The database supports four types of methods, but only two of those can be created by a user: instance and constructor. The system does not support static methods.
| THIS type of method … | Applies to this type of UDT … |
|---|---|
| Instance |
Instance methods operate on a specific instance of a UDT. |
| Constructor | Structured. Constructor UDTs initialize an instance of a structured UDT. |
Instance methods operate on an instance of a UDT, while constructor methods initialize an instance of a UDT. Instance methods are the more common type. See Instance Methods and Constructor Methods for details.
The other two method types, observer and mutator, are specific types of instance method that the system generates automatically for each attribute of a structured UDT at the time the UDT is created. You cannot create either of these using CREATE METHOD. See CREATE TYPE (Structured Form) for details.