using SELF in object method

Hi all,
I'm experiencing some difficulties working with object's methods with Oracle 10g. I'm trying to build a set of methods that manage some nested tables used into an object, but I've found some problems when working with the self parameter.
In order to retrieve the right and unique object to update from the table I need to know the invoker's ref. Well I've tried for long to use the REF function with the self parameter without any success! It's due to the REF definition that need a correlation parameter as argument I think. So something like

        select ref(self) into var from dual;

won't work. I've used this trick even with other variables but nothing happened so it seems a limit of ref function. Well I dunno now how to get the ref I need...is the only one thing to do to pass the right ref as parameter completely ignoring self?? It's not exactly an elegant solution in my opinion...
I'm wondering why they passed self as object and not as ref of object!!With the ref I would have done all tasks even cause the deref function is designed to take all parameters insted, not only correlation ones!!!

My second problem was found when trying to update object's attribute using self!Well something like self.attribute:= value affects the object only within the method. When I query the table the object is exactly as before calling the method....
I've tried even explicitly declaring the self parameter as "IN OU" even with the "NO COPY" compiler directive without any success. If the object is passed to method not copying itself...why the changes doesn't remain outside the procedure???
Sorry for the long message...I've tried to explain all in few words..but as you cans see...my doubt aren't few. I hope to read some suggestion from more experienced users...tnx everyone.

Best regards,
Davide Received on Thu Aug 03 2006 - 05:57:23 CDT