Overview of PL/SQL Control Structures

The selection structure tests a condition, then executes one sequence of statements instead of another, depending on
whether the condition is true or false. A condition is any variable or expression that returns a BOOLEAN value
(TRUE or FALSE). The iteration structure executes a sequence of statements repeatedly as long as a condition holds
true. The sequence structure simply executes a sequence of statements in the order in which they occur.

Testing Conditions: IF and CASE Statements

The IF statement executes a sequence of statements depending on the value of a condition. There are three forms
of IF statements: IF-THEN, IF-THEN-ELSE, and IF-THEN-ELSIF. For a description of the syntax of
the IF statement, see "IF Statement".

The CASE statement is a compact way to evaluate a single condition and choose between many alternative actions. It
makes sense to use CASE when there are three or more alternatives to choose from. For a description of the syntax of
the CASE statement, see "CASE Statement".

Using the IF-THEN Statement

The simplest form of IF statement associates a condition with a sequence of statements enclosed by the
keywords THEN and END IF (not ENDIF) as illustrated in Example 4-1.

The sequence of statements is executed only if the condition is TRUE. If the condition is FALSE or NULL,
the IF statement does nothing. In either case, control passes to the next statement.

Example 4-1 Using a Simple IF-THEN Statement

DECLARE sales NUMBER(8,2) := 10100; quota NUMBER(8,2) := 10000; bonus NUMBER(6,2); emp_id
NUMBER(6) := 120; BEGIN IF sales > (quota + 200) THEN bonus := (sales - quota)/4; UPDATE
employees SET salary = salary + bonus WHERE employee_id = emp_id; END IF; END; /

Using the IF-THEN-ELSE Statement

The second form of IF statement adds the keyword ELSE followed by an alternative sequence of statements, as
shown in Example 4-2.

The statements in the ELSE clause are executed only if the condition is FALSE or NULL. The IF-THEN-
ELSE statement ensures that one or the other sequence of statements is executed. In the Example 4-2, the
first UPDATE statement is executed when the condition is TRUE, and the second UPDATE statement is executed when
the condition is FALSE or NULL.

Example 4-2 Using a Simple IF-THEN-ELSE Statement

DECLARE

sales NUMBER(8,2) := 12100;

quota NUMBER(8,2) := 10000;

bonus NUMBER(6,2);

emp_id NUMBER(6) := 120;

BEGIN

IF sales > (quota + 200) THEN

bonus := (sales - quota)/4;

ELSE

bonus := 50;

END IF;

UPDATE employees SET salary = salary + bonus WHERE employee_id = emp_id;

END;

IF statements can be nested as shown in Example

Example 4-3 Nested IF Statements

DECLARE

sales NUMBER(8,2) := 12100;

quota NUMBER(8,2) := 10000;

bonus NUMBER(6,2);

emp_id NUMBER(6) := 120;

BEGIN

IF sales > (quota + 200) THEN

bonus := (sales - quota)/4;

 ELSE

IF sales > quota THEN

bonus := 50;

ELSE

bonus := 0;

END IF;

END IF;

UPDATE employees SET salary = salary + bonus WHERE employee_id = emp_id;

END;

Using the IF-THEN-ELSIF Statement

Sometimes you want to choose between several alternatives. You can use the keyword ELSIF (not ELSEIF or ELSE
IF) to introduce additional conditions, as shown in Example 4-4.

If the first condition is FALSE or NULL, the ELSIF clause tests another condition. An IF statement can have any
number of ELSIF clauses; the final ELSE clause is optional. Conditions are evaluated one by one from top to bottom.
If any condition is TRUE, its associated sequence of statements is executed and control passes to the next statement. If
all conditions are false or NULL, the sequence in the ELSE clause is executed, as shown in Example 4-4.

Example 4-4 Using the IF-THEN-ELSEIF Statement

DECLARE

sales NUMBER(8,2) := 20000;

bonus NUMBER(6,2);

emp_id NUMBER(6) := 120;

BEGIN

IF sales > 50000 THEN

bonus := 1500;

ELSIF sales > 35000 THEN

bonus := 500;

ELSE

bonus := 100;

END IF;

UPDATE employees SET salary = salary + bonus WHERE employee_id = emp_id;

END;

If the value of sales is larger than 50000, the first and second conditions are TRUE. Nevertheless, bonus is assigned
the proper value of 1500 because the second condition is never tested. When the first condition is TRUE, its associated
statement is executed and control passes to the INSERT statement.

