ASA SQL Reference
SQL Statements
Use this statement to declare a SQL variable within a compound statement (BEGIN ... END).
DECLARE variable-name data-type
Variables used in the body of a procedure, trigger, or batch can be declared using the DECLARE statement. The variable persists for the duration of the compound statement in which it is declared.
The body of a Watcom-SQL procedure or trigger is a compound statement, and variables must be declared immediately following BEGIN. In a Transact-SQL procedure or trigger, there is no such restriction.
SQL/92 Persistent Stored Module feature.
SQL/99 Persistent Stored Module feature.
Sybase Supported by Adaptive Server Enterprise.
To be compatible with Adaptive Server Enterprise, the variable name must be preceded by an @.
In Adaptive Server Enterprise, a variable that is declared in a procedure or trigger exists for the duration of the procedure or trigger. In Adaptive Server Anywhere, if a variable is declared inside a compound statement, it exists only for the duration of that compound statement (whether it is declared in a Watcom-SQL or Transact-SQL compound statement).
The following batch illustrates the use of the DECLARE statement and prints a message on the server window:
BEGIN DECLARE varname CHAR(61); SET varname = 'Test name'; MESSAGE varname; END