The beginning of a block of code. BEGIN is the start, and it finishes with END. _____ From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Good, John Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 1:37 PM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: retry on PL.SQL question Thank you very much. One more thing, I noticed in my procedure that there are multiple begin statements. What does the begin statement signify? Thanks, John -----Original Message----- From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rodney Haynie Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 1:00 PM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: retry on PL.SQL question John, The "AS" clause stakes the beginning of the procedure code. I don't know this specific syntax, but it looks like a bunch of variables are then defined (they start with "l_" in your example, and then after that you would continue to write the rest of the procedure code. HTH. Rodney From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Good, John Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 11:19 AM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: retry on PL.SQL question Hello all, The following was taken from the beginning of a procedure. It defines the input and out parameters of the procedure. My question has to do with the "as" clause. I am assuming that the entries following the "as" statement are redefining the data or parameter out item "o_v_err_msg". Can someone let me know if this assumption is correct or not? If it isn't redefining the o_v_err_msg data element, what is it doing? (i_dt_report_date IN IT_TBL_T_CASH_TXNS.DATE_DRC%TYPE, i_n_sysyear IN NUMBER, o_n_return_value OUT NUMBER, o_n_err_num OUT NUMBER, o_v_err_msg OUT VARCHAR2) AS l_transaction_no IT_TBL_T_CASH_TXNS.TRANSACTION_NO%TYPE; l_acct_no IT_TBL_T_CASH_TXNS.ACCT_NO%TYPE; l_tax_yr IT_TBL_T_CASH_TXNS.TAX_YR%TYPE; l_tax_period IT_TBL_T_CASH_TXNS.TAX_PERIOD%TYPE; l_cont_exc_flag IT_TBL_T_CASH_TXNS.CONTROLLERS_EXCEPTION_FLAG%TYPE; l_source_of_txn IT_TBL_T_CASH_TXNS.SOURCE_OF_TRANSACTION%TYPE; l_description IT_TBL_L_DEPOSIT_REPORT_DATA.DEPOSIT_DESCRIPTION%TYPE; l_bank_acct_no IT_TBL_L_DEPOSIT_REPORT_DATA.BANK_ACCOUNT_NUMBER%TYPE; l_good_amt IT_TBL_L_DEPOSIT_REPORT_DATA.TOTAL_GOOD_AMOUNT%TYPE; l_resolved_amt IT_TBL_L_DEPOSIT_REPORT_DATA.RESOLVED_EXCEPTION_AMT%TYPE; l_n_arb_account IT_TBL_L_DEPOSIT_REPORT_DATA.BANK_ACCOUNT_NUMBER%TYPE; l_n_cshl_account IT_TBL_L_DEPOSIT_REPORT_DATA.BANK_ACCOUNT_NUMBER%TYPE; l_n_err_num Number; l_v_err_msg Varchar2(255); Thanks for any help you can give me. I wasn't able to find the "as" cause in the various Oracle help pages I found on Google. John