DA Morgan wrote:
> 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:
>
> 1. All related code in a single object
> 2. All related code loaded into memory simultaneously
> 3. Session global variables and types
> 4. Single object compilation
> 5. Variables persist for term of session
> 6. Initialization section
> 7. Overloading
> 8. 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
Very well put Daniel. When I think of package, in my minds eye view I
also think of a "namespace", eg schemaname.packagename.methodname. As
you point out, methodname in a package (namespace) can be overloaded,
something you just can't do with a proc/function outside a package, and
the same methodname can exist in multiple packages, also something you
just can't do by creating a proc/function outside a package. So very
much like a class hierarchy/namespace metaphor to me.
Barry
Received on Mon Jun 05 2006 - 01:44:03 CDT