Another example of an IF-THEN-ELSE statement is Example 4-5.

Example 4-5 Extended IF-THEN Statement

DECLARE

grade CHAR(1);

BEGIN

grade := 'B';

IF grade = 'A' THEN

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Excellent');

ELSIF grade = 'B' THEN

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Very Good');

ELSIF grade = 'C' THEN

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Good');

ELSIF grade = 'D' THEN

DBMS_OUTPUT. PUT_LINE('Fair');

ELSIF grade = 'F' THEN

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Poor');

ELSE

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('No such grade');

END IF;

ENd;

Using CASE Statements

Like the IF statement, the CASE statement selects one sequence of statements to execute. However, to select the
sequence, the CASE statement uses a selector rather than multiple Boolean expressions. A selector is an expression
whose value is used to select one of several alternatives.
To compare the IF and CASE statements, consider the code in Example 4-5 that outputs descriptions of school grades.
Note the five Boolean expressions. In each instance, we test whether the same variable, grade, is equal to one of five
values: 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', or 'F'. You can rewrite the code inExample 4-5 using the CASE statement, as shown
in Example 4-6.

Example 4-6 Using the CASE-WHEN Statement

DECLARE

grade CHAR(1);

BEGIN

grade := 'B';

CASE grade

WHEN 'A' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Excellent');

WHEN 'B' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Very Good');

WHEN 'C' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Good');

WHEN 'D' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Fair');

WHEN 'F' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Poor');

ELSE DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('No such grade');

END CASE;

END;

The CASE statement is more readable and more efficient. When possible, rewrite lengthy IF-THEN-
ELSIF statements as CASE statements.

The CASE statement begins with the keyword CASE. The keyword is followed by a selector, which is the
variable grade in the last example. The selector expression can be arbitrarily complex. For example, it can contain
function calls. Usually, however, it consists of a single variable. The selector expression is evaluated only once. The
value it yields can have any PL/SQL datatype other than BLOB, BFILE, an object type, a PL/SQL record, an index-by-
table, a varray, or a nested table.

The selector is followed by one or more WHEN clauses, which are checked sequentially. The value of the selector
determines which clause is executed. If the value of the selector equals the value of a WHEN-clause expression,
that WHEN clause is executed. For instance, in the last example, if grade equals 'C', the program outputs 'Good'.
Execution never falls through; if any WHEN clause is executed, control passes to the next statement.

The ELSE clause works similarly to the ELSE clause in an IF statement. In the last example, if the grade is not one of
the choices covered by a WHEN clause, the ELSE clause is selected, and the phrase 'No such grade' is output.
The ELSE clause is optional. However, if you omit the ELSE clause, PL/SQL adds the following
implicit ELSE clause:

ELSE RAISE CASE_NOT_FOUND;

There is always a default action, even when you omit the ELSE clause. If the CASE statement does not match any of
the WHEN clauses and you omit the ELSE clause, PL/SQL raises the predefined exception CASE_NOT_FOUND.

The keywords END CASE terminate the CASE statement. These two keywords must be separated by a space.
The CASE statement has the following form:

Like PL/SQL blocks, CASE statements can be labeled. The label, an undeclared identifier enclosed by double angle
brackets, must appear at the beginning of the CASE statement. Optionally, the label name can also appear at the end of
the CASE statement.

Exceptions raised during the execution of a CASE statement are handled in the usual way. That is, normal execution
stops and control transfers to the exception-handling part of your PL/SQL block or subprogram.

An alternative to the CASE statement is the CASE expression, where each WHEN clause is an expression. For details,
see "CASE Expressions".

Searched CASE Statement

PL/SQL also provides a searched CASE statement, similar to the simple CASE statement, which has the form shown
in Example 4-7.

The searched CASE statement has no selector. Also, its WHEN clauses contain search conditions that yield a Boolean
value, not expressions that can yield a value of any type. as shown in Example 4-7.

