Procedure Declaration and Definition

A procedure is a subprogram that performs a specific action. A procedure invocation (or call) is a statement.

Before invoking a procedure, you must declare and define it. You can either declare it first (with procedure_declaration) and then define it later in the same block, subprogram, or package (with procedure_definition) or declare and define it at the same time (with procedure_definition).

A procedure declaration is also called a procedure specification or procedure spec.

Topics

• Syntax

• Semantics

• Examples

• Related Topics

Syntax

procedure_declaration ::=

procedure_heading ::=

See "parameter_declaration ::=".

procedure_definition ::=

See:

• "body ::="

• "declare_section ::="

Semantics

procedure_declaration

Declares a procedure, but does not define it. The definition must appear later in the same block, subprogram, or package as the declaration.

procedure_heading

procedure

Name of the procedure that you are declaring or defining.

procedure_definition

Either defines a procedure that was declared earlier or both declares and defines a procedure.

declare_section

Declares items that are local to the procedure, can be referenced in body, and cease to exist when the procedure completes execution.

body

Required executable part and optional exception-handling part of the procedure.

call_spec, EXTERNAL

See "call_spec" and "EXTERNAL".

Restriction on call_spec, EXTERNAL These clauses can appear only in a package specification or package body.

Examples

• Example 8-1, "Declaring, Defining, and Invoking a Simple PL/SQL Procedure"

Related Topics

In this chapter:

• "Formal Parameter Declaration"

• "Function Declaration and Definition"

In other chapters:

• Chapter 8, "PL/SQL Subprograms"

• "CREATE PROCEDURE Statement"