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Oracle Supplied Packages

Oracle provides many packages with the Oracle server, either to extend the functionality of the database or to give PL/SQL access to SQL features. You may take advantage of the functionality provided by these packages when creating your application, or you may simply want to use these packages for ideas in creating your own stored procedures.

Note:
Oracle provides packages with various products, such as Oracle Developer and the Oracle Application Server. This manual, however, only covers the packages that Oracle provides with the database server.

This chapter contains the following sections:

Package Overview

A package is an encapsulated collection of related program objects stored together in the database. Program objects are procedures, functions, variables, constants, cursors, and exceptions.

Packages have many advantages over stand-alone procedures and functions. For example, they:

Let you organize your application development more efficiently.
Let you grant privileges more efficiently.
Let you modify package objects without recompiling dependent schema objects.
Enable Oracle to read multiple package objects into memory at once.
Let you overload procedures or functions. Overloading means creating multiple procedures with the same name in the same package, each taking arguments of different number or datatype.
Can contain global variables and cursors that are available to all procedures and functions in the package.

Using Oracle Supplied Packages

Most Oracle supplied packaged are automatically installed when the database is created and the CATPROC.SQL script is run. For example, to create the DBMS_ALERT package, the DBMSALRT.SQL and PRVTALRT.PLB scripts must be run when connected as the user SYS. These scripts, however, are run automatically by the CATPROC.SQL script.

Certain packages are not installed automatically. Special installation instructions for these packages are documented in the individual chapters.

To call a PL/SQL function from SQL, you must either own the function or have EXECUTE privileges on the function. To select from a view defined with a PL/SQL function, you must have SELECT privileges on the view. No separate EXECUTE privileges are needed to select from the view. Instructions on special requirements for packages are documented in the individual chapters.

Creating New Packages

There are two distinct steps to creating a new package:

Create the package specification with the CREATE PACKAGE statement.

You can declare program objects in the package specification. Such objects are called public objects. Public objects can be referenced outside the package, as well as by other objects in the package.

Note:
It is often more convenient to add the OR REPLACE clause in the CREATE PACKAGE statement

Create the package body with the CREATE PACKAGE BODY statement.

You can declare and define program objects in the package body:

You must define public objects declared in the package specification.

You can declare and define additional package objects. Such objects are called private objects. Private objects are declared in the package body rather than in the package specification, so they can be referenced only by other objects in the package: They cannot be referenced outside the package.

See Also:
For more information on creating new packages, see PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference and Oracle8i Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals. For more information on storing and executing packages, see Oracle8i Concepts.

Separation of Specification and Body

The specification of a package declares the public types, variables, constants, and subprograms that are visible outside the immediate scope of the package. The body of a package defines the objects declared in the specification, as well as private objects that are not visible to applications outside the package.

Oracle stores the specification and body of a package separately in the database. Other schema objects that call or reference public program objects depend only on the package specification, not on the package body. This distinction allows you to change the definition of a program object in the package body without causing Oracle to invalidate other schema objects that call or reference the program object. Oracle invalidates dependent schema objects only if you change the declaration of the program object in the package specification.

Example

The following example shows a package specification for a package named EMPLOYEE_MANAGEMENT. The package contains one stored function and two stored procedures.

CREATE PACKAGE employee_management AS
   FUNCTION hire_emp (name VARCHAR2, job VARCHAR2,
      mgr NUMBER, hiredate DATE, sal NUMBER, comm NUMBER,
      deptno NUMBER) RETURN NUMBER;
   PROCEDURE fire_emp (emp_id NUMBER);
   PROCEDURE sal_raise (emp_id NUMBER, sal_incr NUMBER);
END employee_management;

The body for this package defines the function and the procedures:

CREATE PACKAGE BODY employee_management AS
   FUNCTION hire_emp (name VARCHAR2, job VARCHAR2,
      mgr NUMBER, hiredate DATE, sal NUMBER, comm NUMBER,
      deptno NUMBER) RETURN NUMBER IS

The function accepts all arguments for the fields in the employee table except for the employee number. A value for this field is supplied by a sequence. The function returns the sequence number generated by the call to this function.

       new_empno    NUMBER(10);

   BEGIN
      SELECT emp_sequence.NEXTVAL INTO new_empno FROM dual;
      INSERT INTO emp VALUES (new_empno, name, job, mgr,
         hiredate, sal, comm, deptno);
      RETURN (new_empno);
   END hire_emp;

   PROCEDURE fire_emp(emp_id IN NUMBER) AS

The procedure deletes the employee with an employee number that corresponds to the argument emp_id. If no employee is found, then an exception is raised.

