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UTL_RAW

The UTL_RAW package provides SQL functions for manipulating RAW datatypes. This package is necessary because normal SQL functions do not operate on RAWs, and PL/SQL does not allow overloading between a RAW and a CHAR datatype. UTL_RAW also includes subprograms that convert various COBOL number formats to, and from, RAWs.

UTL_RAW is not specific to the database environment, and it may actually be used in other environments as it exists here. For this reason, the prefix UTL has been given to the package, instead of DBMS.

Usage Notes

The are many possible uses for the RAW functions. UTL_RAW allows a RAW "record" to be composed of many elements. By using the RAW datatype, character set conversion will not be performed keeping the RAW in its original format when being transferred through remote procedure calls (RPC).

The RAW functions also provide the ability to manipulate binary data which was previously limited to the hextoraw and rawtohex functions.