Re: Package Cursor Question

On Fri, 28 Mar 2003 08:26:50 -0800, DA Morgan <damorgan_at_exxesolutions.com> wrote:

>E Richard Leiman & Eva wrote:
>
>> Dear Daniel,
>>
>> Hi.
>>
>> No, it was not to populate a block with a ref cursor.
>>
>> It's my guess that the cursor in the package can only be called from a
>> procedure, or function in that package.
>>
>> Can you tell me if there is an advantage to creating the cursor as shown in
>> the book, or simply creating a cursor in the global area of the package?
>>
>> > If I understand where you are heading it can not be done. If the intent is
>> to
>> > populate a datablock use a REF CURSOR as the OUT parameter from a
>> procedure.
>> >
>> > Daniel Morgan
>> >
>> >
>
>Where a cursor is defined bears on two things ... scope and security.
>
>If you define it in a procedure it is only visible within that procedure. If you
>define it in the package header it is available globally ... with obvious
>security implications.
>
>I would consider it most likely a case of bad design to define a cursor in a
>package header. Leaving open the possibility that some specific design might
>make it useful.
>
>Daniel Morgan

Sorry to disagree with you. Global scope means global *within the session*. Hence I fail to see *any* security implication, especially if the package is secured by proper grants. If the possible offender has access to the v$ views he can see the statement anyway.

Actually a cursor in a package header is *good* design, as you now can define the cursor *only once*, you don't have to code your lookup cursors in every procedure, and you save memory.

Sybrand Bakker, Senior Oracle DBA

To reply remove -verwijderdit from my e-mail address Received on Fri Mar 28 2003 - 13:59:52 CST