in plsql, a varchar2 maybe up to 32k.

in SQL - a varchar2 is limited to 4000 bytes.

so, while you can have a plsql variable of 32k, you cannot use a varchar2 in the database to "persist" (store it)


ops$tkyte%ORA9IR2> create or replace type myType as object ( x varchar2(32767) );
2 /

Type created.

ops$tkyte%ORA9IR2> desc myType;
Name Null? Type
---------------------------------------- -------- ----------------------------
X VARCHAR2(32767)

ops$tkyte%ORA9IR2> create table t of mytype;
create table t of mytype
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-00910: specified length too long for its datatype


ops$tkyte%ORA9IR2> create table t ( x mytype );
create table t ( x mytype )
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-00910: specified length too long for its datatype


ops$tkyte%ORA9IR2> declare
2 l_x mytype;
3 begin
4 l_x := mytype( rpad( '*', 32767, '*' ) );
5 dbms_output.put_line( length( l_x.x ) );
6 end;
7 /
32767

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.


to persist something larger than 4000 bytes, you will be using the CLOB type.