Example 4-7 Using the Searched CASE Statement

DECLARE

grade CHAR(1);

BEGIN

grade := 'B';

CASE

WHEN grade = 'A' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Excellent');

WHEN grade = 'B' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Very Good');

WHEN grade = 'C' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Good');

WHEN grade = 'D' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Fair');

WHEN grade = 'F' THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('Poor');

ELSE DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('No such grade');

END CASE;

END;

-- rather than using the ELSE in the CASE, could use the following

-- EXCEPTION

-- WHEN CASE_NOT_FOUND THEN

-- DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('No such grade');

/

The search conditions are evaluated sequentially. The Boolean value of each search condition determines
which WHEN clause is executed. If a search condition yields TRUE, its WHEN clause is executed. If any WHEN clause is
executed, control passes to the next statement, so subsequent search conditions are not evaluated.

If none of the search conditions yields TRUE, the ELSE clause is executed. The ELSE clause is optional. However, if
you omit the ELSE clause, PL/SQL adds the following implicit ELSE clause:

ELSE RAISE CASE_NOT_FOUND;

Exceptions raised during the execution of a searched CASE statement are handled in the usual way. That is, normal
execution stops and control transfers to the exception-handling part of your PL/SQL block or subprogram.

Guidelines for PL/SQL Conditional Statements

Avoid clumsy IF statements like those in the following example:

IF new_balance < minimum_balance THEN

overdrawn := TRUE;
ELSE
overdrawn := FALSE;
END IF;
...
IF overdrawn = TRUE THEN
RAISE insufficient_funds;
END IF;

The value of a Boolean expression can be assigned directly to a Boolean variable. You can replace the
first IF statement with a simple assignment:

overdrawn := new_balance < minimum_balance;

A Boolean variable is itself either true or false. You can simplify the condition in the second IF statement:

IF overdrawn THEN ...

When possible, use the ELSIF clause instead of nested IF statements. Your code will be easier to read and
understand. Compare the following IF statements:

IF condition1 THEN statement1;

ELSE IF condition2 THEN statement2;
ELSE IF condition3 THEN statement3; END IF;
END IF;
END IF;

IF condition1 THEN statement1;

ELSEIF condition2 THEN statement2;
ELSEIF condition3 THEN statement3;
END IF;

These statements are logically equivalent, but the second statement makes the logic clearer.
To compare a single expression to multiple values, you can simplify the logic by using a single CASE statement
instead of an IF with several ELSIF clauses.

Controlling Loop Iterations: LOOP and EXIT

Statements
LOOP statements execute a sequence of statements multiple times. There are three forms
of LOOP statements: LOOP, WHILE-LOOP, and FOR-LOOP. For a description of the syntax of the LOOP statement,
see "LOOP Statements".

Using the LOOP Statement

The simplest form of LOOP statement is the basic loop, which encloses a sequence of statements between the
keywords LOOP and END LOOP, as follows:

LOOP
sequence_of_statements
END LOOP;

With each iteration of the loop, the sequence of statements is executed, then control resumes at the top of the loop.
You use an EXIT statement to stop looping and prevent an infinite loop. You can place one or more EXIT statements
anywhere inside a loop, but not outside a loop. There are two forms of EXIT statements: EXIT and EXIT-WHEN.

Using the EXIT Statement

The EXIT statement forces a loop to complete unconditionally. When an EXIT statement is encountered, the loop
completes immediately and control passes to the next statement as shown in Example 4-8.

Example 4-8 Using an EXIT Statement

DECLARE

credit_rating NUMBER := 0;

BEGIN

LOOP

credit_rating := credit_rating + 1;

IF credit_rating > 3 THEN

EXIT; -- exit loop immediately

END IF;

END LOOP;

-- control resumes here

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE ('Credit rating: ' || TO_CHAR(credit_rating));

IF credit_rating > 3 THEN

 RETURN; -- use RETURN not EXIT when outside a LOOP

END IF;

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE ('Credit rating: ' || TO_CHAR(credit_rating));

END;

Remember, the EXIT statement must be placed inside a loop. To complete a PL/SQL block before its normal end is
reached, you can use the RETURN statement. For more information, see "Using the RETURN Statement".

Using the EXIT-WHEN Statement

The EXIT-WHEN statement lets a loop complete conditionally. When the EXIT statement is encountered, the
condition in the WHEN clause is evaluated. If the condition is true, the loop completes and control passes to the next
statement after the loop. See Example 1-10 for an example that uses the EXIT-WHEN statement.

