Generating test data using PL/SQL

Here's a fun little PL/SQL package, part of the Alexandria library for PL/SQL, that you can use to generate semi-random test data.

The package is called RANDOM_UTIL_PKG. At the time of writing it contains the following functions:

• GET_AMOUNT
• GET_BUSINESS_CONCEPT
• GET_BUZZWORD
• GET_DATE
• GET_EMAIL_ADDRESS
• GET_ERROR_MESSAGE
• GET_FILE_NAME
• GET_FILE_TYPE
• GET_INTEGER
• GET_MIME_TYPE
• GET_PASSWORD
• GET_PERSON_NAME
• GET_TEXT
• GET_VALUE
• GET_WAIT_MESSAGE

These should all be fairly self-explanatory, but let's look at some examples of how you could use these to fill your database with "realistic" test data.


A list of users

An email archive

A list of orders (and order items)

A list of uploaded files (or files in a folder)

A list of errors (an error log)

A list of business concepts or strategies

This is for those times when a struggling company needs to re-focus its strategy and define a new vision. No need to hire expensive management consultants, just fire up SQL*Plus and execute the following query:

Here are some of my favorites from the concepts I generated just now:

• Quickly innovate sticky products with resource-maximizing portals.
• Credibly plagiarize robust opportunities using timely architecture.
• Dynamically reinvent dynamic leadership for end-to-end web services.
• Appropriately empower front-end human capital via error-free web services.
• Globally plagiarize stand-alone ideas after next-generation alignment.