields. All of them are int. Is there a way I can return multi dimensional array, perhaps system collection? I tried sys.odcinumberlist but I did not find a way by which I can return 4 columned sys.odcinumberlist.

Answer 1

If you want some anonymous generic stuff, you could use TABLE OF [TYPE].
Here an example how to build a table of number which is used by another type "table of table of number".
Like every type, you can create them within your schema to use it between different plsql-blocks or return-value in functions.
declare
TYPE tableOfNumber is Table of Number; -- Define a row of numbers
TYPE tableOfTableOfNumer is Table of tableOfNumber; -- define a table of rows
tableMaster tableOfTableOfNumer := tableOfTableOfNumer(); -- init tables
tableChild1 tableOfNumber := tableOfNumber();
tableChild2 tableOfNumber := tableOfNumber();
begin
tableChild1.Extend; -- add a new number-field to our table
tableChild1(1) := 0; -- set the value to the new field
tableChild1.Extend;
tableChild1(2) := 1;
tableChild2.Extend;
tableChild2(1) := 2;
tableChild2.Extend;
tableChild2(2) := 3;
tableMaster.Extend; -- add a new 'row' to out table
tableMaster(1) := tableChild1; -- fill the new 'row' with the fields
tableMaster.Extend;
tableMaster(2) := tableChild2;
-- loop through our 'table'
for r in 1 .. tableMaster.Count
LOOP
for c in 1 .. tableMaster(r).Count
LOOP
dbms_output.put_line(tableMaster(r)(c));
END LOOP;
END LOOP;
end;
If you want to create a function you have to:
1. Declare types in you schema
(an grant rights to the users)
CREATE TYPE tableOfNumber AS TABLE OF NUMBER;
CREATE TYPE tableOftableOfNumber AS TABLE OF tableOfNumber;
2. Create you function:
(here with same code like the plsql-block)
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION DINTER.MyFunction
RETURN tableOftableOfNumber
Is
tableMaster tableOftableOfNumber := tableOftableOfNumber(); -- init tables
tableChild1 tableOfNumber := tableOfNumber();
tableChild2 tableOfNumber := tableOfNumber();
begin
tableChild1.Extend; -- add a new number-field to our table
tableChild1(1) := 0; -- set the value to the new field
tableChild1.Extend;
tableChild1(2) := 1;
tableChild2.Extend;
tableChild2(1) := 2;
tableChild2.Extend;
tableChild2(2) := 3;
tableMaster.Extend; -- add a new 'row' to out table
tableMaster(1) := tableChild1; -- fill the new 'row' with the fields
tableMaster.Extend;
tableMaster(2) := tableChild2;
RETURN tableMaster;
end MyFunction;
/
3. Call the function:
declare
tableMaster tableOfTableOfNumber;
begin
tableMaster := myfunction();
-- loop through our 'table'
for r in 1 .. tableMaster.Count
LOOP
for c in 1 .. tableMaster(r).Count
LOOP
dbms_output.put_line(tableMaster(r)(c));
END LOOP;
END LOOP;
end;