Running Background PL/SQL

You can use the APEX_PLSQL_JOB package to run PL/SQL code in the background of your application. This is an effective approach for managing long running operations that do not need to complete for a user to continue working with your application.

APEX_PLSQL_JOB is a wrapper package around DBMS_JOB functionality offered in the Oracle database. Note that the APEX_PLSQL_JOB package only exposes that functionality which is necessary to run PL/SQL in the background.

Table: APEX_PLSQL_JOB Package: Available Functions describes the functions available in the APEX_PLSQL_JOB package.

APEX_PLSQL_JOB Package: Available Functions

Function or Procedure	Description
`SUBMIT_PROCESS`	Use this procedure to submit background PL/SQL. This procedure returns a unique job number. Because you can use this job number as a reference point for other procedures and functions in this package, it may be useful to store it in your own schema.
`UPDATE_JOB_STATUS`	Call this procedure to update the status of the currently running job. This procedure is most effective when called from the submitted PL/SQL.
`TIME_ELAPSED`	Use this function to determine how much time has elapsed since the job was submitted.
`JOBS_ARE_ENABLED`	Call this function to determine whether the database is currently in a mode that supports submitting jobs to the `APEX_PLSQL_JOB` package.
`PURGE_PROCESS`	Call this procedure to clean up submitted jobs. Submitted jobs stay in the `APEX_PLSQL_JOBS` view until either Oracle Application Express cleans out those records, or you call `PURGE_PROCESS` to manually remove them.

You can view all jobs submitted to the APEX_PLSQL_JOB package using the APEX_PLSQL_JOB view.

All Application Programming Interface packages for Application Express are described in the Oracle Application Express API Reference.