Oracle PL/SQL Tutorial/PL SQL Programming/Variable
A variable is null if a value hasn"t been assigned to it yet
<source lang="sql">
SQL> SQL> SET ECHO ON SQL> SET SERVEROUTPUT ON SQL> DECLARE
2 test INTEGER;
3 BEGIN
4 IF test IS NULL THEN
5 DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE("The variable TEST is null.");
6 END IF;
7
8 test := 1;
9 DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE("TEST = " || TO_CHAR(test));
10
11 IF test IS NOT NULL THEN
12 DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE("The variable TEST is NOT null.");
13 END IF;
14 END;
15 /
The variable TEST is null. TEST = 1 The variable TEST is NOT null. PL/SQL procedure successfully completed. SQL> SQL></source>
In SQL statements, the names of database columns take precedence over the names of local variables and formal parameters
<source lang="sql">
SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> -- create demo table SQL> create table Employee(
2 ID VARCHAR2(4 BYTE) NOT NULL primary key, 3 First_Name VARCHAR2(10 BYTE), 4 Last_Name VARCHAR2(10 BYTE), 5 Start_Date DATE, 6 End_Date DATE, 7 Salary Number(8,2), 8 City VARCHAR2(10 BYTE), 9 Description VARCHAR2(15 BYTE) 10 ) 11 /
Table created. SQL> SQL> -- prepare data SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values ("01","Jason", "Martin", to_date("19960725","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("20060725","YYYYMMDD"), 1234.56, "Toronto", "Programmer")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("02","Alison", "Mathews", to_date("19760321","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19860221","YYYYMMDD"), 6661.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("03","James", "Smith", to_date("19781212","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19900315","YYYYMMDD"), 6544.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("04","Celia", "Rice", to_date("19821024","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19990421","YYYYMMDD"), 2344.78, "Vancouver","Manager")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("05","Robert", "Black", to_date("19840115","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19980808","YYYYMMDD"), 2334.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("06","Linda", "Green", to_date("19870730","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19960104","YYYYMMDD"), 4322.78,"New York", "Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("07","David", "Larry", to_date("19901231","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19980212","YYYYMMDD"), 7897.78,"New York", "Manager")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("08","James", "Cat", to_date("19960917","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("20020415","YYYYMMDD"), 1232.78,"Vancouver", "Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> -- display data in the table SQL> select * from Employee
2 /
ID FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME START_DAT END_DATE SALARY CITY DESCRIPTION
-------------------- -------------------- --------- --------- ---------- ---------- ---------------
01 Jason Martin 25-JUL-96 25-JUL-06 1234.56 Toronto Programmer 02 Alison Mathews 21-MAR-76 21-FEB-86 6661.78 Vancouver Tester 03 James Smith 12-DEC-78 15-MAR-90 6544.78 Vancouver Tester 04 Celia Rice 24-OCT-82 21-APR-99 2344.78 Vancouver Manager 05 Robert Black 15-JAN-84 08-AUG-98 2334.78 Vancouver Tester 06 Linda Green 30-JUL-87 04-JAN-96 4322.78 New York Tester 07 David Larry 31-DEC-90 12-FEB-98 7897.78 New York Manager 08 James Cat 17-SEP-96 15-APR-02 1232.78 Vancouver Tester 8 rows selected. SQL> SQL> declare
2 first_name VARCHAR2(10):="James"; 3 begin 4 update employee 5 set salary = salary * 10 6 where first_name = first_name; -- WRONG!!! 7 end; 8 /
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed. SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> -- clean the table SQL> drop table Employee
2 /
Table dropped. SQL> SQL> SQL> --the proper way to perform the salary update: SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> -- create demo table SQL> create table Employee(
