using reference cursors

hi, i'm using reference cursors with oracle 9.2 and have a question. when i use the corsor i just do this...

opem myCursor for

        select * from wherever;

and that usually works fine, but for some tables they just won't let me use them with a reference cursor. when i try and use them in any way i get the error message...

Line # = 26 Column # = 1 Error Text = PL/SQL: SQL Statement ignored Line # = 28 Column # = 12 Error Text = PL/SQL: ORA-06552: PL/SQL: Compilation unit analysis terminated ORA-06553: PLS-320: the declaration of the type of this expression is incomplete or malformed

now i was told before that the open cursor thing should take a string as it's argument, and when i do that the problem goes away and the procedure/function compiles fine. so my question is why do i have to use a string sometimes, when most of the time i can just write the sql without putting it in a string? some of the sql i have to go in my functions is pretty long so putting in all in a string isn't reallt what i want to do... has anyone else had this problem? know any work arounds?

the names of some of the tables i can't seem to use are "OPS_HD_MAIL", "COND_COMPONENT" and "DDA". there are others, i'm finding more all the time. if i try and compile these functions in enterprise manager console then it's throws an error and refuses to display the procedure any more, which is odd.

any help appriciated!
thanx.
rod. Received on Fri Jul 16 2004 - 10:56:41 CDT