Introduction
The JobSchedulerPLSQLJob JITL job provides a standardized and parameterized interface for executing Oracle PL/SQLs statements. The JobScheduler offers out of the box capability to execute PL/SQLs, passing parameters to the PL/SQL or collecting and passing on the results of a PL/SQL execution to next job step as a JobScheduler Order parameter. The JobSchedulerPLSQLJob can be used to execute existing PL/SQL files just by referring them in the command parameter.
A Simple JITL PL/SQL Job Example
The following example shows a basic example of the JobSchedulerPLSQLJob. It executes PL/SQL anonymous code blocks - selecting the current system date and displaying it on stdout as order_date.
Parameters
The JobSchedulerPLSQLJob requires the following parameters:
Name | Title | Mandatory | Default | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
command | PL/SQL statements to be executed | true |
| |
db_url | JDBC connection string | true |
| |
db_user | User name for database access | true | db username | |
db_password | Password for database access | true | db password | |
variable_parser_reg_expr | Regular expression to parse dbms_output and set order parameters for next job steps | false | ^SETs+(\\s)\\s*ISs(.*)$ |
command
- The PL/SQL code can be:
saved to a separate file such as get_order.sql . This file can subsequently be referred to as the value of the "command" job parameter. This is a recommended approach for achieving "separation of concern" in application architecture.
<param name="command" value="config/live/commn/sqls/get_order.sql"/>
PL/SQL code can also be specified as the value of the command parameter, with the entire PL/SQL being written as part of the Job.XML. This approach is preferred if the PL/SQL code is very small and only used by a single job.
<param name="command" value=" DECLARE v_order_date DATE := SYSDATE; BEGIN SELECT SYSDATE INTO v_order_date FROM DUAL; DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(' +++ +++'); DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('SET order_date IS '|| v_order_date); DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(' +++ +++'); END; "/>
db_url
JITL needs a standard JDBC database connection string such as jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521:XE
db_user
DB Username which has necessary database permission for executing the PL/SQL code.
db_password
The password for the DB user defined in the db_user parameter.
variable_parser_reg_expr
This parameter defines a regular expression for parsing the dbms_output from the PL/SQL execution and sets the order parameters for subsequent job steps. For example, the dbms ouput DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('SET order_date IS '|| v_order_date) displays the output on console SET order_date is 20140915, it will be parsed by regular expression ^SETs+(\\s)\\s*ISs(.*)$ will result as order parameter order_date="20140915".
Saving Database Connection Settings in a Parameter File
It strongly recommend that a db_connection parameter file such as database_connection.parameter.xml is used to store all the database connection settings in a common location. This approach enables the user to manage settings at central location which can then be reused by multiple jobs.
This approach also makes it easy to maintain different settings for development, integration and production environments.
The following shows an example database connection parameter file:
The next example shows a JITL job where the database connection parameters are stored in an external file. In this example a "common_settings/database" directory has been created inside the JobScheduler's live folder.
Passing parameters to the PL/SQL
JobScheduler order parameters can be passed to the PL/SQL. PL/SQL code can be parameterized by defining variables such as ${SCHEDULER_PARAM_VARIABLE_NAME}. Variables can be set using environment variables, JobScheduler task parameters ( as described in the following example) or from JobScheduler order parameters.
Parameters can also be defined with following syntax:
- %parameter_name%
- ${SCHEDULER_PARAM_parameter_name}
Parameters are not case sensitive.
When PL/SQL code is part of Job XML file, then parameters should be defined in the form \${SCHEDULER_PARAM_PARAMETER_NAME}. If PL/SQL code is read from file system, the parameter can be defined without the "\"
PL/SQL script as an External File
PL/SQL code can be defined directly inside the Job xml as a command parameter value but is generally better stored on the file system. JITL jobs can be configured to read PL/SQL scripts from the file system by defining the script path as a value for the command parameter i.e.
In the following example the PL/SQL code is saved to the filesystem in C:\app\executables\plsql\get_order_date.sql and subsequently referenced using the command parameter.
Passing PL/SQL results to subsequent job steps as parameters
JobScheduler jobs can create and update JobScheduler Order parameters. The JobSchedulerPLSQLJob can also pass on the result of PL/SQL execution i.e. calculated dates, parameters calculated from tables, etc. By default the JobSchedulerPLSQL job defines a regular expression to parse dbms_output from the execution of PL/SQLs and sets order parameters for subsequent job steps. For example, the DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('SET order_date IS '|| v_order_date) dbms ouput displays the output on console; if SET order_date is 20140915, it will be parsed by regular expression ^SETs+(\\s)\\s*ISs(.*)$ and return the order_date="20140915" order parameter. All dbms_output statements matching the ^SETs+(\\s)\\s*ISs(.*)$ regular expression will be set as order_parameters.
Advanced Configuration
Generic job for executing multiple PL/SQLs
The JobSchedulerPLSQLJob can be configured as a generic node inside a job chain and executable PL/SQL script can be defined as an order parameter. The following example shows such a generic job. The job chain has a job node - execute_plsql - two orders - get_order_date and get_last_booking_date. Each order is scheduled to be executed at a different time. Both the orders are configured to use a different PL/SQL script file i.e. get_order_date.sql and get_last_booking_date.sql.
JobChain
Job
Order : get_order_date
Order : get_last_booking_date
Standalone PL/SQL Jobs
If PL/SQL code needs to be parameterized by a job parameter the syntax for parameter substitute is different compare to order jobs.
Since the syntax of suffixing an order parameter for SCHEDULER_PARAM is not required the parameter name can directly be substituted in the PL/SQL code.
See the following example for two variant for standalone PL/SQL code.
PL/SQL Code as script
PL/SQL Code as command
Return parameters created by the JobSchedulerPLSQLJob
The JobScheduler automatically creates the following order parameters, which will be available to subsequent job steps as order parameters.
sql_error
- The sql_error parameter contains all the error messages generated during the PL/SQL execution. This parameter will be empty if no errors occur.
std_out_output
- The std_out_output parameter contains all the messages spooled to stdout by PL/SQL.
See also:
- How to work with PL/SQL and the Oracle DBMS
- How to run Oracle Stored Procedures using PL/SQL
- The JobSchedulerPLSQLJob JITL job documentation