Oracle custom aggregate

Question

Year    Value
2012     10
2013     20
2014      0

I need 10 * 20 * 0 for multiple rows. If I use this function EXP (SUM (LN (Value))), I get an ORA-01428 error:

argument '0' is out of range.

I have seen How do I create a user-defined aggregate function? but that is for MySQL, not Oracle and my requirement is to include zeroes.

Answer 1

In Oracle you can have your own aggregation function. To write one, we need to implement an interface which looks like this:

create /*or replace*/ type mult_agg_type as object (
    totalAggValue    number,
    static function ODCIAggregateInitialize(sctx IN OUT mult_agg_type) return number,
    member function ODCIAggregateIterate(self IN OUT mult_agg_type, value IN number) return number,
    member function ODCIAggregateTerminate(self IN mult_agg_type, returnValue OUT number, flags IN number) return number,
    member function ODCIAggregateMerge(self IN OUT mult_agg_type, ctx2 IN mult_agg_type) return number
);

The above is just the type definition introducing the type with the required type interface amended by a field definition which stores the value aggregated so far.

This interface can be implemented as follows:

create /*or replace*/ type body mult_agg_type is

    static function ODCIAggregateInitialize(sctx IN OUT mult_agg_type) return number is
    begin
        sctx := mult_agg_type (null);
        return ODCIConst.Success;
    end;

    member function ODCIAggregateIterate(self IN OUT mult_agg_type, value IN number) return number is
    begin
        if self.totalAggValue is null then
            self.totalAggValue := value;
        else
            self.totalAggValue := self.totalAggValue*value;
        end if;
        return ODCIConst.Success;
    end;

    member function ODCIAggregateTerminate(self IN mult_agg_type, returnValue OUT number, flags IN number) return number is
    begin
        returnValue := self.totalAggValue;
        return ODCIConst.Success;
    end;

    member function ODCIAggregateMerge(self IN OUT mult_agg_type, ctx2 IN mult_agg_type) return number is
    begin
        self.totalAggValue := self.totalAggValue*ctx2.totalAggValue;
        return ODCIConst.Success;
    end;

end;

Now that the datatype is defined completely, we need to generate a stub function which can be used as an aggregating function in a select-statement:

create /*or replace*/ function agg_product(input number) RETURN number
    PARALLEL_ENABLE AGGREGATE using mult_agg_type;

I chose the name agg_product, but feel free to choose any name you prefer or like best. As an example of how this can be used in your case, try:

select agg_product(value) as prod from your_table_name;