Until the condition is true, the loop cannot complete. A statement inside the loop must change the value of the
condition. In the previous example, if the FETCH statement returns a row, the condition is false. When
the FETCH statement fails to return a row, the condition is true, the loop completes, and control passes to
the CLOSE statement.

The EXIT-WHEN statement replaces a simple IF statement. For example, compare the following statements:

IF count > 100 THEN EXIT; ENDIF;

EXIT WHEN count > 100;

These statements are logically equivalent, but the EXIT-WHEN statement is easier to read and understand.

Labeling a PL/SQL Loop

Like PL/SQL blocks, loops can be labeled. The optional label, an undeclared identifier enclosed by double angle
brackets, must appear at the beginning of the LOOP statement. The label name can also appear at the end of
the LOOP statement. When you nest labeled loops, use ending label names to improve readability.

With either form of EXIT statement, you can complete not only the current loop, but any enclosing loop. Simply label
the enclosing loop that you want to complete. Then, use the label in an EXIT statement, as shown in Example 4-9.
Every enclosing loop up to and including the labeled loop is exited.

Example 4-9 Using EXIT With Labeled Loops

DECLARE

s PLS_INTEGER := 0;

i PLS_INTEGER := 0;

j PLS_INTEGER;

BEGIN
 <<outer_loop>>

LOOP

i := i + 1;

j := 0;

<<inner_loop>>

LOOP

j := j + 1;

s := s + i * j; -- sum a bunch of products

EXIT inner_loop WHEN (j > 5);

EXIT outer_loop WHEN ((i * j) > 15);

END LOOP inner_loop;

END LOOP outer_loop;

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('The sum of products equals: ' || TO_CHAR(s));

END;

Using the WHILE-LOOP Statement

The WHILE-LOOP statement executes the statements in the loop body as long as a condition is true:

WHILE condition LOOP

sequence_of_statements
END LOOP;

Before each iteration of the loop, the condition is evaluated. If it is TRUE, the sequence of statements is executed, then
control resumes at the top of the loop. If it is FALSE or NULL, the loop is skipped and control passes to the next
statement. See Example 1-9 for an example using the WHILE-LOOP statement.

The number of iterations depends on the condition and is unknown until the loop completes. The condition is tested at
the top of the loop, so the sequence might execute zero times.

Some languages have a LOOP UNTIL or REPEAT UNTIL structure, which tests the condition at the bottom of the loop
instead of at the top, so that the sequence of statements is executed at least once. The equivalent in PL/SQL would be:

LOOP
sequence_of_statements
EXIT WHEN boolean_expression;
END LOOP;

To ensure that a WHILE loop executes at least once, use an initialized Boolean variable in the condition, as follows:
done := FALSE;
WHILE NOT done LOOP
sequence_of_statements
done := boolean_expression;
END LOOP;

A statement inside the loop must assign a new value to the Boolean variable to avoid an infinite loop.

Using the FOR-LOOP Statement

Simple FOR loops iterate over a specified range of integers. The number of iterations is known before the loop is
entered. A double dot (..) serves as the range operator. The range is evaluated when the FOR loop is first entered and
is never re-evaluated. If the lower bound equals the higher bound, the loop body is executed once.

As Example 4-10 shows, the sequence of statements is executed once for each integer in the range 1 to 500. After
each iteration, the loop counter is incremented.

Example 4-10 Using a Simple FOR..LOOP Statement

DECLARE

p NUMBER := 0;

BEGIN

FOR k IN 1..500 LOOP -- calculate pi with 500 terms

p := p + ( ( (-1) ** (k + 1) ) / ((2 * k) - 1) );

END LOOP;

p := 4 * p;

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE( 'pi is approximately : ' || p ); -- print result

END;

By default, iteration proceeds upward from the lower bound to the higher bound. If you use the keyword REVERSE,
iteration proceeds downward from the higher bound to the lower bound. After each iteration, the loop counter is
decremented. You still write the range bounds in ascending (not descending) order.

Example 4-11 Using a Reverse FOR..LOOP Statement

BEGIN

FOR i IN REVERSE 1..3 LOOP -- assign the values 1,2,3 to i

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE (TO_CHAR(i));

END LOOP;

END;
/

Inside a FOR loop, the counter can be read but cannot be changed.

