REF

Syntax

Description of ref.gif follows
Description of the illustration ref.gif

Purpose

REF takes as its argument a correlation variable (table alias) associated with a row of an object table or an object view. A REF value is returned for the object instance that is bound to the variable or row.

Examples

The sample schema oe contains a type called cust_address_typ, described as follows:

 Attribute Type
 ----------------------------- ----------------
 STREET_ADDRESS VARCHAR2(40)
 POSTAL_CODE VARCHAR2(10)
 CITY VARCHAR2(30)
 STATE_PROVINCE VARCHAR2(10)
 COUNTRY_ID CHAR(2)

The following example creates a table based on the sample type oe.cust_address_typ, inserts a row into the table, and retrieves a REF value for the object instance of the type in the addresses table:

CREATE TABLE addresses OF cust_address_typ;
INSERT INTO addresses VALUES (
 '123 First Street', '4GF H1J', 'Our Town', 'Ourcounty', 'US');
SELECT REF(e) FROM addresses e;
REF(E)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
00002802097CD1261E51925B60E0340800208254367CD1261E51905B60E034080020825436010101820000