Thanks Helen,

Daniel


--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, Helen Borrie <helebor@t...>
wrote:

> At 10:15 AM 20/06/2004 +0000, you wrote:
> >Hi all,
> >This is probably obvious but what is wrong with this stored
> >procedure? I
> >get the error invalid character ":" Can I not do this?
> >
> >begin
> > if (:suptype is null) then
> > begin
>
> Yup: the colon is illegal here.
>
> > :suptype = 'type';
> > end
>
> The rule about the colon is: it is required in SQL statements;

otherwise

> it's illegal. Although the reason for the rule might seem a bit

obscure,

> it's simple: it's possible to have variables (local, input args,

output

> args) that have the same names as columns from tables. Therefore,

whenever

> you involve a variable in an SQL statement, you mark it with a

colon. When

> you use it in a PSQL statement, no colon.
>
> /heLen