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Feature Request FR-4211
Product Area APIs
Status CLOSED

24 Voters

APEX_COLLECTIONS add additional columns like N001 to N020, D001 to D020, CLOB001 to CLOB005

parthiban ganesan Public
· Jan 18 2025

Idea Summary
Enhance the APEX_COLLECTIONS table in Oracle APEX by adding the following additional column types:

  • Number Columns (N001 to N020): To store numeric data.
  • Date Columns (D001 to D020): To store date and timestamp values.
  • CLOB Columns (CLOB001 to CLOB005): To store large text data.
  • BLOB Columns (BLOB001 to BLOB005): To store blob content.

These additional columns will provide developers with more flexibility when working with APEX collections, allowing for better organization and storage of complex datasets in applications.

Use Case
Current Limitation:
The existing APEX_COLLECTIONS table supports a predefined set of columns for data storage. While sufficient for many use cases, there are scenarios where developers require:

  • More numeric columns to store metrics or calculation results.
  • More date columns for recording timestamps or scheduling details.
  • Large text columns for comments, logs, or data transformations.

Examples:

  1. Multi-step Data Processing: Storing intermediate calculations, timestamps, and large descriptions/logs while processing complex business workflows.
  2. Custom Data Transformation: Temporary storage of extended data for APIs, reports, or other dynamic operations that exceed the current column limitations.
  3. Dynamic Forms: Supporting additional user-entered data without relying on external tables, particularly for applications with variable data requirements.

Preferred Solution (Optional)
Implementation Approach:

Expand APEX_COLLECTIONS Table Structure:

  • Add 20 additional NUMBER columns named N001 to N020.
  • Add 20 additional DATE columns named D001 to D020.
  • Add 5 CLOB columns named CLOB001 to CLOB005.

Backward Compatibility: Ensure that existing applications using APEX_COLLECTIONS are not affected. Developers can utilize the new columns as needed without altering current functionality.

Developer Access: Provide developers with updated documentation and examples demonstrating how to use these new columns effectively.

Performance Optimization: Conduct testing to ensure that the expanded structure maintains optimal performance for large-scale applications.

This enhancement would significantly increase the utility of APEX_COLLECTIONS, enabling developers to build more robust and scalable applications.

This request is likely a duplicate of FR-599.

Comments

Comments

  • gokul b OP 3 weeks ago

    Need extra columns in date and number data type in apex_collections.
    It will be more useful for more transactions and complex data handling.

  • uthamaselvan OP 3 weeks ago

    adding these columns to an APEX collection enables you to handle different types of data in a structured, temporary manner, supporting a range of use cases in APEX RAD process, By adding additional columns, you provide more space for holding different pieces of information.

  • dharshinikkumar OP 3 weeks ago

    To enhance the capabilities of apex_collections for handling more complex data scenarios, it is necessary to incorporate additional columns with date and number data types. This enhancement would significantly improve flexibility and efficiency for various transaction and data management processes.

  • abishek OP 3 weeks ago

    We need additional columns with date and number data types in APEX_COLLECTIONS. This enhancement will significantly improve the framework's capability to handle more transactions and manage complex data effectively.

    This improvement will make APEX_COLLECTIONS a more powerful and versatile tool for Oracle APEX developers.

  • santhiyalakshmi111 OP 3 weeks ago

    The proposed enhancement to APEX_COLLECTIONS adds numeric, date, CLOB, and BLOB columns, providing developers more flexibility for handling complex data and supporting scalable applications.

  • priyaravi OP 3 weeks ago

    Introducing additional date and number columns in APEX_COLLECTIONS would be a great improvement. This enhancement will provide developers with more options for managing intricate data structures and support advanced use cases like multi-step workflows, detailed logging, and dynamic data transformations.

  • vinodhkannanb OP 3 weeks ago

    Indeed, adding these columns will enhance apex collection usage for the developers and it will be a great feature to introduce in Oracle Apex

  • fac586 OP 3 weeks ago

    All of those voters (and ChatGPT) failed to notice that this is a duplicate of FR-599

  • vincent morneau Admin OP 3 weeks ago

    Thanks @fac586 , these ChatGPT generated idea are more and more common and seem to add unnecessary text to what should be a simple idea.

    To @parthiban ganesan and other commenters: I recommend you tweak your LLM preferences to value conciseness. Keep it to the point and avoid repeating the same points.