RETURN Statement
The RETURN statement immediately completes the execution of a subprogram and returns control to the invoker. Execution resumes with the statement following the subprogram call. In a function, the RETURN statement also sets the function identifier to the return value.
Description of the illustration return_statement.gif
Keyword and Parameter Descriptions
A combination of variables, constants, literals, operators, and function calls. The simplest expression consists of a single variable. When the RETURN statement is executed, the value of expression is assigned to the function identifier.
The RETURN statement is different than the RETURN clause in a function specification, which specifies the data type of the return value.
A subprogram can contain several RETURN statements. Executing any of them completes the subprogram immediately. The RETURN statement might not be positioned as the last statement in the subprogram. The RETURN statement can be used in an anonymous block to exit the block and all enclosing blocks, but the RETURN statement cannot contain an expression.
In procedures, a RETURN statement cannot contain an expression. The statement just returns control to the invoker before the normal end of the procedure is reached. In functions, a RETURN statement must contain an expression, which is evaluated when the RETURN statement is executed. The resulting value is assigned to the function identifier. In functions, there must be at least one execution path that leads to a RETURN statement. Otherwise, PL/SQL raises an exception at run time.