Using Oracle user-defined types

DataWindow Designer supports SQL CREATE TYPE and CREATE TABLE statements for Oracle user-defined types (objects) in the ISQL view of the Database painter. It correctly handles SQL SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements for user-defined types in the Database and DataWindow painters.

This means that using the Oracle native database interfaces in DataWindow Designer, you can:

Do this	In
Use Oracle syntax to create user-defined types	Database painter
Use Oracle syntax to create tables with columns that reference user-defined types	Database painter
View columns in Oracle tables that reference user-defined types	Database painter
Manipulate data in Oracle tables that have user-defined types	Database painter DataWindow painter DataWindow objects
Export Oracle table syntax containing user-defined types to a log file	Database painter
Invoke methods	DataWindow painter (Compute tab in SQL Toolbox)

Example

Here is a simple example that shows how you might create and use Oracle user-defined types in DataWindow Designer.

For more information about Oracle user-defined types, see your Oracle documentation.

To create and use Oracle user-defined types:

In the ISQL view of the Database painter, create two Oracle user-defined types: ball_stats_type and player_type.

Here is the Oracle syntax to create ball_stats_type. Notice that the ball_stats object of type ball_stats_type has a method associated with it called get_avg.
```
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE ball_stats_type AS OBJECT (bat_avg NUMBER(4,3),rbi NUMBER(3),MEMBER FUNCTION get_avg RETURN NUMBER,PRAGMA RESTRICT_REFERENCES    (get_avg,WNDS,RNPS,WNPS));
CREATE OR REPLACE TYPE BODY ball_stats_type ASMEMBER FUNCTION get_avg RETURN NUMBER ISBEGINRETURN SELF.bat_avg;
END;
END;
```
Here is the Oracle SQL syntax to create player_type. Player_type references the user-defined type ball_stats_type. DataWindow Designer supports such nesting graphically in the Database, DataWindow, and Table painters (see step 3).
```
CREATE TYPE player_type AS OBJECT (player_no NUMBER(2),player_name VARCHAR2(30),ball_stats ball_stats_type);
```
In the Database painter, create a table named lineup that references these user-defined types.

Here is the Oracle SQL syntax to create the lineup table and insert a row. Lineup references the player_type user-defined type.
```
CREATE TABLE lineup (position NUMBER(2) NOT NULL, player player_type);
INSERT INTO lineup VALUES (1,player_type (34, 'David Ortiz', ball_stats_type (0.321, 60)));
```
Display the lineup table in the Database or DataWindow painter.

DataWindow Designer uses the following structure->member notation to display the table:
```
lineup
```
```
======
```
```
position
```
```
player->player_no
```
```
player->player_name
```
```
player->ball_stats->bat_avg
```
```
player->ball_stats->rbi
```
To access the get_avg method of the object ball_stats contained in the object column player, use the following structure->member notation when defining a computed column for the DataWindow object. For example, when working in the DataWindow painter, you could use this notation on the Compute tab in the SQL Toolbox:
```
player->ball_stats->get_avg()
```