13.37 GOTO Statement

The GOTO statement transfers control to a labeled block or statement.

If a GOTO statement exits a cursor FOR LOOP statement prematurely, the cursor closes.

Restrictions on GOTO Statement

• A GOTO statement cannot transfer control into an IF statement, CASE statement, LOOP statement, or sub-block.

• A GOTO statement cannot transfer control from one IF statement clause to another, or from one CASE statement WHEN clause to another.

• A GOTO statement cannot transfer control out of a subprogram.

• A GOTO statement cannot transfer control into an exception handler.

• A GOTO statement cannot transfer control from an exception handler back into the current block (but it can transfer control from an exception handler into an enclosing block).

Topics

• Syntax

• Semantics

• Examples

• Related Topics

Syntax

goto_statement ::=

Description of the illustration goto_statement.eps

Semantics

goto_statement

label

Identifies either a block or a statement (see "plsql_block ::=", "statement ::=", and "label").

If label is not in the current block, then the GOTO statement transfers control to the first enclosing block in which label appears.

Examples

• Example 4-29, "GOTO Statement"

• Example 4-32, "GOTO Statement Transfers Control to Enclosing Block"

• Example 4-33, "GOTO Statement Cannot Transfer Control into IF Statement"

Related Topics

In this chapter:

• "Block"

In other chapters:

• "GOTO Statement"