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Caution when using PL/SQL functions in a SQL

statement
Posted on November 30, 2006 by Patrick Wolf

Be cautious if you use PL/SQL functions/packages in your SQL statements, especially in

the Where-Clause!

WHY?

Because the function is probably called more often than you think it is! If you dont want to
read the hole article, scroll down and check the APEX impact.

AN EXAMPLE

Lets create the following simple function.

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION getValue
( pValue IN NUMBER
)
RETURN NUMBER
IS
BEGIN
DBMS_Output.put_line
( 'called getValue with '||pValue||' at '||
TO_CHAR(SYSDATE, 'HH24:MI:SS')
);
RETURN pValue;
END getValue;

And now look at the following SQL Statement where we call our new function with a
constant value.
SELECT COUNT(*)
FROM EMPLOYEES
WHERE SALARY = getValue(1)
;

How often do you think is the function called?

One time because it always uses the same value as parameter?

For each row which is checked by the query engine?

Some number between one time and for all rows?

Check the DBMS_Output.

If you have bet your money on For each row which is checked by the query engine,
then you are the winner! Its called 107 times! As often as we have rows in the table.
If we change the query to
SELECT COUNT(*)
FROM EMPLOYEES
WHERE EMPLOYEE_ID > getValue(1)
;

How often to you think it is called? You have the same choice as before.
Check the DBMS_Output.
Its just called one time! What is the difference? In our second example the optimizer is
using the EMP_EMP_ID_PK index and in that case as Tom Kyte explained me
The optimizer gets the start/stop range (the function might be called twice
actually) and then it range scans with the constants.

SO WHATS THE DEAL ALL ABOUT IT?

Keep in mind the performance issue when you have a function which is selecting against
other tables and you use such a function in a where-clause, where 1.000s of records are
processed!

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS?

You can change the query in the following way. The optimizer then knows that is ok when
he executes the query just one time. So called scalar subquery caching, which works with
all DB versions. Checkout AskTom about that term.
SELECT COUNT(*)

FROM EMPLOYEES
WHERE SALARY = (SELECT getValue(1) FROM DUAL)
;

Or you take a look at the DETERMINISTIC clause which can specified when creating a
function or a package functions. What does it do? Its a hint for the optimizer to indicate that
the function returns the same result value whenever it is called with the same values for its
arguments. But, as noted by Tom Kyte
10gr2 supports deterministic as an optimization in SQL for the first time.
Prior to 10gr2 deterministic was all about function based indexes only
the SQL engine ignored it.
So only if you have a 10.2.x database, using DETERMINISTIC will give you a speed up of
your query. Use the above solution instead.
But lets change our function and see what we get now.
CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION getValue
( pValue IN NUMBER
)
RETURN NUMBER DETERMINISTIC
IS
BEGIN
DBMS_Output.put_line
( 'called getValue with '||pValue||' at '||
TO_CHAR(SYSDATE, 'HH24:MI:SS')
);
RETURN pValue;

END getValue;

Run the first query again and you will see that the function is called just once!
Try the following SQL statement.
SELECT COUNT(*)
FROM EMPLOYEES
WHERE SALARY = getValue(SALARY)
;

How often do you think it is called? Its just called as often as there are different salaries in
the table. With the old version of the function is called for each row again.
I know that the Oracle documentation about DETERMINISTIC says
Do not specify this clause to define a function that uses package variables or
that accesses the database in any way that might affect the return result of
the function.
Which I think is basically to see in relation to the function based index for which this hint
has been introduced. From my observation, if you have such a function call in several SQL
statements which are called after each other (eg in a anonymous pl/sql block), the function
is executed again for each SQL statement. Its just a hint for the optimizer during execution
of the current statement.
DONT USE DETERMINISTIC if your function is changing some global variables (eg
increase a counter) or doing DML and you expect that the function is called for each row!

AND HOW IS THAT ALL RELATED TO APEX?

Are you using the V or NV function in your SQL statements? In APEX 2.0 the V function
isnt wrapped (in 2.2 it is) and I dont see that the DETERMINISTIC is used in the code
Its just memory processing they do in there, but if you call it for 1.000s of records
Always use bind variables instead! Only use the V function in your packages, but never
use them in your report SQL statements.
I have done a posting on OTN about speeding up the V function. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: See my posting Drop in replacement for V and NV function which contains a
wrapper for the existing functions.

