Java Stored Procedures were introduced along with Java in the Oracle 8idatabase. Oracle 8i extended PL/SQL capabilities with the ability to store Javain the database in two ways: Java Stored Procedures and JDBC. Oracle 9ienhanced the capability of Java Stored Procedures to return a ResultSet. Forms 6i’s enhanced features include the ability to call Java StoredProcedures from Forms. Forms can also use JDBC calls from Java Storedprocedures. This article discusses how to create and execute Java StoredProcedures in Oracle 9i and well as return a ResultSet from a Java StoredProcedure in Oracle 9i. It also highlights the use of Java Stored Proceduresand JDBC from Forms. Code examples are provided to help readers imple-ment the technique.

Why Java in the Database? Oracle 9i provides a seamless environment where Java and PL/SQL caninteract as two major database languages. There are many advantages tousing both languages are many. PL/SQL advantages include:• Intensive Database Access – It is faster than Java.• Oracle Specific Functionality that has no equivalent in Java such as using DBMS_LOCK and DBMS_ALERT. • Using the same data types and language constructs as SQL providing seam- less access to the database. Advantages of using Java in the database include:• Automatic garbage collection, polymorphism, inheritance, multi-threading• Access to system resources outside of the database such as OS commands, files, sockets • Functionality not available in PL/SQL such as OS commands, fine-grained security policies, image generation, easy sending of e-mails with attach-ments using JavaMail.