Re: PL/SQL: stored function called from SQL hangs... sometimes

1. I would guess that you have some package-level constants, variables or code which get initialised the first time you call the package in a session and the value_error exception is raised. Subsequent calls don't run that code again, so no more errors.
2. how many rows in customers table? maybe Oracle has not locked, just is taking very long time to apply the function to each row. pl/sql is not fast. try adding "where rownum = 1" or some other restriction to the query to reduce the number of rows, just to verify that the thing works.

-- 
Andrew - Wizzard

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