CURSOR

Translation reference to convert Teradata CURSOR statement to Snowflake Scripting

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Description

A cursor is a data structure that is used by stored procedures at runtime to point to a resultset returned by an SQL query. For more information check here.

DECLARE cursor_name [ SCROLL | NO SCROLL ] CURSOR
     [ 
          WITHOUT RETURN
          |
          WITH RETURN [ ONLY ] [ TO [ CALLER | CLIENT ] ]
     ]
     FOR
     cursor_specification [ FOR [ READ ONLY | UPDATE ] ]
     |
     statement_name
;

FETCH [ [ NEXT | FIRST ] FROM ] cursor_name INTO
    [ variable_name | parameter_name ] [ ,...n ]
;

OPEN cursor_name
    [ USING [ SQL_identifier | SQL_paramenter ] [ ,...n ] ]
;

CLOSE cursor_name ;

Sample Source Patterns

Setup Data

The following code is necessary to execute the sample patterns present in this section.

Teradata

IN -> Teradata_01.sql

CREATE TABLE vEmployee(
    PersonID INT,
    LastName VARCHAR(255),
    FirstName VARCHAR(255)
);

CREATE TABLE ResTable(
    Column1 VARCHAR(255)
);

INSERT INTO vEmployee(PersonID, LastName, FirstName) VALUES (1, 'Smith', 'Christian');
INSERT INTO vEmployee(PersonID, LastName, FirstName) VALUES (2, 'Johnson', 'Jhon');
INSERT INTO vEmployee(PersonID, LastName, FirstName) VALUES (3, 'Brown', 'William');
INSERT INTO vEmployee(PersonID, LastName, FirstName) VALUES (4, 'Williams', 'Gracey');
INSERT INTO vEmployee(PersonID, LastName, FirstName) VALUES (5, 'Garcia', 'Julia');
INSERT INTO vEmployee(PersonID, LastName, FirstName) VALUES (6, 'Miller', 'Peter');
INSERT INTO vEmployee(PersonID, LastName, FirstName) VALUES (7, 'Davis', 'Jannys');

CREATE TABLE TEST_TABLE (
    ColumnA NUMBER, 
    ColumnB VARCHAR(8),
    ColumnC VARCHAR(8));


SELECT * FROM TEST_TABLE;
INSERT INTO TEST_TABLE VALUES (1, '1', '1');
INSERT INTO TEST_TABLE VALUES (2, '2', '2');

Snowflake

Basic Cursor

Teradata

Cursor Code

IN -> Teradata_02.sql

REPLACE PROCEDURE CursorsTest()
BEGIN
    DECLARE val1 VARCHAR(255);
    DECLARE empcursor CURSOR FOR
        SELECT LastName
        FROM vEmployee
        ORDER BY PersonID;
    
    OPEN empcursor;
    FETCH NEXT FROM empcursor INTO val1;
    FETCH NEXT FROM empcursor INTO val1;
    INSERT INTO ResTable(Column1) VALUES (val1);
    CLOSE empcursor;
END;

CALL CursorsTest();
SELECT * FROM ResTable;

Result

Snowflake Scripting

Cursor Code

OUT -> Teradata_02.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE CursorsTest ()
RETURNS VARCHAR
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "teradata",  "convertedOn": "06/18/2024" }}'
EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
$$
    DECLARE
        val1 VARCHAR(255);
    BEGIN
         
        LET empcursor CURSOR
        FOR
            SELECT
                LastName
                   FROM
                vEmployee
                   ORDER BY PersonID;
        OPEN empcursor;
        FETCH NEXT FROM empcursor INTO val1;
            FETCH NEXT FROM empcursor INTO val1;
        INSERT INTO ResTable (Column1)
        VALUES (:val1);
            CLOSE empcursor;
    END;
$$;

CALL CursorsTest();

SELECT
    * FROM
    ResTable;

Result

Single Returnable Cursor

The following procedure is intended to return one result set since it has the DYNAMIC RESULT SETS 1 property in the header, the cursor has the WITH RETURN property and is being opened in the body.