   BEGIN
      DELETE FROM emp WHERE empno = emp_id;
      IF SQL%NOTFOUND THEN
      raise_application_error(-20011, 'Invalid Employee
         Number: ' || TO_CHAR(emp_id));
   END IF;
END fire_emp;

PROCEDURE sal_raise (emp_id IN NUMBER, sal_incr IN NUMBER) AS

The procedure accepts two arguments. Emp_id is a number that corresponds to an employee number. Sal_incr is the amount by which to increase the employee's salary.

   BEGIN

   -- If employee exists, then update salary with increase.
   
      UPDATE emp
         SET sal = sal + sal_incr
         WHERE empno = emp_id;
      IF SQL%NOTFOUND THEN
         raise_application_error(-20011, 'Invalid Employee
            Number: ' || TO_CHAR(emp_id));
      END IF;
   END sal_raise;
END employee_management;

Note:
If you want to try this example, then first create the sequence number emp_sequence. You can do this using the following SQL*Plus statement:
SQL> EXECUTE CREATE SEQUENCE emp_sequence > START WITH 8000 INCREMENT BY 10;

Referencing Package Contents

To reference the types, items, and subprograms declared in a package specification, use the dot notation. For example:

package_name.type_name
package_name.item_name
package_name.subprogram_name

List of Oracle Supplied Packages

This section lists each of the Oracle supplied server packages and indicates where they are described in more detail. These packages run as the invoking user, rather than the package owner. Unless otherwise noted, the packages are callable through public synonyms of the same name.

Caution:

The procedures and functions provided in these packages and their external interfaces are reserved by Oracle and are subject to change in future releases.

You must not modify Oracle supplied packages. Doing so could cause internal errors and security violations in the database.