BEGIN

FOR i IN 1..3 LOOP -- assign the values 1,2,3 to i

IF i < 3 THEN

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE (TO_CHAR(i));

ELSE

i := 2; -- not allowed, raises an error

END IF;

END LOOP;

END;

A useful variation of the FOR loop uses a SQL query instead of a range of integers. This technique lets you run a
query and process all the rows of the result set with straightforward syntax. For details, see "Querying Data with
PL/SQL: Implicit Cursor FOR Loop".

Dynamic Ranges for Loop Bounds

PL/SQL lets you specify the loop range at run time by using variables for bounds as shown in Example 4-13.

Example 4-13 Specifying a LOOP Range at Run Time

CREATE TABLE temp (emp_no NUMBER, email_addr VARCHAR2(50));

DECLARE

emp_count NUMBER;

BEGIN

SELECT COUNT(employee_id) INTO emp_count FROM employees;

FOR i IN 1..emp_count LOOP

INSERT INTO temp VALUES(i, 'to be added later');

END LOOP;

COMMIT;

END;
/

If the lower bound of a loop range evaluates to a larger integer than the upper bound, the loop body is not executed
and control passes to the next statement:

-- limit becomes 1
FOR i IN 2..limit LOOP
sequence_of_statements -- executes zero times
END LOOP;
-- control passes here

Scope of the Loop Counter Variable

The loop counter is defined only within the loop. You cannot reference that variable name outside the loop. After the
loop exits, the loop counter is undefined:

Example 4-14 Scope of the LOOP Counter Variable

BEGIN

FOR i IN 1..3 LOOP -- assign the values 1,2,3 to i

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE (TO_CHAR(i));

END LOOP;

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE (TO_CHAR(i)); -- raises an error

END;

You do not need to declare the loop counter because it is implicitly declared as a local variable of type INTEGER. It is
safest not to use the name of an existing variable, because the local declaration hides any global declaration.

DECLARE

i NUMBER := 5;

BEGIN

FOR i IN 1..3 LOOP -- assign the values 1,2,3 to i

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE (TO_CHAR(i));

END LOOP;

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE (TO_CHAR(i)); -- refers to original variable value (5)

END;

/
To reference the global variable in this example, you must use a label and dot notation, as shown in Example 4-15.

Example 4-15 Using a Label for Referencing Variables Outside a Loop

<<main>>

DECLARE

i NUMBER := 5;

BEGIN

FOR i IN 1..3 LOOP -- assign the values 1,2,3 to i

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE( 'local: ' || TO_CHAR(i)

|| ' global: ' || TO_CHAR(main.i));

END LOOP;

END main;

The same scope rules apply to nested FOR loops. In Example 4-16 both loop counters have the same name. To
reference the outer loop counter from the inner loop, you use a label and dot notation.

Example 4-16 Using Labels on Loops for Referencing

BEGIN

<<outer_loop>>

FOR i IN 1..3 LOOP -- assign the values 1,2,3 to i

<<inner_loop>>

FOR i IN 1..3 LOOP

IF outer_loop.i = 2 THEN

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE( 'outer: ' || TO_CHAR(outer_loop.i) || ' inner: '

|| TO_CHAR(inner_loop.i));

END IF;

END LOOP inner_loop;

END LOOP outer_loop;

END;

/
Sequential Control: GOTO and NULL Statements
Unlike the IF and LOOP statements, the GOTO and NULL statements are not crucial to PL/SQL programming.
The GOTO statement is seldom needed. Occasionally, it can simplify logic enough to warrant its use.
The NULL statement can improve readability by making the meaning and action of conditional statements clear.

Overuse of GOTO statements can result in code that is hard to understand and maintain. Use GOTO statements
sparingly. For example, to branch from a deeply nested structure to an error-handling routine, raise an exception rather
than use a GOTO statement. PL/SQL's exception-handling mechanism is discussed in Chapter 10, "Handling PL/SQL
Errors".

Using the GOTO Statement

The GOTO statement branches to a label unconditionally. The label must be unique within its scope and must precede
an executable statement or a PL/SQL block. When executed, the GOTO statement transfers control to the labeled
statement or block. The labeled statement or block can be down or up in the sequence of statements. In Example 4-
19 you go to a PL/SQL block up in the sequence of statements.