Teradata

Cursor Code

IN -> Teradata_03.sql

REPLACE PROCEDURE spSimple ()
DYNAMIC RESULT SETS 1
BEGIN
    DECLARE result_set CURSOR WITH RETURN ONLY FOR
    SELECT *
    FROM vEmployee;
        
    OPEN result_set;
END;

CALL spSimple();

Result

Snowflake Scripting

Cursor Code

OUT -> Teradata_03.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE spSimple ()
RETURNS TABLE (
)
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{"origin":"sf_sc","name":"snowconvert","version":{"major":1, "minor":0},"attributes":{"component":"teradata"}}'
EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
$$
    BEGIN
        LET result_set CURSOR FOR
            SELECT * FROM vEmployee;
        OPEN result_set;
        RETURN TABLE(resultset_from_cursor(result_set));
    END;
$$;

CALL spSimple();

Result

Multiple Returnable Cursors

The following procedure is intended to return multiple results when DYNAMIC RESULT SETS property in the header is greater than 1, the procedure has multiple cursors with the WITH RETURN property and these same cursors are being opened in the body.

Teradata

Cursor Code

IN -> Teradata_04.sql

REPLACE PROCEDURE spTwoOrMore()
DYNAMIC RESULT SETS 2
BEGIN
    DECLARE result_set CURSOR WITH RETURN ONLY FOR
        SELECT * FROM SampleTable2;

    DECLARE result_set2 CURSOR WITH RETURN ONLY FOR
	SELECT Column11 FROM SampleTable1;
    OPEN result_set2;
    OPEN result_set;
END;

CALL spTwoOrMore();

Result

Snowflake Scripting

Cursor Code

OUT -> Teradata_04.sql

--** SSC-FDM-0007 - MISSING DEPENDENT OBJECTS "SampleTable2", "SampleTable1" **
CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE spTwoOrMore ()
RETURNS ARRAY
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "teradata",  "convertedOn": "07/16/2025",  "domain": "no-domain-provided" }}'
EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
$$
	DECLARE
		tbl_result_set VARCHAR;
		tbl_result_set2 VARCHAR;
		return_arr ARRAY := array_construct();
	BEGIN
		tbl_result_set := 'RESULTSET_' || REPLACE(UPPER(UUID_STRING()), '-', '_');
		CREATE OR REPLACE TEMPORARY TABLE IDENTIFIER(:tbl_result_set) AS
			SELECT
				* FROM
				SampleTable2;
		LET result_set CURSOR
		FOR
			SELECT
				*
			FROM
				IDENTIFIER(?);
		tbl_result_set2 := 'RESULTSET_' || REPLACE(UPPER(UUID_STRING()), '-', '_');
		CREATE OR REPLACE TEMPORARY TABLE IDENTIFIER(:tbl_result_set2) AS
			SELECT
				Column11 FROM
				SampleTable1;
		LET result_set2 CURSOR
		FOR
			SELECT
				*
			FROM
				IDENTIFIER(?);
		OPEN result_set2 USING (tbl_result_set2);
		return_arr := array_append(return_arr, :tbl_result_set2);
		OPEN result_set USING (tbl_result_set);
		return_arr := array_append(return_arr, :tbl_result_set);
		--** SSC-FDM-0020 - MULTIPLE RESULT SETS ARE RETURNED IN TEMPORARY TABLES **
		RETURN return_arr;
	END;
$$;

CALL spTwoOrMore();

Results

Cursors With Binding Variables

The following cursor uses binding variables as the were condition to perform the query.

Teradata

Cursor Code

IN -> Teradata_05.sql

REPLACE PROCEDURE TestProcedure (IN param1 NUMBER, param2 VARCHAR(8), param3 VARCHAR(8))
DYNAMIC RESULT SETS 1
BEGIN
    DECLARE cursorExample CURSOR WITH RETURN ONLY FOR
        SELECT * FROM  TEST_TABLE
   	WHERE ColumnA = param1 AND ColumnB LIKE param2 and ColumnC LIKE param3;
    
    OPEN cursorExample;	  
END;

Result

Snowflake Scripting

Cursor Code

OUT -> Teradata_05.sql

--** SSC-FDM-0007 - MISSING DEPENDENT OBJECT "TEST_TABLE" **
CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE TestProcedure (PARAM1 NUMBER(38, 18), PARAM2 VARCHAR(8), PARAM3 VARCHAR(8))
RETURNS TABLE (
)
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "teradata",  "convertedOn": "07/16/2025",  "domain": "no-domain-provided" }}'
EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
$$
   BEGIN
      LET cursorExample CURSOR
      FOR
         SELECT
            * FROM
            TEST_TABLE
           	WHERE ColumnA = ?
            AND ColumnB ILIKE ?
            and ColumnC ILIKE ?;
      OPEN cursorExample USING (param1, param2, param3);
      RETURN TABLE(resultset_from_cursor(cursorExample));
   END;
$$;

Result

Cursor For Loop

It is a type of loop that uses a cursor to fetch rows from a SELECT statement and then performs some processing on each row.

