Re: Cannot run Top-N query in PL/SQL

This is just the usual problem of PL/SQL lagging a little way behind SQL - Oracle 9 promises to make this problem a thing of the past.

I guess you already figured out that the work around is to open a REF CURSOR for your execute immediate.

--

Jonathan Lewis
Yet another Oracle-related web site:  http://www.jlcomp.demon.co.uk

Ling wrote in message ...


>Hi all,

>I am using 8i 8.1.6 on NT. I want to execute a Top-N query in a PL/SQL


>package. For example

>    Select colA, colB, colC, colD  into a, b, c, d

>    from ( select  colA, colB, colC, colD  from tableA order by ID )

>    where rownum = 1;

>

>If I just include the SQL in a procedure, the compiler keep telling me the

>last bracket is not supposed to be there.

>If I put the SQL in a varchar2 and use execute immediate statement, it

>passes the compiler and the SQL works.

>

>Any idea?

>

>Ling

>

>

>