User's Guide

Part VI. SQL Anywhere Reference

Chapter 43. Watcom-SQL Statements

Function

Repeat the execution of a statement list.

Syntax

     [ statement-label : ]
          ...[ WHILE search-condition ] LOOP
              ... statement-list
          ...END LOOP [ statement-label ]

Usage

Procedures, triggers, and batches.

Permissions

None.

Side effects

None.

See also

• FOR statement
• LEAVE statement

Description

The WHILE and LOOP statements are control statements that allow you to repeatedly execute a list of SQL statements while a search-condition evaluates to TRUE. The LEAVE statement can be used to resume execution at the first statement after the END LOOP.

If the ending statement-label is specified, it must match the beginning statement-label.

Examples

A While loop in a procedure.

     ...
     SET i = 1 ;
     WHILE i <= 10 LOOP
         INSERT INTO Counters( number ) VALUES ( i ) ;
         SET i = i + 1 ;
     END LOOP ;
     ...

A labeled loop in a procedure.

     SET i = 1;
     lbl:
     LOOP
         INSERT
         INTO Counters( number )
         VALUES ( i ) ;
         IF i >= 10 THEN
             LEAVE lbl ;
         END IF ;
         SET i = i + 1 ;
     END LOOP lbl