Table 1-1 List of Oracle Supplied Packages

Package Name	Description	Documentation
Calendar (see Note #2 below)	Provides calendar maintenance functions.	Oracle8i Time Series User's Guide
DBMS_ALERT	Provides support for the asynchronous notification of database events.	Chapter 2
DBMS_APPLICATION_INFO	Lets you register an application name with the database for auditing or performance tracking purposes.	Chapter 3
DBMS_AQ	Lets you add a message (of a predefined object type) onto a queue or to dequeue a message.	Chapter 4
DBMS_AQADM	Lets you perform administrative functions on a queue or queue table for messages of a predefined object type.	Chapter 5
DBMS_DDL	Provides access to some SQL DDL statements from stored procedures, and provides special administration operations not available as DDLs.	Chapter 6
DBMS_DEBUG	A PL/SQL API to the PL/SQL debugger layer, Probe, in the Oracle server.	Chapter 7
DBMS_DEFER	Provides the user interface to a replicated transactional deferred remote procedure call facility. Requires the Distributed Option.	Chapter 8
DBMS_DEFER_QUERY	Permits querying the deferred remote procedure calls (RPC) queue data that is not exposed through views. Requires the Distributed Option.	Chapter 9
DMBS_DEFER_SYS	Provides the system administrator interface to a replicated transactional deferred remote procedure call facility. Requires the Distributed Option.	Chapter 10
DBMS_DESCRIBE	Describes the arguments of a stored procedure with full name translation and security checking.	Chapter 11
DBMS_DISTRIBUTED_TRUST_ADMIN	Maintains the Trusted Database List, which is used to determine if a privileged database link from a particular server can be accepted.	Chapter 12
DBMS_HS	Lets you create and modify objects in the Heterogeneous Services dictionary.	Chapter 13
DBMS_HS_PASSTHROUGH	Lets you use Heterogeneous Services to send pass-through SQL statements to non-Oracle systems.	Chapter 14
DBMS_IOT	Creates a table into which references to the chained rows for an Index Organized Table can be placed using the `ANALYZE` command.	Chapter 15
DBMS_JOB	Lets you schedule administrative procedures that you want performed at periodic intervals; it is also the interface for the job queue.	Chapter 16
DBMS_LOB	Provides general purpose routines for operations on Oracle Large Object (`LOB`s) datatypes - `BLOB`, `CLOB` (read-write), and `BFILE`s (read-only).	Chapter 17
DBMS_LOCK	Lets you request, convert and release locks through Oracle Lock Management services.	Chapter 18
DBMS_LOGMNR	Provides functions to initialize and run the log reader.	Chapter 19
DBMS_LOGMNR_D	Queries the dictionary tables of the current database, and creates a text based file containing their contents.	Chapter 20
DBMS_OFFLINE_OG	Provides public APIs for offline instantiation of master groups.	Chapter 21
DBMS_OFFLINE_SNAPSHOT	Provides public APIs for offline instantiation of snapshots.	Chapter 22
DBMS_OLAP	Provides procedures for summaries, dimensions, and query rewrites.	Chapter 23
DBMS_ORACLE_TRACE_AGENT	Provides client callable interfaces to the Oracle TRACE instrumentation within the Oracle7 Server.	Chapter 24
DBMS_ORACLE_TRACE_USER	Provides public access to the Oracle release 7 Server Oracle TRACE instrumentation for the calling user.	Chapter 25
DBMS_OUTPUT	Accumulates information in a buffer so that it can be retrieved out later.	Chapter 26
DBMS_PCLXUTIL	Provides intra-partition parallelism for creating partition-wise local indexes.	Chapter 27
DBMS_PIPE	Provides a DBMS pipe service which enables messages to be sent between sessions.	Chapter 28
DBMS_PROFILER	Provides a Probe Profiler API to profile existing PL/SQL applications and identify performance bottlenecks.	Chapter 29
DBMS_RANDOM	Provides a built-in random number generator.	Chapter 30
DBMS_RECTIFIER_DIFF	Provides APIs used to detect and resolve data inconsistencies between two replicated sites.	Chapter 31
DBMS_REFRESH	Lets you create groups of snapshots that can be refreshed together to a transactionally consistent point in time. Requires the Distributed Option.	Chapter 32
DBMS_REPAIR	Provides data corruption repair procedures.	Chapter 33
DBMS_REPCAT	Provides routines to administer and update the replication catalog and environment. Requires the Replication Option.	Chapter 34
DBMS_REPCAT_ADMIN	Lets you create users with the privileges needed by the symmetric replication facility. Requires the Replication Option.	Chapter 35
DBMS_REPCAT_INSTATIATE	Instantiates deployment templates. Requires the Replication Option.	Chapter 36
DBMS_REPCAT_RGT	Controls the maintenance and definition of refresh group templates. Requires the Replication Option.	Chapter 37
DBMS_REPUTIL	Provides routines to generate shadow tables, triggers, and packages for table replication.	Chapter 38
