PLSQL Insert into with subquery and returning clause

Question

I can't figure out the correct syntax for the following pseudo-sql:

INSERT INTO some_table
           (column1,
            column2)
     SELECT col1_value, 
            col2_value 
       FROM other_table
      WHERE ...       
  RETURNING id
       INTO local_var; 

I would like to insert something with the values of a subquery. After inserting I need the new generated id.

Heres what oracle doc says:

Insert Statement

Returning Into

OK i think it is not possible only with the values clause... Is there an alternative?

Answer 1

You cannot use the RETURNING BULK COLLECT from an INSERT. This methodology can work with updates and deletes howeveer:

create table test2(aa number)
/
insert into test2(aa)
      select level
        from dual
        connect by level<100
/        

set serveroutput on
declare 
     TYPE t_Numbers IS TABLE OF test2.aa%TYPE
        INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;
      v_Numbers t_Numbers;
      v_count number;
begin


update test2
  set aa = aa+1
returning aa bulk collect into v_Numbers;

    for v_count in 1..v_Numbers.count loop
        dbms_output.put_line('v_Numbers := ' || v_Numbers(v_count));
    end loop;

end;

You can get it to work with a few extra steps (doing a FORALL INSERT utilizing TREAT) as described in this article:

returning with insert..select

T

to utilize the example they create and apply it to test2 test table

 CREATE or replace TYPE ot AS OBJECT
    ( aa number);
/


CREATE TYPE ntt AS TABLE OF ot;
/

set serveroutput on
 DECLARE

       nt_passed_in ntt;
       nt_to_return ntt;

       FUNCTION pretend_parameter RETURN ntt IS
          nt ntt;
       BEGIN
          SELECT ot(level) BULK COLLECT INTO nt
         FROM   dual
         CONNECT BY level <= 5;
         RETURN nt;
      END pretend_parameter;

   BEGIN

      nt_passed_in := pretend_parameter();

      FORALL i IN 1 .. nt_passed_in.COUNT
         INSERT INTO test2(aa)
         VALUES
         ( TREAT(nt_passed_in(i) AS ot).aa
         )
         RETURNING ot(aa)
         BULK COLLECT INTO nt_to_return;

      FOR i IN 1 .. nt_to_return.COUNT LOOP
         DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(
            'Sequence value = [' || TO_CHAR(nt_to_return(i).aa) || ']'
            );
      END LOOP;

   END;
   /