Example 4-19 Using a Simple GOTO Statement

DECLARE

p VARCHAR2(30);

n PLS_INTEGER := 37; -- test any integer > 2 for prime

BEGIN

FOR j in 2..ROUND(SQRT(n)) LOOP

IF n MOD j = 0 THEN -- test for prime

p := ' is not a prime number'; -- not a prime number

GOTO print_now;

END IF;

END LOOP;

p := ' is a prime number';

<<print_now>>

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(TO_CHAR(n) || p);

END;

The label end_loop in the Example 4-20 is not allowed unless it is preceded by an executable statement. To make
the label legal, a NULL statement is added.

Example 4-20 Using a NULL Statement to Allow a GOTO to a Label

DECLARE

done BOOLEAN;

BEGIN

FOR i IN 1..50 LOOP

IF done THEN

GOTO end_loop;

END IF;

<<end_loop>> -- not allowed unless an executable statement follows

NULL; -- add NULL statement to avoid error

END LOOP; -- raises an error without the previous NULL

END;

Example 4-21 shows a GOTO statement can branch to an enclosing block from the current block.

Example 4-21 Using a GOTO Statement to Branch an Enclosing Block

-- example with GOTO statement

DECLARE

v_last_name VARCHAR2(25);

v_emp_id NUMBER(6) := 120;

BEGIN

<<get_name>>

SELECT last_name INTO v_last_name FROM employees

WHERE employee_id = v_emp_id;

BEGIN

DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE (v_last_name);

v_emp_id := v_emp_id + 5;

IF v_emp_id < 120 THEN

GOTO get_name; -- branch to enclosing block

END IF;

END;
END;

The GOTO statement branches to the first enclosing block in which the referenced label appears.

Restrictions on the GOTO Statement

Some possible destinations of a GOTO statement are not allowed. Specifically, a GOTO statement cannot branch into
an IF statement, CASE statement, LOOP statement, or sub-block. For example, the following GOTO statement is not
allowed:

BEGIN
GOTO update_row; -- cannot branch into IF statement
IF valid THEN
<<update_row>>
UPDATE emp SET ...
END IF;
END;

A GOTO statement cannot branch from one IF statement clause to another, or from one CASE statement WHEN clause
to another.

A GOTO statement cannot branch from an outer block into a sub-block (that is, an inner BEGIN-END block).

A GOTO statement cannot branch out of a subprogram. To end a subprogram early, you can use the RETURN statement
or use GOTO to branch to a place right before the end of the subprogram.

A GOTO statement cannot branch from an exception handler back into the current BEGIN-END block. However,
a GOTO statement can branch from an exception handler into an enclosing block.

Using the NULL Statement

The NULL statement does nothing, and passes control to the next statement. Some languages refer to such an
instruction as a no-op (no operation). See "NULL Statement".

In Example 4-22, the NULL statement emphasizes that only salespeople receive commissions.

Example 4-22 Using the NULL Statement to Show No Action

DECLARE

v_job_id VARCHAR2(10);

v_emp_id NUMBER(6) := 110;

BEGIN

SELECT job_id INTO v_job_id FROM employees WHERE employee_id = v_emp_id;

IF v_job_id = 'SA_REP' THEN

UPDATE employees SET commission_pct = commission_pct * 1.2;

 ELSE

NULL; -- do nothing if not a sales representative

END IF;

END;

The NULL statement is a handy way to create placeholders and stub procedures. In Example 4-23, the NULL statement
lets you compile this procedure, then fill in the real body later. Note that the use of the NULL statement might raise
an unreachable code warning if warnings are enabled. See "Overview of PL/SQL Compile-Time Warnings".

Example 4-23 Using NULL as a Placeholder When Creating a Subprogram

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE award_bonus (emp_id NUMBER, bonus NUMBER) AS

BEGIN -- executable part starts here

NULL; -- use NULL as placeholder, raises "unreachable code" if warnings enabled

END award_bonus;

You can use the NULL statement to indicate that you are aware of a possibility, but no action is necessary. In the
following exception block, the NULL statement shows that you have chosen not to take any action for unnamed
exceptions:

EXCEPTION
WHEN ZERO_DIVIDE THEN
ROLLBACK;
WHEN OTHERS THEN
NULL;
END;

See Example 1-12, "Creating a Stored Subprogram".