RELATED POSTS

SQL embedded into PL/SQL

Drop in replacement for V and NV function

This entry was posted in Caution, Performance, SQL by Patrick Wolf. Bookmark the
permalink.

8 THOUGHTS ON CAUTION WHEN USING PL/SQL FUNCTIONS IN A SQL STATEMENT

1.

Damir on November 30, 2006 at 23:13 said:

As I said in thread, our problems was basically based on parameter views (where
somecol=v(SOME_ITEM)
So in such a cases v is almost inevitable.but issue is the sameinevitable
(http://forums.oracle.com/forums/post!reply.jspa?messageID=1558784)

2.

Patrick Wolf on December 1, 2006 at 00:18 said:

Hi Damir,
for a table with just a few rows its probably no problem, but there are always tables which
have more rows in them and developers tend to use design patterns they have already
used in the past. And in that case you have bad performance.
I think in such a case its better to already come up with a more performant solution, also for
the small tables. To have a better design pattern for the future, where you dont have to
care anymore.
I think using the APEX feature Application Attributes/Edit Security Attributes/Virtual Private
Database is a much better approach. Setting the context with DBMS_Session.set_context
and using SYS_CONTEXT in the view definition is much better. I can not prove it, but I

would assume that the SYS_CONTEXT is defined deterministic and just called once by the
optimizer/query engine.

3.

Yuri on March 15, 2009 at 16:41 said:

This is well-known and obvious for SQL-tuners thing.
Just ALWAYS test all SQL and PL/SQL code for real data volumes before production and
this problem solves natively.
Anyway, when use TurDuckEn code of ApEx, PL/SQL is most uses language.
So, all trivial:
declare
v_x number;
v_res varchar2;
bedin
v_x := f(p_x);
select abc
into v_res
from t_table
where v_x between col1 and col2;
end;
works more better than
declare
v_res varchar2;
bedin
select abc
into v_res
from t_table
where f(p_x) between col1 and col2;
end;
Depending of table size the difference in speed for both blocks can consists from 30 to
300 times.
No matter how good table indexes.

In second example the f() function calls every time in RANGE SCAN with index for query.
As I said trivial.

Patrick, I think, Your target audithory not so stupid.

4.

Patrick Wolf on March 18, 2009 at 14:39 said:

Yuri,
Im not so sure if it was well-known by the average developer. And if you know something
you always think thats trivial and why havent I known this before.
Regards
Patrick

5.

ApEx Developer on March 19, 2009 at 18:56 said:

Patrick,
your absolutely right. But my 12 years DBAs background and experience tells me this issue
is not an Oracle its brain issue for developers. Just explain plan for every query
incorporated into ApEx and a bit think and much PL/SQL-SQL issues will be obvious.
Ive checked execution plan for EVERY query I wrote for ApEx applications. Every query is
testing on real volumes of data. Every front-end query is tuning for response time. Always.
Well-tuned queries = quick responses Web-applications.
This is the most important for hybrid PL/SQL-SQL code quality and performance of all
code.
Divide et impera a good principe not only in politics, but also in programming.
In my example separated computation of function wich ALWAYS must be determimistic
ALWAYS gives incredible performance impact.

6.

ApEx Developer on March 19, 2009 at 19:13 said:

Patrick,
BTW, your own previous article describes the very similar issue:
http://www.inside-oracle-apex.com/sql-embedded-into-plsql/

WBR, Yuri

7.

Edgar on August 10, 2009 at 04:05 said:

Hi I want to learn about ORACLE and to be a software developer in near future right now in
studying ORACLE, but my professor in ORACLE is a very low to taech and actually my coclassmate hey said she is not a good professor, so if there is someone to teach me a good
samaritan, Im willing and eager to learn ORACLE software and not also a developer, I want
a beyond a developer. Im Accounting graduate, not working a job seeker, and willing to
learn more about IT. Thanks.

8.

rahul bhandari on August 31, 2009 at 12:32 said:

Hi,
I am new to Oracle Appex,
i would like to know validation of any String with Regualr Expression option [a-z,A-Z ]+.
Only this character alows, When i m trying to use above pattern.its not working .
Can u tell me the ways to do validation
1) Using SQL expression, i can validate or not???
2) Using pl/SQL expression, i can validate or not???
3) Regular Expression, i can validate or not or not???
Test Case ::
1) efraer345 should be failed
2)2342er should be failed
3) #$%#$%sdfas34 should be failed

4)rahul bhandari should be pass

5) dfsd_` should be failed

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