Re: Can PL/SQL Read Indexed Files?

Ricardo Rocha (rrocha_at_usagate.net) wrote:
: Through the UTL_FILE package, PL/SQL can read and write ascii text (that
: is, "sequential") files. However, no package exists to read binary files
: such as an indexed file.

There are many file formats, let alone indexing mechanism. It would be unreasonable to expect Oracle to attempt to support any such system.

: A possible work-around: write a Pro* program that reads the files and
: communicates with PL/SQL via database pipes (DBMS_PIPE package)

Time for my favourite question for the comp.databases.oracle hierachy : What are you trying to achieve ?

Yep, a Pro* program that uses DBMS_PIPE will work, but then again so will embedded PL/SQL, but then I bet that it's possible that a well written Pro* program that makes use of host arrays will wazz all over it.

Choose the right tool for the job. If you want something that involves a lot of simple crunching once the data is in the RDBMS, then PL/SQL could be your man. If you have a lot of work that cannot be performed within the RDBMS (ie accessing indexed flat files) then PL/SQL may not be your man.

If you want speed of coding, so want to use more PL/SQL than Pro* language, then take a look at Oraperl, which is a scripting language that has a very good interface with Oracle - I have written many applications, large and small in Oraperl and have found that the performance is about equal to that of un-tuned Pro*C (ie no host-array use, etc), which, given the fact that it is many times faster times faster than Pro*C to write and test is a glowing testimonial.

IAP

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