More PL-SQL I/O frustration!

From: Steve Frampton, Computer Operator/Systems Clerk <frampton_at_admin.flarc.edu.on.ca>
Date: 1995/09/25
Message-ID: <446mat$39h_at_govonca3.gov.on.ca>#1/1


Hello:

Once again, I am becoming frustrated with the kludgy way PL/SQL seems to be put together (someday I'll put together a "mini-faq" of my experiences!)

I am writing an application that builds a 12-month calendar, replete with absence information. Somehow I got this thing to work...but now that I am dealing with a *lot* of output, PL/SQL is getting testy again.

I'm using the dbms_output.put_line package to display the results (by the way, when this is done, I'd like the output to go to a file -- is that easily done with a "spool on" or something?). One, two, hey, even four calendars are displayed with no problem.

Then..."buffer overflow, limit of 2000 bytes". No problem, you say. Just use the enable procedure to set a higher buffer limit. Okay -- 4000 bytes gets me a little further, now I can see 8 months! 6000 bytes...just leads to the same error, this time no output. 10000 bytes...no output. D'oh!!!

Okay...so instead of increasing the buffer size, I tried writing a "trash" procedure, which uses the dbms_output.get_line procedure (to retrieve a line from the buffer). In my "trash" procedure, I loop, removing lines, until no lines are left in the buffer. But I no longer receive any output!

(As an aside, I also have found no way of requesting input from the user).

So -- what's up with I/O in PL-SQL!?!?!?!? I am getting tempted to use kludgy temporary tables, something that will make my code even more difficult to read and ugly than it is now.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.



This article contains my own words formed by my own opinions. I speak on my own behalf and my views do not necessarily agree with those of my employer.
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Steve Frampton                     | Phone:  (613) 544-4927, extension 331
Computer Operator/Systems Clerk | Fax: (613) 530-4761
Frontenac-Lennox & Addington RCSSB | E-mail: frampton_at_admin.flarc.edu.on.ca

-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This article contains my own words formed by my own opinions. I speak on my
own behalf and my views do not necessarily agree with those of my employer.
-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------------
Steve Frampton                     | Phone:  (613) 544-4927, extension 331
Computer Operator/Systems Clerk | Fax: (613) 530-4761 Frontenac-Lennox & Addington RCSSB | E-mail: frampton_at_admin.flarc.edu.on.ca
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Received on Mon Sep 25 1995 - 00:00:00 CET

Original text of this message