通常在SQL语句中给PL/SQL变量赋值叫做绑定（Binding）,一次绑定一个完整的集合称为批量绑定（Bulk Binding）。
批量绑定（Bulk binds）可以通过减少在PL/SQL和SQL引擎之间的上下文切换(context switches )提高了性能.
批量绑定（Bulk binds）包括：
(i) Input collections, use the FORALL statement，一般用来改善DML（INSERT、UPDATE和DELETE) 操作的性能
(ii) Output collections, use BULK COLLECT clause，一般用来提高查询（SELECT）的性能
FORALL的语法如下：
FORALL index IN lower_bound..upper_bound sql_statement;
下面是一个简单测试，用以说明FORALL与FOR循环的性能差异。
SQL drop table blktest;
Table dropped.
Elapsed: 00:00:00.13
SQL
SQL CREATE TABLE blktest (num NUMBER(20), name varchar2(50));
Table created.
Elapsed: 00:00:00.08
SQL
SQL CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE bulktest
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IS
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TYPE numtab IS TABLE OF NUMBER (20)
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INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;
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TYPE nametab IS TABLE OF VARCHAR2 (50)
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INDEX BY BINARY_INTEGER;
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pnums
numtab;
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pnames
nametab;
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t1
NUMBER;
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t2
NUMBER;
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t3
NUMBER;
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BEGIN
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FOR j IN 1 .. 1000000
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LOOP
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pnums (j)
:= j;
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pnames (j)
:= 'Seq No. ' || TO_CHAR (j);
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END LOOP;
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SELECT DBMS_UTILITY.get_time
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INTO t1
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FROM DUAL;
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FOR i IN 1 .. 1000000
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LOOP
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INSERT INTO blktest
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VALUES (pnums (i), pnames (i));
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END LOOP;
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SELECT DBMS_UTILITY.get_time
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INTO t2
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FROM DUAL;
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FORALL i IN 1 .. 1000000
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INSERT INTO blktest
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VALUES (pnums (i), pnames (i));
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SELECT DBMS_UTILITY.get_time
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INTO t3
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FROM DUAL;
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DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('Execution Time (hsecs)');
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DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('---------------------');
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DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('FOR loop: ' || TO_CHAR (t2 - t1));
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DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line ('FORALL:
' || TO_CHAR (t3 - t2));
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END;
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/
Procedure created.
Elapsed: 00:00:01.46
SQL exec bulktest;
Execution Time (hsecs)
---------------------
FOR loop: 30361
FORALL:
4792
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
Elapsed: 00:06:32.92
我们可以看到FORALL较FOR循环性能大大提高。
