BULK COLLECT LIMIT in EXECUTE IMMEDIATE - oracle

Question

Is it possible to put a limit in a bulk collect using execute immediate?
I have below script but I am getting error when using a LIMIT.
declare
v_query varchar2(3000);
begin
v_query := 'select 1 from dual' -- this is just a sample query.
execute immediate v_query
bulk collect into table1 --table type
end;
If limit is not possible with my code, is there any work around?
Thanks!

Answer 1

It seems that EXECUTE IMMEDIATE syntax doesn't allow for LIMIT in bulk collect clause
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E11882_01/appdev.112/e25519/executeimmediate_statement.htm#CJACGJJG
bulk_collect_into_clause
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E11882_01/appdev.112/e25519/returninginto_clause.htm#CJAIAGHJ
You can use a cursor and FETCH .. LIMIT command together with OPEN..FOR command, in this way:
DECLARE
....
cur sys_refcursor;
BEGIN
v_query := 'SELECT level AS x FROM dual CONNECT BY LEVEL <=10';
OPEN cur FOR v_query;
LOOP
FETCH cur BULK COLLECT INTO collection LIMIT 3;
EXIT WHEN collection.COUNT = 0;
/* Process data from `collection` */
END LOOP;
CLOSE cur;
END;
Example:
DECLARE
TYPE col_typ IS table of NUMBER;
collection col_typ;
v_query varchar2(3000);
cur sys_refcursor;
i int := 0;
x int;
BEGIN
v_query := 'SELECT level AS x FROM dual CONNECT BY LEVEL <=10';
OPEN cur FOR v_query;
LOOP
FETCH cur BULK COLLECT INTO collection LIMIT 3;
EXIT WHEN collection.COUNT = 0;
/* Process data from `collection` */
i := i + 1;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('==== Batch nbr #' || i );
FOR x IN 1 .. collection.COUNT LOOP
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE( collection( x ) );
END LOOP;
END LOOP;
CLOSE cur;
END;
/
Result:
==== Batch nbr #1
1
2
3
==== Batch nbr #2
4
5
6
==== Batch nbr #3
7
8
9
==== Batch nbr #4
10

Answer 2

You can use the DBMS_SQL to do this. However, you have to go over cursor variables.
DECLARE
src_cur SYS_REFCURSOR;
curid NUMBER;
v_query varchar2(3000);
ret NUMBER;
BEGIN
-- DBMS_SQL.OPEN_CURSOR
curid := DBMS_SQL.OPEN_CURSOR;
v_query := 'select 1 from dual';
DBMS_SQL.PARSE(curid, v_query, DBMS_SQL.NATIVE);
ret := DBMS_SQL.EXECUTE(curid);
-- Switch from DBMS_SQL to native dynamic SQL
src_cur := DBMS_SQL.TO_REFCURSOR(curid);
-- Fetch with native dynamic SQL
FETCH src_cur BULK COLLECT INTO ... LIMIT x;
...