---
title: "DECLARE"
id: ecpg-sql-declare
pg_version: "20devel"
---

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# DECLARE — define a cursor

## Synopsis

```
DECLARE cursor_name [ BINARY ] [ ASENSITIVE | INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ] CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR prepared_name
DECLARE cursor_name [ BINARY ] [ ASENSITIVE | INSENSITIVE ] [ [ NO ] SCROLL ] CURSOR [ { WITH | WITHOUT } HOLD ] FOR query
```

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## Description

`DECLARE` declares a cursor for iterating over the result set of a prepared statement. This command has slightly different semantics from the direct SQL command `DECLARE`: Whereas the latter executes a query and prepares the result set for retrieval, this embedded SQL command merely declares a name as a "loop variable" for iterating over the result set of a query; the actual execution happens when the cursor is opened with the `OPEN` command. 

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## Parameters

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**`cursor_name`**

 A cursor name, case sensitive. This can be an SQL identifier or a host variable. <a id="ecpg-sql-declare-prepared-name"></a>

**`prepared_name`**

 The name of a prepared query, either as an SQL identifier or a host variable. <a id="ecpg-sql-declare-query"></a>

**`query`**

 A [SELECT](sql-select.md) or [VALUES](sql-values.md) command which will provide the rows to be returned by the cursor. For the meaning of the cursor options, see [DECLARE](sql-declare.md). 

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## Examples

Examples declaring a cursor for a query: 
EXEC SQL DECLARE C CURSOR FOR SELECT * FROM My_Table;
EXEC SQL DECLARE C CURSOR FOR SELECT Item1 FROM T;
EXEC SQL DECLARE cur1 CURSOR FOR SELECT version();
 

An example declaring a cursor for a prepared statement: 
EXEC SQL PREPARE stmt1 AS SELECT version();
EXEC SQL DECLARE cur1 CURSOR FOR stmt1;
 

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## Compatibility

`DECLARE` is specified in the SQL standard. 

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## See Also

[OPEN](ecpg-sql-open.md), [CLOSE](sql-close.md), [DECLARE](sql-declare.md)