Steve Howard wrote:
> ds_lewis_at_hotmail.com wrote:
>> I'm a newbie to Oracle. I walked onto a contract job where they are
>> just switching to Oracle and I'd like to help them get started off in
>> the right direction.
>>
>> Do packages really provide something valuable from a design
>> perspective? I've seen some example code but the descriptions have
>> been somewhat vague as any actual benefits from using packages.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Targus
>
> The biggest benefits to me are the following:
>
> 1) Data/method hiding. It allows you to hide data (variables) and
> methods (procedures/functions) that are only needed by something else
> in the same package. You don't have to expose them to the world if it
> doesn't make sense to do so.
>
> 2) You can recompile the body of the package, and not invalidate
> objects that depend on the package specifcation. The only time you
> invalidate dependent objects (requires recompilation) is when you
> recompile the specification.
>
> HTH,
>
> Steve
When I think of packages there are a lot of things I think of but the
two items you list are the minor ones. When I think of the real value
of packages it is:
- All related code in a single object
- All related code loaded into memory simultaneously
- Session global variables and types
- Single object compilation
- Variables persist for term of session
- Initialization section
- Overloading
- Fewer objects to manage and grant/revoke privileges
--
Daniel A. Morgan
University of Washington
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace x with u to respond)
Puget Sound Oracle Users Group
www.psoug.org
Received on Sun Jun 04 2006 - 19:18:33 CDT
