Invalid Datatype with user defined function - sql

Question

I created this package and function to return a sequence of dates, given a start date and stop date (optional).
The package compiles and I can see that it is there with no errors in TOAD. Anytime I try to execute the function, I receive an error stating:
[Error] Execution (10: 8): ORA-00902: invalid datatype
I do have the right privileges as Ive created other packages with procs and functions; therefore, I'm sure its due to problems with my code.
The logic is below:
CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE TEST_PKG AS
TYPE table_of_dates IS TABLE OF date;
FUNCTION get_date_table(p_begin in date
,p_stop in date default sysdate
,p_next in integer default 1)
RETURN table_of_dates;
END TEST_PKG;
/
CREATE OR REPLACE package body TEST_PKG as
function get_date_table(p_begin in date
,p_stop in date default sysdate
,p_next in integer default 1)
RETURN table_of_dates
IS
date_table table_of_dates;
BEGIN
with date_sq as (
select
p_begin begin_date
,p_stop end_date from dual
)
select
d.begin_date + level - p_next
bulk collect into date_table
from date_sq d
where
1=1
/* TODO: Check this math */
connect by level <= (d.end_date - d.begin_date) + p_step
;
RETURN date_table;
END get_date_table;
end TEST_PKG;
/
Some example code to try to test the function is:
select TEST_PKG.get_date_table(sysdate) from dual; -- <--causes error shown above

Answer 1

If you want to use that type at SQL level (you do), then you have to create it at SQL level, not within the package.
SQL> create or replace type table_of_dates is table of date;
2 /
Type created.
Package spec:
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE TEST_PKG AS
2
3
4 -- TYPE table_of_dates IS TABLE OF date;
5
6 FUNCTION get_date_table(p_begin in date
7 ,p_stop in date default sysdate
8 ,p_next in integer default 1)
9 RETURN table_of_dates;
10
11 END TEST_PKG;
12
13 /
Package created.
Package body: what is p_step at line #25? You never declared it, so I commented it.
SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE package body TEST_PKG as
2
3 function get_date_table(p_begin in date
4 ,p_stop in date default sysdate
5 ,p_next in integer default 1)
6 RETURN table_of_dates
7 IS
8
9 date_table table_of_dates;
10
11 BEGIN
12
13 with date_sq as (
14 select
15 p_begin begin_date
16 ,p_stop end_date from dual
17 )
18 select
19 d.begin_date + level - p_next
20 bulk collect into date_table
21 from date_sq d
22 where
23 1=1
24 /* TODO: Check this math */
25 connect by level <= (d.end_date - d.begin_date) -- + p_step
26 ;
27
28
29 RETURN date_table;
30 END get_date_table;
31
32 end TEST_PKG;
33 /
Package body created.
Testing:
SQL> select * From table(test_pkg.get_date_table(date '2021-07-15'));
COLUMN_VAL
----------
15.07.2021
16.07.2021
17.07.2021
18.07.2021
19.07.2021
SQL>
Seems to be OK (as far as the error you reported is concerned).