Stored procedure

A stored procedure is a subroutine available to applications that access a relational database system. A stored procedure (sometimes called a proc, sproc, StoPro, StoredProc,or sp or SP) is actually stored in the database data dictionary. Typical uses for stored procedures include data validation (integrated into the database) or access control mechanisms. Furthermore, stored procedures can consolidate and centralize logic that was originally implemented in applications. Extensive or complex processing that requires execution of several SQL statements is moved into stored procedures, and all applications call the procedures. One can use nested stored procedures, by executing one stored procedure from within another. Stored procedures are similar to user-defined functions (UDFs). The major difference is that UDFs can be used like any other expression within SQL statements, whereas stored procedures must be invoked using the CALL statement.[1]

Accessing Stored Procedures

You can use SQL*Module to provide a bridge that enables your host application to access procedures stored in the database. A host application written in Ada cannot call a stored database subprogram directly. But you can use SQL*Module to construct an interface procedure ("stub'') that calls the stored database subprogram. Table 3-1 shows, in schematic form, how this process works.

Figure 3-1 Accessing a Stored Procedure

Text description of the illustration sqa80005.gif In this example, there is a procedure stored in the database called enroll. The PL/SQL source code that created the procedure is shown in the right-hand box. The WITH INTERFACE clause in the procedure is described in the section "The WITH INTERFACE Clause". The procedure has two database parameters: class_no and student_id. The SQLCODE error return parameter is added in the interfacing clause.