Cursor Variables

Translation reference for cursor variables and the OPEN FOR statement

Some parts in the output code are omitted for clarity reasons.

Description

A cursor variable is like an explicit cursor that is not limited to one query.
(Oracle PL/SQL Language Reference Cursor Variable Declaration)

Ref cursor type definition

TYPE type IS REF CURSOR
  [ RETURN
    { {db_table_or_view | cursor | cursor_variable}%ROWTYPE
    | record%TYPE
    | record_type
    | ref_cursor_type
    }
  ] ;

Cursor variable declaration

cursor_variable type;

OPEN FOR statement

OPEN { cursor_variable | :host_cursor_variable}
  FOR select_statement [ using_clause ] ;

Snowflake Scripting has no direct equivalence with cursor variables and the OPEN FOR statement, however, they can be emulated with different workarounds to get functional equivalence.

Sample Source Patterns

1. OPEN FOR statement with dynamic SQL inside a VARCHAR variable

IN -> Oracle_01.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE procedure1
AS
	query1 VARCHAR(200) := 'SELECT 123 FROM dual';
	cursor_var SYS_REFCURSOR;
BEGIN 
	OPEN cursor_var FOR query1;
	CLOSE cursor_var;
END;

OUT -> Oracle_01.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE procedure1 ()
RETURNS VARCHAR
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{"origin":"sf_sc","name":"snowconvert","version":{"major":1, "minor":0},{"attributes":{"component":"oracle"}}'
EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
$$
	DECLARE
		query1 VARCHAR(200) := 'SELECT 123 FROM dual';
		cursor_var_res RESULTSET;
	BEGIN
		!!!RESOLVE EWI!!! /*** SSC-EWI-0030 - THE STATEMENT BELOW HAS USAGES OF DYNAMIC SQL. ***/!!!
		cursor_var_res := (
			EXECUTE IMMEDIATE :query1
		);
		LET cursor_var CURSOR
		FOR
			cursor_var_res;
		OPEN cursor_var;
		CLOSE cursor_var;
	END;
$$;

2. OPEN FOR statement with dynamic SQL inside a string literal.

IN -> Oracle_02.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE procedure2
AS
    cursor_var SYS_REFCURSOR;
BEGIN
    OPEN cursor_var FOR 'SELECT 123 FROM dual';
    CLOSE cursor_var;
END;

OUT -> Oracle_02.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE procedure2 ()
RETURNS VARCHAR
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{"origin":"sf_sc","name":"snowconvert","version":{"major":1, "minor":0},{"attributes":{"component":"oracle"}}'
EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
$$
    DECLARE
        cursor_var_res RESULTSET;
    BEGIN
        !!!RESOLVE EWI!!! /*** SSC-EWI-0030 - THE STATEMENT BELOW HAS USAGES OF DYNAMIC SQL. ***/!!!
        cursor_var_res := (
            EXECUTE IMMEDIATE 'SELECT 123 FROM dual'
        );
        LET cursor_var CURSOR
        FOR
            cursor_var_res;
        OPEN cursor_var;
        CLOSE cursor_var;
    END;
$$;

3. OPEN FOR statement with SELECT statement

IN -> Oracle_03.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE procedure3
AS
	cursor_var SYS_REFCURSOR;
BEGIN
	OPEN cursor_var FOR SELECT 123 FROM dual;
	CLOSE cursor_var;
END;

OUT -> Oracle_03.sql

CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE procedure3 ()
RETURNS VARCHAR
LANGUAGE SQL
COMMENT = '{"origin":"sf_sc","name":"snowconvert","version":{"major":1, "minor":0},{"attributes":{"component":"oracle"}}'