Teradata

Cursor Code

IN -> Teradata_06.sql

REPLACE PROCEDURE TestProcedure ()
DYNAMIC RESULT SETS 1
BEGIN
    FOR fUsgClass AS cUsgClass CURSOR FOR
        SELECT columnA FROM  TEST_TABLE
    DO
        INSERT INTO ResTable(Column1) VALUES (fUsgClass.columnA);
    END FOR;
END;

CALL TestProcedure();
SELECT * FROM ResTable;

Result

Snowflake Scripting

Cursor Code

OUT -> Teradata_06.sql

--** SSC-FDM-0007 - MISSING DEPENDENT OBJECTS "TEST_TABLE", "ResTable" **
CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE TestProcedure ()
RETURNS VARCHAR
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "teradata",  "convertedOn": "07/16/2025",  "domain": "no-domain-provided" }}'
EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
$$
    DECLARE
        !!!RESOLVE EWI!!! /*** SSC-EWI-0110 - TRANSFORMATION NOT PERFORMED DUE TO MISSING DEPENDENCIES ***/!!!
        temp_fUsgClass_columnA;
    BEGIN
        LET cUsgClass CURSOR
        FOR
            SELECT
                columnA FROM
                TEST_TABLE;
        --** SSC-PRF-0004 - THIS STATEMENT HAS USAGES OF CURSOR FOR LOOP **
        FOR fUsgClass IN cUsgClass DO
            temp_fUsgClass_columnA := fUsgClass.columnA;
            INSERT INTO ResTable (Column1)
            VALUES (:temp_fUsgClass_columnA);
        END FOR;
    END;
$$;

CALL TestProcedure();

--** SSC-FDM-0007 - MISSING DEPENDENT OBJECT "ResTable" **
SELECT
    * FROM
    ResTable;

Result

Cursor Fetch inside a Loop

It allows one to retrieve rows from a result set one at a time and perform some processing on each row.

Teradata

Cursor Code

IN -> Teradata_07.sql

REPLACE PROCEDURE teradata_fetch_inside_loop() 
DYNAMIC RESULT SETS 1
BEGIN
    DECLARE col_name VARCHAR(255);
    DECLARE col_int INTEGER DEFAULT 1;
    DECLARE cursor_var CURSOR FOR SELECT columnA FROM TEST_TABLE;
    WHILE (col_int <> 0) DO		
        FETCH cursor_var INTO col_name;
        INSERT INTO ResTable(Column1) VALUES (cursor_var.columnA);
        SET col_int = 0;
    END WHILE;
END;

CALL teradata_fetch_inside_loop();
SELECT * FROM ResTable;

Result

Snowflake Scripting

Cursor Code

OUT -> Teradata_07.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE teradata_fetch_inside_loop ()
RETURNS VARCHAR
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{ "origin": "sf_sc", "name": "snowconvert", "version": {  "major": 0,  "minor": 0,  "patch": "0" }, "attributes": {  "component": "teradata",  "convertedOn": "06/18/2024" }}'
EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
$$
    DECLARE
        col_name VARCHAR(255);
        col_int INTEGER DEFAULT 1;
    BEGIN
         
         
        LET cursor_var CURSOR
        FOR
            SELECT
                columnA FROM
                TEST_TABLE;
                WHILE (:col_int <> 0) LOOP
            --** SSC-PRF-0003 - FETCH INSIDE A LOOP IS CONSIDERED A COMPLEX PATTERN, THIS COULD DEGRADE SNOWFLAKE PERFORMANCE. **
                    FETCH cursor_var INTO col_name;
            INSERT INTO ResTable (Column1)
            VALUES (cursor_var.columnA);
            col_int := 0;
                END LOOP;
    END;
$$;

CALL teradata_fetch_inside_loop();

SELECT
    * FROM
    ResTable;

Result

Known Issues

The following parameters are not applicable in Snowflake Scripting.

1. Declare

[ SCROLL/NO SCROLL ] Snowflake Scripting only supports FETCH NEXT.

[ READ-ONLY ] This is the default in Snowflake Scripting.

[ UPDATE ].

2. Fetch

[ NEXT ] This is the default behavior in Snowflake Scripting.

[ FIRST ].

Related EWIs

1. SSC-FDM-0020: Multiple result sets are returned in temporary tables.

2. SSC-PRF-0003: Fetch inside a loop is considered a complex pattern, this could degrade Snowflake performance.

3. SSC-PRF-0004: This statement has usages of cursor for loop.