Database package cursors

Chapter 12 DBMS-Specific Features

Database package cursors

A cursor is a multi-row query, which lets you name a work area and access its stored information.

Cursors have the following properties:

Property	Description
Name	The name of the item which should be clear and meaningful, and should convey the item's purpose to non-technical users.
Code	The technical name of the item used for generating code or scripts, which may be abbreviated, and should not generally include spaces.
Comment	Additional information about the cursor.
DB Package	Name of the database package to which the cursor belongs.
Return Data Type	Allows you to define the data type of a cursor result value.
Public	Allows you to declare the cursor in the package specification and to permit use from outside the database package. A private cursor (check box deselected) is only defined in the package body.

The following tabs are also available:

Parameters tab – Lists the input and output parameters required by the cursor (see Database package parameters).
Definition tab - lets you define the cursor. You can use operators and functions to insert script items into the cursor definition.

For example, the following cursor allows locating in table emp, the employee number, name, and function in a given department and for a given employee number:

Select empno, empname, job FROM emp WHERE deptno=20 and empno = num ;