Sep 25, 2018 · To use cursors in SQL procedures, you need to do the following: 1.Declare a cursor that defines a result set. 2.Open the cursor to establish the result set. 3.Fetch the data into local variables as needed from the cursor, one row at a time. 4.Close the cursor when done.

Jan 15, 2025 · What is a Cursor in SQL? A cursor in SQL is a temporary memory or workspace allocated by the database server to process DML (Data Manipulation Language) operations. It allows processing query results row-by-row instead of applying operations to the entire set. Cursors are especially useful for: Performing complex row-by-row operations.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the SQL Server cursor to process a result set, one row at a time.

DECLARE CURSOR defines the attributes of a Transact-SQL server cursor, such as its scrolling behavior and the query used to build the result set on which the cursor operates. The OPEN statement populates the result set, and FETCH returns a row from the result set.

Dec 18, 2024 · What is a SQL Server Cursor? A SQL Server cursor is a set of T-SQL logic that loops over a predetermined number of rows one at a time. The purpose of the cursor may be to update one row at a time or perform an administrative process, such as SQL Server database backups, in a sequential manner.

Dec 7, 2023 · Cursors are an extension to result sets that provide that mechanism. Cursors extend result processing by: Allowing positioning at specific rows of the result set. Retrieving one row or block of rows from the current position in the result set. Supporting data modifications to the rows at the current position in the result set.

Cursors in SQL. Imagine you're at a buffet (mmm, food ?). You have a plate (your cursor), and you're going down the line, picking up one item at a time. That's essentially what a cursor does in SQL – it allows you to process rows from a result set one at a time, rather than all at once.

Opening a cursor on a result set allows processing the result set one row at a time. You can assign a cursor to a variable or parameter with a cursor data type.

Jun 22, 2020 · SQL Server supports 3 different implementations of cursors – Transact-SQL cursors, API cursors, and Client cursors. In this article, we’ll focus on Transact-SQL cursors. You’ll easily recognize them because they are based on the DECLARE CURSOR syntax.

Jun 4, 2014 · So this article takes a step back and provides an explanation as to what SQL Server cursors can be used for as well as a basic example that you can run for yourself to test. SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS), and T-SQL is a transactional programming language.