DBMS_RESOURCE_MANAGER	Maintains plans, consumer groups, and plan directives; it also provides semantics so that you may group together changes to the plan schema.	Chapter 39
DBMS_RESOURCE_MANAGER_PRIVS	Maintains privileges associated with resource consumer groups.	Chapter 40
DBMS_RLS	Provides row level security administrative interface.	Chapter 41
DBMS_ROWID	Provides procedures to create `ROWIDs` and to interpret their contents.	Chapter 42
DBMS_SESSION	Provides access to SQL `ALTER` `SESSION` statements, and other session information, from stored procedures.	Chapter 43
DBMS_SHARED_POOL	Lets you keep objects in shared memory, so that they will not be aged out with the normal LRU mechanism.	Chapter 44
DBMS_SNAPSHOT (synonym `DBMS_MVIEW`)	Lets you refresh snapshots that are not part of the same refresh group and purge logs. Requires the Distributed Option.	Chapter 45
DBMS_SPACE	Provides segment space information not available through standard SQL.	Chapter 46
DBMS_SPACE_ADMIN	Provides tablespace and segment space administration not available through the standard SQL.	Chapter 47
DBMS_SQL	Lets you use dynamic SQL to access the database.	Chapter 48
DBMS_STANDARD	Provides language facilities that help your application interact with Oracle.	(see Note #1 below)
DBMS_STATS	Provides a mechanism for users to view and modify optimizer statistics gathered for database objects.	Chapter 49
DBMS_TRACE	Provides routines to start and stop PL/SQL tracing.	Chapter 50
DBMS_TRANSACTION	Provides access to SQL transaction statements from stored procedures and monitors transaction activities.	Chapter 51
DBMS_TTS	Checks if the transportable set is self-contained.	Chapter 52
DBMS_UTILITY	Provides various utility routines.	Chapter 53
DEBUG_EXTPROC	Lets you debug external procedures on platforms with debuggers that can attach to a running process.	Chapter 54
OUTLN_PKG	Provides the interface for procedures and functions associated with management of stored outlines.	Chapter 55
PLITBLM	Handles index-table operations.	(see Note #1 below)
SDO_ADMIN (see Note #3 below)	Provides functions implementing spatial index creation and maintenance for spatial objects.	Oracle8i Spatial User's Guide and Reference
SDO_GEOM (see Note #3 below)	Provides functions implementing geometric operations on spatial objects.	Oracle8i Spatial User's Guide and Reference
SDO_MIGRATE (see Note #3 below)	Provides functions for migrating spatial data from release 7.3.3 and 7.3.4 to 8.1.x.	Oracle8i Spatial User's Guide and Reference
SDO_TUNE (see Note #3 below)	Provides functions for selecting parameters that determine the behavior of the spatial indexing scheme used in the Spatial Cartridge.	Oracle8i Spatial User's Guide and Reference
STANDARD	Declares types, exceptions, and subprograms which are available automatically to every PL/SQL program.	(see Note #1 below)
TimeSeries (see Note #2 below)	Provides functions that perform operations, such as extraction, retrieval, arithmetic, and aggregation, on time series data.	Oracle8i Time Series User's Guide
TimeScale (see Note #2 below)	Provides scaleup and scaledown functions.	Oracle8i Time Series User's Guide
TSTools (see Note #2 below)	Provides administrative tools procedures.	Oracle8i Time Series User's Guide
UTL_COLL	Enables PL/SQL programs to use collection locators to query and update.	Chapter 56
UTL_FILE	Enables your PL/SQL programs to read and write operating system (OS) text files and provides a restricted version of standard OS stream file I/O.	Chapter 57
UTL_HTTP	Enables HTTP callouts from PL/SQL and SQL to access data on the Internet or to call Oracle Web Server Cartridges.	Chapter 58
UTL_PG	Provides functions for converting COBOL numeric data into Oracle numbers and Oracle numbers into COBOL numeric data.	Oracle Procedural Gateway for APPC User's Guide
UTL_RAW	Provides SQL functions for `RAW` datatypes that concat, substr, etc. to and from `RAWS.`	Chapter 59
UTL_REF	Enables a PL/SQL program to access an object by providing a reference to the object.	Chapter 60
Vir_Pkg (see Note #2 below)	Provides analytical and conversion functions for Visual Information Retrieval.	Oracle8i Visual Information Retrieval User's Guide and Reference
Note #1: The `DBMS_STANDARD`, `STANDARD`, and `PLITBLM` packages contain subprograms to help implement basic language features. Oracle does not recommend that the subprograms be directly called. For this reason, these three supplied packages are not documented in this book.
Note #2: Time-Series, Image, Visual Information Retrieval, Audio, and Server-Managed Video Cartridge packages are installed in user ORDSYS without public synonyms.
Note #3: Spatial Cartridge packages are installed in user MDSYS with public synonyms.

