WHENEVER statement [ESQL]

ASA SQL Reference
SQL Statements

WHENEVER statement [ESQL]

Description

Use this statement to specify error handling in embedded SQL programs.

Syntax

WHENEVER { SQLERROR | SQLWARNING | NOTFOUND }
GOTO label | STOP | CONTINUE | { C-code; }

label : identifier

Usage

The WHENEVER statement is used to trap errors, warnings and exceptional conditions encountered by the database when processing SQL statements. The statement can be put anywhere in an embedded SQL program and does not generate any code. The preprocessor will generate code following each successive SQL statement. The error action remains in effect for all embedded SQL statements from the source line of the WHENEVER statement until the next WHENEVER statement with the same error condition, or the end of the source file.

Errors based on source position

The error conditions are in effect based on positioning in the C language source file, not based on when the statements are executed.

The default action is CONTINUE.

Note that this statement is provided for convenience in simple programs. Most of the time, checking the sqlcode field of the SQLCA (SQLCODE) directly is the easiest way to check error conditions. In this case, the WHENEVER statement would not be used. If fact, all the WHENEVER statement does is cause the preprocessor to generate an if ( SQLCODE ) test after each statement.

Permissions

None.

Side effects

None.

Standards and compatibility

SQL/92 Entry-level feature.
SQL/99 Core feature.
Sybase Supported by Open Client/Open Server.

Example

The following are examples of the WHENEVER statement:

EXEC SQL WHENEVER NOTFOUND GOTO done;
EXEC SQL WHENEVER SQLERROR
   {
      PrintError( &sqlca );
      return( FALSE );
   };