Code for calling a function in a package from C# and ODP.NET

Question

I've tried to write C# code with ODP.NET to call a function in a package. I'm getting the two errors below:

ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
PLS-00306: wrong number or types of arguments in call to INSERT_FUNC'
ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
PL/SQL: Statement ignored

ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
PLS-00221: 'INSERT_FUNC' is not a procedure or is undefined
ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
PL/SQL: Statement ignored

My OracleCommand is set up as:

cmd.CommandText = "PKG_NAME.INSERT_FUNC";
cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;

1. How should I pass parameters to the function below?
2. Do I need to add a ReturnValue parameter? I've seen many forums discussing the need to add a ReturnValue parameter as the first OracleParameter on the OracleCommand object.

I would appreciate any suggestions.

CREATE OR REPLACE
PACKAGE BODY pkg_name IS
  FUNCTION insert_func (
      i_description IN  tableName.description%TYPE,
      i_theme       IN  tableName.theme%TYPE,
      o_id          OUT tableName.id%TYPE,
      o_error_msg   OUT VARCHAR2 )
    RETURN NUMBER
  IS
    l_program VARCHAR2(100) := 'PKG_NAME.INSERT_FUNC';
  BEGIN
    INSERT INTO tablea ( event_id, id, description, theme, lock_version )
      VALUES ( rms12.tablea_seq.NEXTVAL, rms12.tablea_id_seq.NEXTVAL, i_description, i_theme, NULL );
    INSERT INTO tableb ( id, description, theme )
      VALUES ( rms12.id_seq.CURRVAL, i_description, i_theme );
    SELECT rms12.id_seq.CURRVAL
      INTO o_id
      FROM dual;
    RETURN 1;
  EXCEPTION
    WHEN OTHERS THEN
      o_error_msg := sql_lib.create_msg(
          'PACKAGE_ERROR', SQLERRM, l_program, TO_CHAR( SQLCODE ) );
      RETURN 0;
  END insert_func;
END pkg_name;

Answer 1

This is my first question on this forum and I am happy to post to my own answer.

We can call an oracle package function using ODP.NET by setting CommandType.StoredProcedure.

ORA-06550: line 1, column 7:
PLS-00221: 'INSERT_FUNC' is not a procedure or is undefined
ORA-06550: line 1, column 7: PL/SQL: Statement ignored

If you get this error, just add this line as the first parameter on the command object:

cmd.Parameters.Add("Return_Value", OracleDbType.Int16,
    ParameterDirection.ReturnValue);

Here is the working code:

using (var conn = new OracleConnection(oradb))
using (var cmd = conn.CreateCommand())
{
    cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure;
    cmd.CommandText = "PKG_NAME.INSERT_FUNC";

    cmd.BindByName = true;

    cmd.Parameters.Add("Return_Value", OracleDbType.Int16,
        ParameterDirection.ReturnValue);
    cmd.Parameters.Add("i_description", OracleDbType.Varchar2, 1000,
        promotionEventSetupDetails.PromotionDescription,
        ParameterDirection.Input);
    cmd.Parameters.Add("i_theme", OracleDbType.Varchar2, 80,
        promotionEventSetupDetails.PromotionTheme,
        ParameterDirection.Input);
    cmd.Parameters.Add("o_id", OracleDbType.Varchar2,
        ParameterDirection.Output);
    cmd.Parameters.Add("o_error_msg", OracleDbType.Varchar2,
        ParameterDirection.Output);

    conn.Open();
    using (var dr = cmd.ExecuteReader())
    {
        // do some work here
    }
}