CREATE PACKAGE Statement

The CREATE PACKAGE statement creates or replaces the specification for a stored package, which is an encapsulated collection of related procedures, functions, and other program objects stored as a unit in the database. The package specification declares these objects. The package body, specified subsequently, defines these objects.

Topics

Prerequisites
Syntax
Semantics
Example
Related Topics

Prerequisites

To create or replace a package in your schema, you must have the CREATE PROCEDURE system privilege. To create or replace a package in another user's schema, you must have the CREATE ANY PROCEDURE system privilege.

To embed a CREATE PACKAGE statement inside an the database precompiler program, you must terminate the statement with the keyword END-EXEC followed by the embedded SQL statement terminator for the specific language.

Syntax

create_package ::=

Description of the illustration create_package.gif

See:

invoker_rights_clause ::=

Description of the illustration invoker_rights_clause.gif

Semantics

OR REPLACE

Re-creates the package if it exists, and recompiles it.

Users who were granted privileges on the package before it was redefined can still access the package without being regranted the privileges.

If any function-based indexes depend on the package, then the database marks the indexes DISABLED.

schema

Name of the schema containing the package. Default: your schema.

package_name

A package stored in the database. For naming conventions, see "Identifiers".

invoker_rights_clause

Specifies the AUTHID property of the functions and procedures in the package, and of the explicit cursors declared in the package specification. For information about the AUTHID property, see "Invoker's Rights and Definer's Rights (AUTHID Property)".

declare_section

Has a definition for every cursor and subprogram declaration in the package specification. The headings of corresponding subprogram declarations and definitions must match word for word, except for white space.

Can also declare and define private items that can be referenced only from inside the package.

Restriction on declare_section The AUTONOMOUS_TRANSACTION pragma cannot appear here.

Example

Creating a Package: Example This statement creates the specification of the emp_mgmt package.

CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE emp_mgmt AS 
   FUNCTION hire (last_name VARCHAR2, job_id VARCHAR2, 
      manager_id NUMBER, salary NUMBER, 
      commission_pct NUMBER, department_id NUMBER) 
      RETURN NUMBER; 
   FUNCTION create_dept(department_id NUMBER, location_id NUMBER) 
      RETURN NUMBER; 
   PROCEDURE remove_emp(employee_id NUMBER); 
   PROCEDURE remove_dept(department_id NUMBER); 
   PROCEDURE increase_sal(employee_id NUMBER, salary_incr NUMBER); 
   PROCEDURE increase_comm(employee_id NUMBER, comm_incr NUMBER); 
   no_comm EXCEPTION; 
   no_sal EXCEPTION; 
END emp_mgmt; 
/

The specification for the emp_mgmt package declares these public program objects:

The functions hire and create_dept
The procedures remove_emp, remove_dept, increase_sal, and increase_comm
The exceptions no_comm and no_sal

All of these objects are available to users who have access to the package. After creating the package, you can develop applications that invoke any of these public procedures or functions or raise any of the public exceptions of the package.

Before you can invoke this package's procedures and functions, you must define these procedures and functions in the package body. For an example of a CREATE PACKAGE BODY statement that creates the body of the emp_mgmt package, see "CREATE PACKAGE BODY Statement".