Oracle TopLink: Oracle Database Features

In addition to providing support for any JDBC and SQL compliant data source TopLink also strives to provide the best possible support for the Oracle database. TopLink provides extended support for the Oracle database with four platforms:

• Generic
• Oracle8i
• Oracle9i
• Oracle10g

Complete list of databases supported and certified:

• Oracle TopLink 10g Release 2 (10.1.3)
• Oracle TopLink 11g
• Oracle TopLink 11gR1

Platform Classes:

9.0.4/10.1.2: oracle.toplink.internal.databaseaccess.OraclePlatform

10.1.3: oracle.toplink.platform.database.oracle.OraclePlatform

Features:

• Native SQL
  • java.sql.Date written as to_date( value, 'yyyy-mm-dd')
  • java.sql.Time written as to_date( value, 'hh24:mi:ss')
  • java.sql.Timestamp written as to_date( value, 'yyyy-mm-dd hh24:mi:ss')
  • java.util.Calendar written as to_date( value, 'yyyy-mm-dd hh24:mi:ss')
  • byte[] written as hexadecimal string
  • Outer join syntax '(+) ='
• Custom expression functions
  • ATAN2
  • LOG
  • CONCAT
  • SYSDATE (today/now)
• Stored Procedure syntax for invoking and parameter passing
• Timestamp query for use in optimistic locking using SYSDATE
• Native Sequencing (SELECT SEQ_NAME.NEXTVAL FROM DUAL)

Platform Classes:

9.0.4/10.1.2: oracle.toplink.oraclespecific.Oracle8Platform

10.1.3: oracle.toplink.platform.database.oracle.Oracle8Platform

Features:

• All features of the generic platform
• Support for BLOB and CLOB database types using Oracle JDBC specific LOBLocator for large values
• Object-Relational Mappings
  • ReferenceMapping
  • StructureMapping
  • NestedTableMapping
  • ArrayMapping
  • ObjectArrayMapping

Notes:

• For non-Oracle thin JDBC drivers or applications environments where the thin driver is wrapped it is possible to turn off the LOBLocator usage using setShouldUseLocatorForLOBWrite(boolean) on the platform instance.

Platform Classes:

9.0.4/10.1.2: oracle.toplink.oraclespecific.Oracle9Platform

10.1.3: oracle.toplink.platform.database.oracle.Oracle9Platform

Features:

• All features of the 8i platform
• Multi-byte support of NCHAR, NSTRING, and NCLOB
• Support of TIMESTAMP, TIMESTAMPTZ, and TIMESTAMPLTZ
  • java.sql.Timestamp written as to_timestamp( value, 'yyyy-mm-dd HH24:MI:SS.FF')
  • java.util.Calendar written as to_timestamp( value, 'yyyy-mm-dd HH24:MI:SS.FF TZR')
  • Timestamp query for use in optimistic locking using SYSTIMESTAMP
• XDB XMLType support - New in 10.1.3
  • Custom XSQL functions: extract, extractValue, existsNode, isFragment, getStringVal, and getNumberVal
• Flashback Querying in Historical Sessions - New in 10.1.3
• Virtual Private Database (VPD) - New in 10.1.3
• Oracle Label Security (VPD) - New in 10.1.3
• Proxy Authentication - New in 10.1.3

Notes:

• This platform is coupled to Oracle JDBC. If using a non-Oracle JDBC driver or an application server environment where the driver is wrapped avoid using this platform.

Platform Classes:

9.0.4/10.1.2: Use Oracle9i platform support in this release

10.1.3: oracle.toplink.platform.database.oracle.Oracle10Platform (not yet available)

Features:

• All features of the 9i platform