CREATE PACKAGE

Purpose

Packages are defined using PL/SQL. Therefore, this section provides some general information but refers to Oracle Database PL/SQL Language Reference for details of syntax and semantics.

Use the CREATE PACKAGE statement to create the specification for a stored package, which is an encapsulated collection of related procedures, functions, and other program objects stored together in the database. The package specification declares these objects. The package body, specified subsequently, defines these objects.

Prerequisites

To create or replace a package in your own 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 Oracle 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

Packages are defined using PL/SQL. Therefore, the syntax diagram in this book shows only the SQL keywords. Refer to Oracle Database PL/SQL Language Reference for the PL/SQL syntax, semantics, and examples.

create_package::=

(plsql_source: See Oracle Database PL/SQL Language Reference.)

Semantics

OR REPLACE

Specify OR REPLACE to re-create the package specification if it already exists. Use this clause to change the specification of an existing package without dropping, re-creating, and regranting object privileges previously granted on the package. If you change a package specification, then Oracle Database recompiles it.

Users who had previously been granted privileges on a redefined package 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.

plsql_source

See Oracle Database PL/SQL Language Reference for the syntax and semantics of the plsql_source, including examples.