Re: What is wrong with the following PL/SQL Block?

"Andrew Wong" <andrew_at_i-cable.com> wrote in message news:<ahv77r$jbp1_at_rain.i-cable.com>...
> What is wrong with the following PL/SQL Block?
>
>
> DECLARE
> a NUMBER;
> b VARCHAR2(30) DEFAULT 'My String';
> BEGIN
> a:=10;
> a:=SYSDATE+a;
> b:=b+' is not null';
> ...
> DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(b);
> ...
> END;

1. a is NUMBER and you cannot assign SYSDATE (DATE) to it
2. "+" is a math operator in PLSQL. To concatenate a string, use double pipes ||

Here is how you can write your block

DECLARE
    a NUMBER;
    b VARCHAR2(30) DEFAULT 'My String';
    c DATE;
BEGIN

    a := 10;
    c := SYSDATE + a;
    b := b || ' is not null';

    DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(b);
...
END; HTH
//Rauf Sarwar Received on Mon Jul 29 2002 - 00:01:47 CEST