plsql Cursors Working with SYS_REFCURSOR

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Example

SYS_REFCURSOR can be used as a return type when you need to easily handle a list returned not from a table, but more specifically from a function:

function returning a cursor

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION list_of (required_type_in IN VARCHAR2)
   RETURN SYS_REFCURSOR
IS
   v_ SYS_REFCURSOR;
BEGIN
   CASE required_type_in
      WHEN 'CATS'
      THEN
         OPEN v_ FOR
           SELECT nickname FROM (
                select 'minou' nickname from dual
      union all select 'minĂ¢'           from dual
      union all select 'minon'          from dual         
           );
      WHEN 'DOGS'
      THEN
         OPEN v_ FOR
              SELECT dog_call FROM (
                select 'bill'   dog_call from dual
      union all select 'nestor'          from dual
      union all select 'raoul'           from dual         
           );
   END CASE;
   -- Whit this use, you must not close the cursor.
   RETURN v_;
END list_of;
/

and how to use it:

DECLARE
   v_names   SYS_REFCURSOR;
   v_        VARCHAR2 (32767);
BEGIN
   v_names := list_of('CATS');
   LOOP
      FETCH v_names INTO v_;
      EXIT WHEN v_names%NOTFOUND;
      DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line(v_);
   END LOOP;
   -- here you close it
   CLOSE v_names;
END;
/


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