What to use: Record or Cursor? - sql

Question

Create a PL/SQL block to retrieve and display data for all pledges made in a specified month. One row of output should be displayed for each pledge. Include the following in each row of output:
• Pledge ID, donor ID, and pledge amount
• If the pledge is being paid in a lump sum, display “Lump Sum”.
• If the pledge is being paid in a monthly payments, display “Monthly - #” (with the # representing the number of months for payment)
• The list should be sorted to display all lump sum pledges first.
here is the table struc.
CREATE TABLE DD_Pledge (
idPledge number(5),
idDonor number(4),
Pledgedate DATE,
Pledgeamt number(8,2),
idProj number(5),
idStatus number(2),
Writeoff number(8,2),
paymonths number(3),
Campaign number(4),
Firstpledge char(1),
CONSTRAINT pledge_id_pk PRIMARY KEY(idPledge),
CONSTRAINT pledge_idDonor_fk FOREIGN KEY (idDonor)
REFERENCES dd_donor (idDonor),
CONSTRAINT pledge_idProj_fk FOREIGN KEY (idProj)
REFERENCES dd_project (idProj),
CONSTRAINT pledge_idStatus_fk FOREIGN KEY (idStatus)
REFERENCES dd_status (idStatus));
I tried to use record but seems that record is not going to work as it gives me error when the specified month has more then one pledge. Is there a way to do it using record (coz this is and assignment we take it after we covered the record)
Maybe cursor will be a good choice but due to the point mentioned earlier I'd like to know what are the ways to solve this one.

Answer 1

SELECT
p.idPledge,
p.idDonor,
p.Pledgeamt as this_payment,
case
when p.paymonths = 0 then 'Lump Sum'
else 'Monthly - ' || p.paymonths
end as payment_method
FROM
dd_pledge p
WHERE
TRUNC(p.Pledgedate) >= '01-Mar-2010' AND TRUNC(p.Pledgedate) < '01-Apr-2010'
order by
4
Assuming you'll add your month's start/end dates as required.