sql select statement question from newbie

I want to do something like the following:

   select * from payroll_employee_master      where :emp_number = emp_#;
   if sqlcode < 0 go to Ora-Err;

   I'm just checking to see if :emp_number is in    the payroll_employee_master table. This sql select    statement will be in a procobol program. Is this an okay    way to handle this? Is there a better way?

   Thanks,
   Martin Meadows Received on Tue Apr 28 1998 - 00:00:00 CDT