SQL Language Enhancements

(1.5) EXECUTE STATEMENT

Alex Peshkov

EXECUTE STATEMENT "string" is a PSQL extension which takes a string that is a valid dynamic SQL statement and executes it as if it had been submitted to DSQL.

Available in triggers and stored procedures.

Syntax Patterns

The syntax may have three forms.-

Syntax 1

Executes "string> as an SQL operation that does not return any data rows, viz. INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, EXECUTE PROCEDURE or any DDL statement except CREATE/DROP DATABASE.

EXECUTE STATEMENT <string>;

Example

CREATE PROCEDURE DynamicSampleOne (Pname VARCHAR(100))

AS

DECLARE VARIABLE Sql VARCHAR(1024);

DECLARE VARIABLE Par INT;

BEGIN

SELECT MIN(SomeField) FROM SomeTable INTO :Par;

Sql = 'EXECUTE PROCEDURE ' || Pname || '(';

Sql = Sql || CAST(Par AS VARCHAR(20)) || ')';

EXECUTE STATEMENT Sql;

END

Syntax 2

Executes "string" as an SQL operation, returning single data row. Only singleton SELECT operators may be executed with this form of EXECUTE STATEMENT.

EXECUTE STATEMENT <string> INTO :var1, [&, :varn] ;

Example

CREATE PROCEDURE DynamicSampleTwo (TableName VARCHAR(100)) AS

DECLARE VARIABLE Par INT; BEGIN

EXECUTE STATEMENT

'SELECT MAX(CheckField) FROM ' || TableName INTO :Par; IF (Par > 100) THEN

EXCEPTION Ex_Overflow 'Overflow in ' || TableName;

END

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SQL Language Enhancements

Syntax 3

Executes "string" as SQL operation, returning multiple data rows. Any SELECT operator may be executed with this form of EXECUTE STATEMENT.

FOR EXECUTE STATEMENT <string> INTO :var1, &, :varn DO

<compound-statement>;

Example

CREATE PROCEDURE DynamicSampleThree (

TextField VARCHAR(100),

TableName VARCHAR(100))

RETURNS (Line VARCHAR(32000))

AS

DECLARE VARIABLE OneLine VARCHAR(100);

BEGIN

Line = '';

FOR EXECUTE STATEMENT

'SELECT ' || TextField || ' FROM ' || TableName

INTO :OneLine

DO

IF (OneLine IS NOT NULL) THEN

Line = Line || OneLine || ' ';

SUSPEND;

END

Caveats with EXECUTE STATEMENT

The 'EXECUTE STATEMENT' DSQL string cannot contain any parameters in any syntax variation. All variable substitution into the static part of the SQL statement should be performed before the execution of EXECUTE STATEMENT.

This feature is intended only for very cautious use and should be used with all factors taken into account. It should be a rule of thumb to use EXECUTE STATEMENT only when other methods are impossible, or perform even worse than EXECUTE STATEMENT.

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