```
CREATE  OR  REPLACE  TYPE  nvarchar2_list_type AS TABLE OF NVARCHAR2(100);

CREATE   TABLE test_table(
   id number primary key,
   cars_list     nvarchar2_list_type 
)
NESTED TABLE cars_list  STORE AS cars_list_storage_table;

insert into test_table(id, cars_list)
    values(1,  nvarchar2_list_type( 'AUDI', 'MERCEDES')  );

```

All above operations completed success, 1 rows inserted in table test\_table, now i write this function:

```
create or replace function get_cnt 
return number
as
  ret_val number;
begin
  SELECT  cars_list.COUNT    
    INTO  ret_val
   from test_table where id  = 1;

   return ret_val;
end;

```

This gives error: `ORA-00904: "CARS_LIST"."COUNT": invalid identifier`

Tell please what is wrong here? 

As I know, `COUNT` method must be used just so ([from here](http://docs.oracle.com/cd/B28359_01/appdev.111/b28370/collections.htm#CJAEIFCA))