Syntax
Text description of the illustration label_declaration.gif
Keyword and Parameter Description
label_name
This is an undeclared identifier that labels an executable statement or a PL/SQL block. You use a GOTO statement to transfer control to the statement or block following <
Usage Notes
Some possible destinations of a GOTO statement are not allowed. In particular, a GOTO statement cannot branch into an IF statement, LOOP statement, or sub-block. For example, the following GOTO statement is not allowed:
BEGIN
...
GOTO update_row; -- can't branch into IF statement
...
IF valid THEN
...
<
UPDATE emp SET ...
END IF;
From the current block, a GOTO statement can branch to another place in the block or into an enclosing block, but not into an exception handler. From an exception handler, a GOTO statement can branch into an enclosing block, but not into the current block.
If you use the GOTO statement to exit a cursor FOR loop prematurely, the cursor is closed automatically. The cursor is also closed automatically if an exception is raised inside the loop.
A given label can appear only once in a block. However, the label can appear in other blocks including enclosing blocks and sub-blocks. If a GOTO statement cannot find its target label in the current block, it branches to the first enclosing block in which the label appears.
Examples
A GOTO label cannot precede just any keyword. It must precede an executable statement or a PL/SQL block. For example, the following GOTO statement is not allowed:
FOR ctr IN 1..50 LOOP
DELETE FROM emp WHERE ...
IF SQL%FOUND THEN
GOTO end_loop; -- not allowed
END IF;
...
<
END LOOP; -- not an executable statement
To debug the last example, simply add the NULL statement, as follows:
FOR ctr IN 1..50 LOOP
DELETE FROM emp WHERE ...
IF SQL%FOUND THEN
GOTO end_loop;
END IF;
...
<
NULL; -- an executable statement that specifies inaction
END LOOP;
