Object Dependencies, Drop Semantics, and Validation

This section discusses issues that affect objects used in domain indexes.

Object Dependencies

The dependencies among various objects are as follows:

Functions, Packages, and Object Types: referenced by operators and indextypes
Operators: referenced by indextypes, DML, and query SQL Statements
Indextypes: referenced by domain indexes
Domain Indexes: referenced (used implicitly) by DML and query SQL statements

Thus, the order in which these objects must be created, or their definitions exported for future import, is:

Functions, packages, and object types
Operators
Indextypes

Object Drop Semantics

The drop behavior for an object is as follows:

RESTRICT semantics: if there are any dependent objects the drop operation is disallowed.
FORCE semantics: the object is dropped even in the presence of dependent objects; any dependent objects are recursively marked invalid.

Table 8-3 shows the default and explicit drop options supported for operators and indextypes. The other schema objects are included for completeness and context.

Table 8-3 Default and Explicit Drop Options for Operators and Index Types

Schema Object	Default Drop Behavior	Explicit Options Supported
Function	FORCE	None
Package	FORCE	None
Object Types	RESTRICT	FORCE
Operator	RESTRICT	FORCE
Indextype	RESTRICT	FORCE

Object Validation

Invalid objects are automatically validated, if possible, the next time they are referenced.

Indextype Domain Index and Operator Privileges

To create an operator and its bindings, you must have EXECUTE privilege on the function, operator, package, or the type referenced in addition to CREATE OPERATOR or CREATE ANY OPERATOR privilege.
To create an indextype, you must have EXECUTE privilege on the type that implements the indextype in addition to CREATE INDEXTYPE or CREATE ANY INDEXTYPE privilege. Also, you must have EXECUTE privileges on the operators that the indextype supports.
To alter an indextype in your own schema, you must have CREATE INDEXTYPE system privilege.
To alter an indextype or operator in another user's schema, you must have the ALTER ANY INDEXTYPE or ALTER ANY OPERATOR system privilege.
To create a domain index, you must have EXECUTE privilege on the indextype in addition to CREATE INDEX or CREATE ANY INDEX privileges.
To alter a domain index, you must have EXECUTE privilege on the indextype.
To use the operators in queries or DML statements, you must have EXECUTE privilege on the operator and the associated function, package, and indextype.
To change the implementation type, you must have EXECUTE privilege on the new implementation type.

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