Subprograms in Supplemental Packages

The packages listed in the remainder of this chapter are primarily documented in other Oracle books. This section lists the subprograms provided with each of these packages. Please refer to the above table for the cross-reference to the full documentation.

Calendar

Table 1-2 Calendar Package Subprograms

Subprograms	Description
CombineCals	Combines two calendars.
Day	Creates a calendar with a frequency of day.
DeleteExceptions	Deletes from the specified calendar all exceptions that either match a specified date (`delExcDate`) or are included in a table of dates (`delExcTab`), and returns the resulting calendar.
DisplayValCal	Displays the results returned by the `ValidateCal` function.
EqualCals	Checks if two calendars are equal.
GenDateRangeTab	Returns a table of date ranges that represent all of the valid intervals in the input calendar (or from the `startDate` through `endDate` parameters).
GetIntervalEnd	Returns the end of the interval that includes the input timestamp.
GetIntervalStart	Returns the start of the interval that includes the input timestamp.
GetOffset	Returns the number of timestamps that the second date is offset from the first.
Hour	Creates a calendar with a frequency of hour.
InsertExceptions	Inserts into the specified calendar all exceptions that either match a specified date (`newExcDate`) or are included in a table of dates (`newExcTab`), and returns the resulting calendar.
IntersectCals	Returns the intersection of two calendars.
InvalidTimeStamps Between	Returns a table (`ORDTDateTab`) containing the invalid timestamps within that range according to the specified calendar.
IsValidCal	Returns 1 if the calendar is valid and 0 if the calendar is not valid.
IsValidDate	Checks whether an input date is valid or invalid according to the specified calendar.
Minute	Creates a calendar with a frequency of minute.
Month	Creates a calendar with a frequency of month.
NumInvalidTimeStamps Between	Returns the number of invalid timestamps within that range according to the specified calendar.
NumOffExceptions	Returns the number of off-exceptions within that range according to the specified calendar.
NumOnExceptions	Returns the number of on-exceptions within that range according to the specified calendar.
NumTimeStampsBetween	Returns the number of valid timestamps within that range according to the specified calendar.
OffsetDate	Returns the timestamp corresponding to the offset input.
Quarter	Creates a calendar with a frequency of quarter.
Second	Creates a calendar with a frequency of second.
Semi_annual	Creates a calendar with a frequency of semi-annual.
Semi_monthly	Creates a calendar with a frequency of semi-monthly.
SetPrecision	Returns a timestamp that reflects the level of precision implied by the frequency of the specified calendar.
Ten_day	Creates a calendar with a frequency of 10-day.
TimeStampsBetween	Returns a table (`ORDTDateTab`) containing the valid timestamps within that range according to the specified calendar.
UnionCals	Returns a calendar that is the union of two input calendars.
ValidateCal	Validates a calendar and, if necessary, repairs the calendar and outputs information related to the problems and repairs.
Week	Creates a calendar with a frequency of week.
Year	Creates a calendar with a frequency of year.

SDO_ADMIN

Table 1-3 SDO_ADMIN Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
POPULATE_INDEX	Creates a spatial index on a table containing spatial data.
UPDATE_INDEX	Updates the spatial index for a given spatial object instance.

SDO_GEOM

Table 1-4 SDO_GEOM Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
RELATE	Determines the topological relationship between two spatial objects.
VALIDATE_GEOMETRY	Evaluates geometric integrity constraints for a spatial object.
WITHIN_DISTANCE	Determines if two spatial objects are within a given Euclidean distance of each other.

SDO_MIGRATE

Table 1-5 SDO_MIGRATE Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
TO_81x	Migrates spatial data from a 7.3.3 or 7.3.4 database to an 8.1.x database.

SDO_TUNE

Table 1-6 SDO_TUNE Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
ESTIMATE_TILING_ LEVEL	Suggests a value for the parameter that determines the resolution of the spatial index.

TimeScale

Table 1-7 TimeScale Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
Scaledown Interpolate	Returns a time series in which data values are interpolated between values in the input time series.
ScaledownRepeat	Returns a time series in which data values in the input time series are repeated.
ScaledownSplit	Returns a time series in which data values reflect the division of the data value in the input time series by the number of associated timestamps in the resulting time series.
ScaleupAvg	Returns a time series reflecting the average value of each scaled group of values.
ScaleupAvgX	Returns a time series reflecting the average value of each scaled group of values plus the immediately preceding source period.
ScaleupCount	Returns a time series reflecting the count of non-null timestamps in each scaled group of values.
ScaleupFirst	Returns a time series reflecting the first non-null value of each scaled group of values.
ScaleupGMean	Returns a time series reflecting the geometric mean of each scaled group of values.
ScaleupLast	Returns a time series reflecting the last non-null value of each scaled group of values.
ScaleupMax	Returns a time series reflecting the maximum value of each scaled group of values.
ScaleupMin	Returns a time series reflecting the minimum value of each scaled group of values.
ScaleupSum	Returns a time series reflecting the sum of each scaled group of values.
ScaleupSumAnnual	Returns a time series reflecting the sum, expressed as an annual rate, of each scaled group of values.