2 ID VARCHAR2(4 BYTE) NOT NULL primary key, 3 First_Name VARCHAR2(10 BYTE), 4 Last_Name VARCHAR2(10 BYTE), 5 Start_Date DATE, 6 End_Date DATE, 7 Salary Number(8,2), 8 City VARCHAR2(10 BYTE), 9 Description VARCHAR2(15 BYTE) 10 ) 11 /
Table created. SQL> SQL> -- prepare data SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values ("01","Jason", "Martin", to_date("19960725","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("20060725","YYYYMMDD"), 1234.56, "Toronto", "Programmer")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("02","Alison", "Mathews", to_date("19760321","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19860221","YYYYMMDD"), 6661.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("03","James", "Smith", to_date("19781212","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19900315","YYYYMMDD"), 6544.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("04","Celia", "Rice", to_date("19821024","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19990421","YYYYMMDD"), 2344.78, "Vancouver","Manager")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("05","Robert", "Black", to_date("19840115","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19980808","YYYYMMDD"), 2334.78, "Vancouver","Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("06","Linda", "Green", to_date("19870730","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19960104","YYYYMMDD"), 4322.78,"New York", "Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("07","David", "Larry", to_date("19901231","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("19980212","YYYYMMDD"), 7897.78,"New York", "Manager")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> insert into Employee(ID, First_Name, Last_Name, Start_Date, End_Date, Salary, City, Description)
2 values("08","James", "Cat", to_date("19960917","YYYYMMDD"), to_date("20020415","YYYYMMDD"), 1232.78,"Vancouver", "Tester")
3 /
1 row created. SQL> SQL> SQL> SQL> -- display data in the table SQL> select * from Employee
2 /
ID FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME START_DAT END_DATE SALARY CITY DESCRIPTION
-------------------- -------------------- --------- --------- ---------- ---------- ---------------
01 Jason Martin 25-JUL-96 25-JUL-06 1234.56 Toronto Programmer 02 Alison Mathews 21-MAR-76 21-FEB-86 6661.78 Vancouver Tester 03 James Smith 12-DEC-78 15-MAR-90 6544.78 Vancouver Tester 04 Celia Rice 24-OCT-82 21-APR-99 2344.78 Vancouver Manager 05 Robert Black 15-JAN-84 08-AUG-98 2334.78 Vancouver Tester 06 Linda Green 30-JUL-87 04-JAN-96 4322.78 New York Tester 07 David Larry 31-DEC-90 12-FEB-98 7897.78 New York Manager 08 James Cat 17-SEP-96 15-APR-02 1232.78 Vancouver Tester 8 rows selected. SQL> SQL> declare
2 v_eName VARCHAR2(10):="James"; 3 begin 4 update employee 5 set salary = salary * 10 6 where first_Name = v_eName; -- CORRECT! 7 end; 8 /
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed. SQL> SQL> select * from employee;
ID FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME START_DAT END_DATE SALARY CITY DESCRIPTION
-------------------- -------------------- --------- --------- ---------- ---------- ---------------
01 Jason Martin 25-JUL-96 25-JUL-06 1234.56 Toronto Programmer 02 Alison Mathews 21-MAR-76 21-FEB-86 6661.78 Vancouver Tester 03 James Smith 12-DEC-78 15-MAR-90 65447.8 Vancouver Tester 04 Celia Rice 24-OCT-82 21-APR-99 2344.78 Vancouver Manager 05 Robert Black 15-JAN-84 08-AUG-98 2334.78 Vancouver Tester 06 Linda Green 30-JUL-87 04-JAN-96 4322.78 New York Tester 07 David Larry 31-DEC-90 12-FEB-98 7897.78 New York Manager 08 James Cat 17-SEP-96 15-APR-02 12327.8 Vancouver Tester 8 rows selected. SQL> -- clean the table SQL> drop table Employee
2 /
Table dropped. SQL></source>
Variables and Types
Variables declared within the DECLARE section of a PL/SQL block may only be referenced within that block.
A variable declaration has both a name and a type.
For example, the width variable was declared as:
<source lang="sql">
width INTEGER;</source>
