Creating a PL/SQL Block-1















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      Creating a PL/SQL Block: Part 1
      
     
       
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        The basic construct in PL/SQL is a block. A block consists of a set of 
        SQL and/or PL/SQL statements, joined together and passed to the Oracle 
      engine all in one go.
      A PL/SQL Block consists of three sections:
      
        Declarative (optional): This section begins 
          with the keyword DECLARE and 
          ends when your executable section starts.
        Executable (required): This section begins with the 
          keyword BEGIN and ends 
          with END. The keyword 
          END should end 
          with a semicolon.
        Exception handling (optional): The exception section 
          is nested in the executable section. This section begins with the 
          keyword EXCEPTION.
      
      
         
          Section
          Description
        
         
          Declarative(DECLARE)
          Contains declarations of 
            all variables, constants, cursors, and user-defined exceptions that 
            are referenced in the executable and exception sections
        
         
          Executable(BEGIN...END)
          Contains SQL statements to 
            retrieve data from the database and PL/SQL statements to manipulate 
            data in the block
        
         
          Exception(EXCEPTION)
          Specifies the actions to 
            perform when errors and abnormal conditions arise in the executable 
            section