ALTER TYPE

You can use the ALTER TYPE statement to add or drop member attributes or methods.

You can use the ALTER TYPE statement to modify the existing attributes or scalar attributes of an object type. You can also use this statement to recompile the specification or body of a type, or add new object member subprogram specifications to modify the specification of the object type.

You can use the ALTER TYPE statement to perform the following operations on a type created by using the CREATE TYPE or CREATE TYPE BODY statement:

• Evolve the type, which is to add or drop member attributes or methods.

• Add object member subprogram specifications to modify the specification of the type.

• Recompile the specification or body of the type.

• Reset the version of the type to 1, so that evolution is no longer considered for the type.

Prerequisites

If a type is in the schema of the SYS user, you must connect to the database with the SYSDBA role. Otherwise, the type must be in your own schema, or you must have the CREATE TYPE or CREATE ANY TYPE system privilege.

Syntax

The syntax of alter_type is as follows:

CREATE TYPE or CREATE ANY TYPE

Specifically:

• The syntax of alter_type_clause is as follows:

  { type_compile_clause
  | type_replace_clause
  | RESET
  | [ NOT ] { INSTANTIABLE | FINAL }
  | { alter_method_spec
    | alter_attribute_definition
    | alter_collection_clauses
    } [ dependent_handling_clause ]
  } ;
  

• The syntax of type_compile_clause is as follows:

  COMPILE [ DEBUG ] [ SPECIFICATION | BODY ]
  [ compiler_parameters_clause ]... [ REUSE SETTINGS ]
  

• The syntax of type_replace_clause is as follows:

  REPLACE
  [ invoker_rights_clause [ accessible_by_clause ] |
    accessible_by_clause | invoker_rights_clause ] ]
  AS OBJECT  ( attribute datatype [, attribute datatype ]...
  [, element_spec [, element_spec ]... ] )
  

• The syntax of element_spec is as follows:

  [ inheritance_clauses ]
  { subprogram_spec
  | constructor_spec
  | map_order_function_spec
  }... [, restrict_references_pragma ]
  

• The syntax of inheritance_clauses is as follows:

  { [ NOT ] { OVERRIDING | FINAL | INSTANTIABLE } }...
  

• The syntax of subprogram_spec is as follows:

  { MEMBER | STATIC } { procedure_spec | function_spec }
  

• The syntax of procedure_spec is as follows:

  PROCEDURE procedure_name
  ( parameter datatype [, parameter datatype ]... )  [ { IS | AS } call_spec ]
  

• The syntax of function_spec is as follows:

  PROCEDURE procedure_name
  ( parameter datatype [, parameter datatype ]... )  [ { IS | AS } call_spec ]
  

• The syntax of constructor_spec is as follows:

  [ FINAL ] [ INSTANTIABLE ] CONSTRUCTOR FUNCTION datatype
  [ ([ SELF IN OUT datatype, ]
     parameter datatype [, parameter datatype ]...
    )
  ]
  RETURN SELF AS RESULT;
  [ { IS | AS } call_spec ]
  

• The syntax of map_order_function_spec is as follows:

  { MAP | ORDER } MEMBER function_spec
  

• The syntax of alter_method_spec is as follows:

  { ADD | DROP } { map_order_function_spec | subprogram_spec }
  [, { ADD | DROP } { map_order_function_spec | subprogram_spec } ]...
  

• The syntax of alter_attribute_definition is as follows:

  { { ADD | MODIFY } ATTRIBUTE
       { attribute [ datatype ]
       | ( attribute datatype [, attribute datatype ]... )
       }
  | DROP ATTRIBUTE
       { attribute
       | ( attribute [, attribute ]... )
       }
  }
  

• The syntax of alter_collections_clauses is as follows:

  MODIFY { LIMIT integer | ELEMENT TYPE datatype }
  

• The syntax of dependent_handling_clause is as follows:

  { INVALIDATE
  | CASCADE [ { [ NOT ] INCLUDING TABLE DATA
              | CONVERT TO SUBSTITUTABLE
              }
            ]
       [ [FORCE ] exceptions_clause ]
  }
  

• The syntax of exceptions_clause is as follows:

  EXCEPTIONS INTO [ schema. ] table