TimeSeries

Table 1-8 TimeSeries Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
Cavg	Returns an `ORDTNumSeries` with each element containing the cumulative average up to and including the corresponding element in the input `ORDTNumSeries`.
Cmax	Returns an `ORDTNumSeries` with each element containing the cumulative maximum up to and including the corresponding element in the input `ORDTNumSeries`.
Cmin	Returns an `ORDTNumSeries` with each element containing the cumulative minimum up to and including the corresponding element in the input `ORDTNumSeries`.
Cprod	Returns an `ORDTNumSeries` with each element containing the cumulative product of multiplication up to and including the corresponding element in the input `ORDTNumSeries`.
Csum	Returns an `ORDTNumSeries` with each element containing the cumulative sum up to and including the corresponding element in the input `ORDTNumSeries`.
DeriveExceptions	Derives calendar exceptions from a time series, a calendar and a table of dates, or two time series.
Display	Displays various information using `DBMS_OUTPUT` routines.
DisplayValTS	Displays the results returned by the `ValidateTS` function.
ExtractCal	Returns a calendar that is the same as the calendar on which the time series is based.
ExtractDate	Returns the date.
ExtractTable	Returns the time series table (`ORDTNumTab` or `ORDTVarchar2Tab`) associated with the time series.
ExtractValue	Returns the value stored in a given element in a time series.
Fill	Returns a time series in which values for missing dates are inserted.
First	Returns the first element in a given time series.
FirstN	Returns the first `NumValues` elements in the given time series.
GetDatedElement	Returns the time series element for a given date.
GetNthElement	Returns the Nth element (element whose position corresponds to `target_index`) in the specified time series, or within the date range if one is specified.
GetSeries	Returns a time series instance (`ORDTNumSeries` or `ORDTVarchar2Series`).
IsValidTS	Returns 1 if the time series is valid and 0 if the time series is invalid.
Lag	Returns a time series that lags or (for negative numeric values) leads the input time series by the appropriate number of timestamps.
Last	Returns the last element in a given time series.
LastN	Returns the last `NumValues` elements in the time series.
Lead	Returns a time series that leads or (for negative numeric values) lags the input time series by the appropriate number of timestamps.
Mavg	Returns a moving average for the given time series, or for the date range if one is specified.
Msum	Returns a moving sum for the time series, or for the date range if one is specified.
TrimSeries	Returns an `ORDT` series of the same type with all data outside of the given date range removed.
TSAdd	Given two input time series or a time series and a constant, and optionally starting and ending dates, returns a time series that reflects the addition of the first two parameters.
TSAvg	Given an input `ORDTNumSeries` and optionally starting and ending dates, returns a number corresponding to the average of all non-null time series entries.
TSCount	Given an input `ORDTNumSeries` and optionally starting and ending dates, returns a number corresponding to the count of all non-null time series entries.
TSDivide	Given two input time series or a time series and a constant, and optionally starting and ending dates, returns a time series that reflects the division of the first parameter by the second parameter.
TSMax	Given an input `ORDTNumSeries` and optionally starting and ending dates, returns a number corresponding to the highest (maximum) of all non-null time series entries.
TSMaxN	Returns an `ORDTNumTab` with the specified number (`NumValues`) of the top (`highest`) values.
TSMedian	Returns a number corresponding to the median of all non-null time series entries.
TSMin	Returns a number corresponding to the lowest (minimum) of all non-null time series entries.
TSMinN	Returns an `ORDTNumTab` with the specified number (`NumValues`) of the bottom (lowest) values.
TSMultiply	Given two input time series or a time series and a constant, and optionally starting and ending dates, returns a time series that reflects the multiplication of the first parameter by the second parameter.
TSProd	Returns a number corresponding to the product (result of multiplication) of all non-null time series entries.
TSStdDev	Returns a number corresponding to the standard deviation of all non-null time series entries.
TSSubtract	Given two input time series or a time series and a constant, and optionally starting and ending dates, returns a time series that reflects the subtraction of the second parameter from the first parameter.
TSSum	Returns a number corresponding to the sum of all non-null time series entries.
TSVariance	Returns a number corresponding to the variance of all non-null time series entries.
ValidateTS	Checks whether a time series is valid, and if the time series is not valid, outputs a diagnostic message and tables with timestamps that are causing the time series to be invalid.

