I posted this to the developers forum. I think I should also ask here since most people here are also very knowledgeable in PL/SQL:

hi, I am a DBA new to package/procedure/function writing, I just have some simple questions to clerify my basic understanding a bit. Acutally I don't really know where to start asking. So any feedback whether related to the specific questions or not are GREATLY appreciated!

1. Well, first of all, are procedure, function etc. objects in a DB, just as table and index are objects in a db?

2. What kind of tool do you use to write your package/precedure etc? I mean if you read a book, they have the codes, but do you write it in notpad/vi, or do you have some tools to use, sort of when you do C programming? Same thing for debugging, what do you use?


3. Is this correct: Once you have a procedure written, you run it under say user TEST in oracle DB, then the procedure is created in the DB under TEST schema. Then if you have another procedure/function referening to this procedure later, as long as it is within the same schema, you don't have to put anything in front of it to identify it? How do you use this procedure if you are a diff. user, i.e. diff. schema?

4. How do you excecute a procedure? Is it SQL>EXEC procedure?

5. How do you save a procedure/function etc? I mean do you save the code as a text file? Or onces you run the code and created the procedure, do you still need the code again ever?

6. How do you modify a procedure, whether during debugging or modify at later time? Do you always have to do create or replace procedure and rerun the creation script? If so, will that break down anything that uses the procedure?

I guess what I need is really some practical advice important but not easy to find. So ANY help is appreciated!

Thanks.