Returning multiple values from a function in oracle - oracle

Question

I have the following table:
T_TYPE_ID T_TYPE T_TYPE_PRICE T_TYPE_START_DATE T_TYPE_END_DATE
1 student 10.95 01.04.2015 00:00:00 30.06.2015 00:00:00
2 Concession 5.5 01.04.2015 00:00:00 30.06.2015 00:00:00
I need to:
Create FUNC_get_ t_type_end_date function
This function should contain the following input parameter: t_type_p and the following output parameters: t_type_price_p and t_type_end_date_p. It should return 1 if having a record with t_type as t_type_p otherwise return 0. In addition, in the case of having a record, it should assign the latest t_type_end_date to t_type_end_date_p and t_type_price to t_type_price_p. Please note that t_type_end_date_p can be null; it means that the associated price is currently valid.
I have written the following code:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION FUNC_get_t_type_end_date
( t_type_p IN VARCHAR2)
RETURN NUMBER
AS
cnum NUMBER;
CURSOR cr1 IS
SELECT t_type
FROM ticket_type
WHERE t_type = t_type_p;
BEGIN
OPEN cr1;
FETCH cr1 INTO cnum;
IF cr1%NOTFOUND THEN
cnum := 0;
END IF;
CLOSE cr1;
RETURN cnum;
END;
I did not get any clue on how to return multiple values from a function. I am using oracle.
Hint:
create or replace FUNCTION FUNC_get_ t_type_end_date (…)
return number
as
-- define a variable to return a number and assign 0 to it
-- define a cursor to obtain t_type_price, t_type_end_date of the given t_type_p. The t_type_end_date values should be sorted in descending order – to do so the first record will contain either null or the latest of t_type_end_date
BEGIN
-- open cursor
-- fetch the first record from the cursor to t_type_price_p and t_type_end_date_p
-- if (having a record) then …
-- close cursor
RETURN …
END;

Answer 1

It is not possible to return more than one variable from function. However, it is possible to return a customized variable (i.e. record) type that contains multiple values. To do this, you need first to define type contains the three variables you want to return as follows:
TYPE new_type is record(cnum number, t_type_end_date_p timestamp, t_type_price_p timestamp);
Then you can use it in your function as follows:
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION FUNC_get_t_type_end_date ( t_type_p IN VARCHAR2)
RETURN new_type AS
new_type_variable newtype;
CURSOR cr1 IS
SELECT t_type
FROM ticket_type
WHERE t_type = t_type_p;
BEGIN
OPEN cr1;
FETCH cr1 INTO cnum;
IF cr1%NOTFOUND THEN
SELECT 0, null, null into new_type_variable from dual;
ELSE
SELECT 1, cr1.t_type_end_date, cr1.t_type_price into new_type_variable from dual;
END IF;
CLOSE cr1;
RETURN new_type_variable ;
END;

Answer 2

Try this:
create or replace function func_get_t_type_end_date(t_type_p in varchar2, t_type_price_p out number, t_type_end_date_p out date) return number
as
cnum NUMBER;
CURSOR cr1 IS
SELECT t_type_price,t_type_end_date
FROM ticket_type t
WHERE t_type = t_type_p
and not exists (select 1
from ticket_type t2
where t2.t_type = t.t_type
and t2.t_type_end_date>t.t_type_end_date);
BEGIN
OPEN cr1;
FETCH cr1 INTO t_type_price_p,t_type_end_date_p;
IF cr1%NOTFOUND THEN
cnum := 0;
else
cnum := 1;
END IF;
CLOSE cr1;
RETURN cnum; end;
Example of using:
set serveroutput on
declare
v_result number;
v_type_price_p number;
v_type_end_date_p date;
begin
v_result:=func_get_t_type_end_date(t_type_p=>'student',t_type_price_p=>v_type_price_p,t_type_end_date_p=>v_type_end_date_p);
dbms_output.put_line('Result: '||v_result);
dbms_output.put_line('Price: '||v_type_price_p);
dbms_output.put_line('End date: '||v_type_end_date_p);
end;
/