SQLERRM Function

The function SQLERRM returns the error message associated with its error-number argument. If the argument is omitted, it returns the error message associated with the current value of SQLCODE. SQLERRM with no argument is useful only in an exception handler. Outside a handler, SQLERRM with no argument always returns the normal, successful completion message. For internal exceptions, SQLERRM returns the message associated with the Oracle error that occurred. The message begins with the Oracle error code.

For user-defined exceptions, SQLERRM returns the message user-defined exception, unless you used the pragma EXCEPTION_INIT to associate the exception with an Oracle error number, in which case SQLERRM returns the corresponding error message. For more information, see "Retrieving the Error Code and Error Message: SQLCODE and SQLERRM".

Syntax

sqlerrm function ::=

Description of the illustration sqlerrm_function.gif

Keyword and Parameter Description

error_number

A valid Oracle error number. For a list of Oracle errors (ones prefixed by ORA-), see Oracle Database Error Messages.

Usage Notes

SQLERRM is especially useful in the OTHERS exception handler, where it lets you identify which internal exception was raised. The error number passed to SQLERRM should be negative. Passing a zero to SQLERRM always returns the ORA-0000: normal, successful completion message. Passing a positive number to SQLERRM always returns the User-Defined Exception message unless you pass +100, in which case SQLERRM returns the ORA-01403: no data found message.

You cannot use SQLERRM directly in a SQL statement. Assign the value of SQLERRM to a local variable first, as shown in Example 13-6.

When using pragma RESTRICT_REFERENCES to assert the purity of a stored function, you cannot specify the constraints WNPS and RNPS if the function calls SQLERRM.

Examples

For examples, see the following:

Example 10-11, "Displaying SQLCODE and SQLERRM"
Example 13-6, "Using SQLCODE and SQLERRM"