TSTools

Table 1-9 TSTools Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
Add_Existing_Column	Adds a column attribute from an existing flat table to a time series.
Add_Integer_Column	Adds an integer column attribute to an ongoing flat time series creation specification.
Add_Number_Column	Adds an integer column attribute to an ongoing flat time series creation specification.
Add_Varchar2_Column	Adds a `VARCHAR2` column attribute to an ongoing flat time series creation specification.
Begin_Create_TS_ Schema	Initiates the context for creating the schema objects for a time series.
Cancel_Create_TS_ Schema	Cancels the creation of a time series schema.
Close_Log	Closes the log file that had been opened by the `Open_Log` procedure.
Display_Attributes	Displays information about the time series schema being created.
Drop_TS_Schema	Deletes the time series schema definition and all views associated with it.
Drop_TS_Schema_All	Deletes the time series schema definition and all tables, views, indexes, constraints, and triggers associated with it.
End_Create_TS_ Schema	Closes the context established by the `Begin_Create_TS_Schema` procedure and creates all appropriate schema objects.
Get_Flat_Attributes	Retrieves the attributes of a flat time series.
Get_Object_ Attributes	Retrieves the attributes of an object-model time series.
Get_Status	Checks whether s time series creation sequence is in progress.
Open_Log	Opens a log file that will contain the data definition language (DDL) statements generated by the Time Series administrative tools procedures.
Set_Flat_Attributes	Sets the attributes of a flat time series.
Set_Object_ Attributes	Sets the attributes of an object-model time series.
Trace_Off	Disables debugging for Time Series cartridge administrative tools procedures.
Trace_On	Enables debugging for Time Series cartridge administrative tools procedures.

UTL_PG

Table 1-10 UTL_PG Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
MAKE_NUMBER_TO_RAW_ FORMAT	Makes a `number_to_raw` format conversion specification used to convert an Oracle number of declared precision and scale to a `RAW` byte-string in the remote host internal format.
MAKE_RAW_TO_NUMBER_ FORMAT	Makes a `raw_to_number` format conversion specification used to convert a `RAW` byte-string from the remote host internal format into an Oracle number of comparable precision and scale.
NUMBER_TO_RAW	Converts an Oracle number of declared precision and scale to a `RAW` byte-string in the remote host internal format.
NUMBER_TO_RAW_ FORMAT	Converts, according to the `number_to_raw` conversion format n2rfmt, an Oracle number numval of declared precision and scale to a `RAW` byte-string in the remote host internal format.
RAW_TO_NUMBER	Converts a `RAW` byte-string from the remote host internal format into an Oracle number.
RAW_TO_NUMBER_ FORMAT	Converts, according to the `raw_to_number` conversion format `r2nfmt`, a `RAW` byte-string `rawval` in the remote host internal format to an Oracle number.
WMSG	Extracts a warning message specified by `wmsgitem` from `wmsgblk`.
WMSGCNT	Tests a `wmsgblk` to determine how many warnings, if any, are present.

Vir_Pkg

Table 1-11 Vir_Pkg Package Subprograms

Subprogram	Description
Analyze	Analyzes an image `BLOB` or `BFILE`, derives information relating to the visual attributes, and creates the image signature.
Convert	Converts the image signature to a format usable by the host machine, or converts the signature from the format used for Viisage face-recognition to a signature usable by the `Score` and `Similar` operators.
Score	Compares the signature of two images and returns a number representing the weighted sum of the distances for the visual attributes.
Similar	Determines whether or not two images match.

1Oracle Supplied Packages