PL/SQL Oracle Directory - sql

Question

I am using util_file.fopen to import a .txt file into a database. However, I do not want hardcode the directory. Is there a way save the current directory to a variable or log the path? That way I can create an oracle directory that is the current directory, and util_file.fopen will always open the .txt file that is in the directory that I am running my pl/sql from
I know that "HOST CD" will show me my current directory, but I have not been able to save it to a variable or log it
Thanks

Answer 1

Create multiple directory objects:
CREATE DIRECTORY DIRECTORY_1 AS '/some/path';
CREATE DIRECTORY DIRECTORY_2 AS '/some/other/path';
CREATE DIRECTORY DIRECTORY_3 AS '/yet/another/path';
Assign the name of the directory to a variable:
strDirectory_to_use := 'DIRECTORY_1';
Use the variable when opening a file:
-- References /some/path/filename.txt
aFile := UTL_FILE.FOPEN(strDirectory_to_use, 'filename.txt', 'r');
Change the variable to contain the name of a different directory object:
strDirectory_to_use := 'DIRECTORY_2';
Now when you use the variable in a call to UTL_FILE.FOPEN it will look at the directory pointed to by directory object DIRECTORY_2:
-- References /some/other/path/filename.txt
aFile := UTL_FILE.FOPEN(strDirectory_to_use, 'filename.txt', 'r');
Best of luck.

Answer 2

If you want to use current working directory you can create that directory dinamically. Problem is when multiple processes try to access your procedure.
If you can ensure that only one process is using procedure at same time you can do:
create or replace procedure (mypath varchar2) as
begin
execute immediate 'CREATE OR REPLACE DIRECTORY DIRECTORY_1 AS ' || mypath;
aFile := UTL_FILE.FOPEN(DIRECTORY_1, 'filename.txt', 'r');
end;
/
If you can't ensure that only one thread will call procedure at same time it gets tricky. You can try to lookup directory.
create or replace procedure (mypath varchar2) as
dirname varchar2;
begin
select DIRECTORY_NAME into dirname from dba_directories where DIRECTORY_PATH = mypath;
if (dirname is null) then
dirname := substr(replace(replace(replace(replace(dirname,'\',''),':',''),'/',''),'.',''),1,30);
execute immediate 'CREATE OR REPLACE ' || dirname || ' AS ' || mypath;
end if;
aFile := UTL_FILE.FOPEN(dirname, 'filename.txt', 'r');
end;
/