OPEN FOR Statement

The OPEN FOR statement associates a cursor variable with a query, allocates database resources to process the query, identifies the result set, and positions the cursor before the first row of the result set. If the query has a FOR UPDATE clause, then the OPEN FOR statement locks the rows of the result set.

Topics

• Syntax

• Semantics

• Examples

• Related Topics

Syntax

open_for_statement ::=

Description of the illustration open_for_statement.gif

using_clause ::=

Description of the illustration using_clause.gif

Semantics

open_for_statement

cursor_variable

Name of a cursor variable. If cursor_variable is the formal parameter of a subprogram, then it must not have a return type. For information about cursor variables as subprogram parameters, see "Cursor Variables as Subprogram Parameters".

:host_cursor_variable

Name of a cursor variable that was declared in a PL/SQL host environment and passed to PL/SQL as a bind variable. Do not put space between the colon (:) and host_cursor_variable.

The data type of a host cursor variable is compatible with the return type of any PL/SQL cursor variable.

select_statement

SQL SELECT statement (not a PL/SQL SELECT INTO statement). Typically, select_statement returns multiple rows.

dynamic_string

String literal, string variable, or string expression of the data type CHAR, VARCHAR2, or CLOB, which represents a SQL SELECT statement. Typically, dynamic_statement represents a SQL SELECT statement that returns multiple rows.

using_clause

Specifies bind variables.

Restrictions on using_clause 

• Use if and only if select_statement or dynamic_sql_stmt includes placeholders for bind variables.

• If dynamic_sql_stmt has a RETURNING INTO clause, using_clause can contain only IN bind variables. The bind variables in the RETURNING INTO clause are OUT bind variables by definition.

bind_argument

Expression whose value replaces its corresponding placeholder in select_statement or dynamic_string at run time. You must specify a bind_argument for every placeholder.

IN, OUT, IN OUT

Parameter modes of bind variables. An IN bind variable passes its value to the select_statement or dynamic_string. An OUT bind variable stores a value that dynamic_string returns. An IN OUT bind variable passes its initial value to dynamic_string and stores a value that dynamic_string returns. Default: IN.

Examples

• Example 6-26, "Fetching Data with Cursor Variables"

• Example 6-30, "Procedure to Open Cursor Variable for One Query"

• Example 6-31, "Opening Cursor Variable for Chosen Query (Same Return Type)"

• Example 6-32, "Opening Cursor Variable for Chosen Query (Different Return Types)"

• Example 7-4, "Native Dynamic SQL with OPEN FOR, FETCH, and CLOSE Statements"

Related Topics

In this chapter:

• "CLOSE Statement"

• "Cursor Variable Declaration"

• "EXECUTE IMMEDIATE Statement"

• "FETCH Statement"

• "OPEN Statement"

In other chapters:

• "Opening and Closing Cursor Variables"

• "OPEN FOR, FETCH, and CLOSE Statements"