## DECLARE

DECLARE — define a cursor

## Synopsis

```
DECLARE cursor_name [ BINARY ] [ ASENSITIVE | INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ] CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR prepared_name
DECLARE cursor_name [ BINARY ] [ ASENSITIVE | INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ] CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR query

```

## Description

`DECLARE` declares a cursor for iterating over the result set of a prepared statement. This command has slightly different semantics from the direct SQL command `DECLARE`: Whereas the latter executes a query and prepares the result set for retrieval, this embedded SQL command merely declares a name as a “loop variable” for iterating over the result set of a query; the actual execution happens when the cursor is opened with the `OPEN` command.

## Parameters

*`cursor_name`*

 A cursor name, case sensitive. This can be an SQL identifier or a host variable.

*`prepared_name`*

 The name of a prepared query, either as an SQL identifier or a host variable.

*`query`*

 A [SELECT](sql-select.html) or [VALUES](sql-values.html) command which will provide the rows to be returned by the cursor.

 For the meaning of the cursor options, see [DECLARE](sql-declare.html).

## Examples

 Examples declaring a cursor for a query:

```
EXEC SQL DECLARE C CURSOR FOR SELECT * FROM My_Table;
EXEC SQL DECLARE C CURSOR FOR SELECT Item1 FROM T;
EXEC SQL DECLARE cur1 CURSOR FOR SELECT version();

```

 An example declaring a cursor for a prepared statement:

```
EXEC SQL PREPARE stmt1 AS SELECT version();
EXEC SQL DECLARE cur1 CURSOR FOR stmt1;

```

## Compatibility

`DECLARE` is specified in the SQL standard.

## See Also

[OPEN](ecpg-sql-open.html), [CLOSE](sql-close.html), [DECLARE](sql-declare.html)