DBMS_PIPE size Question

[Quoted] We are workin on a project that will be using DBMS_PIPE and a Pro*C program to pass UNIX system commands to UNIX and receive the output from the commands back into PL/SQL packages.

Using:

   SCO UNIX 3.0.0
   Oracle 7.1.3
   Pro*C 2.0.3.0.0
   PL/SQL 2.1.3 We are having some problems with size when packing a buffer into the pipe we get a size error "ORA-06558: buffer in dbms_pipe package is full. No Items allowed" This happens when the string to be packed is 4091 and the max pipe length is set to 8192. If we set the string to be 1024 and the max pipe length to be 8192 the command works.

Is there some sizing relationship between the pack size and the max pipe length. The package specification for dbms_pipe states that the max for the pack size is just under 4k.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or pointers. We have gotten thing working by trial and error, but it would be nice to know what the actual requirements are.

TIA
   James

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