Re: Help! What is PL/SQL?

Ebeth Jones (bajones_at_astro) wrote:
: [Material (Materiel?) deleted]
: Do I need the PL/SQL for any reason to be able to do this?
: What does PL/SQL do that SQL*Plus doesn't do?

PL/SQL is a programming language that comes packaged with Oracle V6 (V7 too, I think) which augments SQL by adding procedural capabilities like looping and branching. (Procedural Language SQL is the long name) This will let you add *some* procedural logic to your scripts (GOTO, IF-THEN, Boolean logic, etc) - adding more control to your programming. It's not the world's greatest programming language, but can be implemented in forms & menus. I know some people who still prefer user exits, but PL/SQL code can be stuck in an application pretty quickly. Since it comes with the RDBMS package, you won't even have to pay for it to try it out.....

: Any advice/comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated - I
: need to get this purchase request in pronto and all the Oracle reps
: that I have tried to call are out at some convention!

Gee- that's something different- can't reach anybody at Oracle? ;-)

Good Luck- hope this sheds a *little* light on it!

Greg Handrick
Programmer & User of Army Night Vision Equipment Received on Fri Jun 17 1994 - 15:50:34 CEST