EXECUTE IMMEDIATE Statement

The EXECUTE IMMEDIATE statement builds and runs a dynamic SQL statement in a single operation. Native dynamic SQL uses the EXECUTE IMMEDIATE statement to process most dynamic SQL statements.

Caution:

When using dynamic SQL, beware of SQL injection, a security risk. For more information about SQL injection, see "SQL Injection".

Topics

Syntax
Semantics
Examples
Related Topics

Syntax

execute_immediate_statement ::=

Description of the illustration execute_immediate_statement.gif

See:

using_clause ::=

Description of the illustration using_clause.gif

Semantics

execute_immediate_statement

dynamic_sql_stmt

String literal, string variable, or string expression that represents a SQL statement. Its type must be either CHAR, VARCHAR2, or CLOB.

Note:

If dynamic_sql_statement is a SELECT statement, and you omit both into_clause and bulk_collect_into_clause, then execute_immediate_statement never executes.

For example, this statement never increments the sequence:

EXECUTE IMMEDIATE 'SELECT S.NEXTVAL FROM DUAL'

into_clause

Specifies the variables or record in which to store the column values that the statement returns. For more information about this clause, see "RETURNING INTO Clause".

Restriction on into_clause Use if and only if dynamic_sql_stmt returns a single row.

bulk_collect_into_clause

Specifies one or more collections in which to store the rows that the statement returns. For more information about this clause, see "RETURNING INTO Clause".

Restriction on bulk_collect_into_clause Use if and only if dynamic_sql_stmt can return multiple rows.

using_clause

Specifies bind variables.

Restrictions on using_clause

Use if and only if dynamic_sql_stmt includes placeholders for bind variables.
If dynamic_sql_stmt has a RETURNING INTO clause, using_clause can contain only IN bind variables. The bind variables in the RETURNING INTO clause are OUT bind variables by definition.

dynamic_returning_clause

Returns the column values of the rows affected by the dynamic SQL statement, in either individual variables or records. For more information about this clause, see "RETURNING INTO Clause".

Restriction on dynamic_returning_clause Use if and only if dynamic_sql_stmt has a RETURNING INTO clause.

using_clause

IN, OUT, IN OUT

Parameter modes of bind variables. An IN bind variable passes its value to dynamic_sql_stmt. An OUT bind variable stores a value that dynamic_sql_stmt returns. An IN OUT bind variable passes its initial value to dynamic_sql_stmt and stores a value that dynamic_sql_stmt returns. Default: IN.

For DML a statement with a RETURNING clause, you can place OUT bind variables in the RETURNING INTO clause without specifying the parameter mode, which is always OUT.

bind_argument

An expression whose value replaces its corresponding placeholder in dynamic_sql_stmt at run time.

Every placeholder in dynamic_sql_stmt must be associated with a bind_argument in the USING clause or RETURNING INTO clause (or both) or with a define variable in the INTO clause.

You can run dynamic_sql_stmt repeatedly using different values for the bind variables. You incur some overhead, because EXECUTE IMMEDIATE prepares the dynamic string before every execution.

Restriction on bind_argument The value of bind_argument cannot be TRUE, FALSE, or NULL. To pass the value NULL to the dynamic SQL statement, use an uninitialized variable where you want to use NULL, as in "Uninitialized Variable Represents NULL in USING Clause".

Examples