{"id":1460,"date":"2017-11-10T09:43:04","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T02:43:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oracletutorial.com\/?page_id=1460"},"modified":"2025-05-24T06:23:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T13:23:56","slug":"plsql-continue","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.oracletutorial.com\/plsql-tutorial\/plsql-continue\/","title":{"rendered":"PL\/SQL CONTINUE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the PL\/SQL CONTINUE<\/code> or CONTINUE WHEN<\/code> statement to exit the current loop iteration unconditionally or conditionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PL\/SQL CONTINUE statement #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The CONTINUE<\/code> statement allows you to exit the current loop iteration and immediately continue on to the next iteration of that loop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the syntax of the CONTINUE<\/code> statement:<\/p>\n\n\n

CONTINUE;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
IF condition THEN\n    CONTINUE;\nEND<\/span> IF<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
PL\/SQL CONTINUE statement example #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The following is a simple example of using the CONTINUE<\/code> statement to skip over loop body execution for odd numbers:<\/p>\n\n\n
BEGIN<\/span>\n  FOR<\/span> n_index IN<\/span> 1<\/span> .. 10<\/span>\n  LOOP<\/span>\n    -- skip odd numbers<\/span>\n    IF<\/span> MOD<\/span>( n_index, 2<\/span> ) = 1<\/span> THEN<\/span>\n      CONTINUE;\n    END<\/span> IF<\/span>;\n    DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE( n_index );\n  END<\/span> LOOP<\/span>;\nEND<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The output is:<\/p>\n\n\n
2\n4\n6\n8\n10<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
PL\/SQL CONTINUE WHEN statement #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The CONTINUE WHEN<\/code> statement exits the current loop iteration based on a condition and immediately continues to the next iteration of that loop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s the syntax of CONTINUE WHEN<\/code> statement:<\/p>\n\n\n
CONTINUE WHEN condition;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
The condition of the WHEN<\/code> clause is evaluated each time the CONTINUE WHEN<\/code> statement is reached. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the condition is TRUE<\/code>, the current loop is skipped, and control is transferred to the next iteration of the loop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the condition is not TRUE<\/code>, either FALSE<\/code> or NULL<\/code>, the CONTINUE WHEN<\/code> statement does nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IF condition THEN\n    CONTINUE;\nEND<\/span> IF<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
PL\/SQL CONTINUE statement example #<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The following example illustrates how to use the CONTINUE WHEN<\/code> statement to skip over loop body execution for even numbers:<\/p>\n\n\n
BEGIN<\/span>\n  FOR<\/span> n_index IN<\/span> 1<\/span> .. 10<\/span>\n  LOOP<\/span>\n    -- skip even numbers<\/span>\n    CONTINUE\n  WHEN<\/span> MOD<\/span>( n_index, 2<\/span> ) = 0<\/span>;\n    DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE( n_index );\n  END<\/span> LOOP<\/span>;\nEND<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Here is the output:<\/p>\n\n\n
1\n3\n5\n7\n9<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> SQL (Structured Query Language)<\/span> (<\/span>sql<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Summary #<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Use the CONTINUE<\/code> statement to skip the current loop iteration and start the next one immediately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Similar to the CONTINUE<\/code> statement, you can use the CONTINUE WHEN<\/code> statement in LOOP<\/a><\/code>, FOR LOOP<\/a><\/code> and WHILE LOOP<\/a><\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Essentially, the CONTINUE WHEN<\/code> statement is the combination of  an IF THEN<\/a><\/code> statement and CONTINUE<\/code> statement:<\/p>\n\n\n
The CONTINUE<\/code> can be used in all loop constructs including LOOP<\/a><\/code>, FOR LOOP<\/a><\/code> and WHILE LOOP<\/a><\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Typically, the CONTINUE<\/code> statement is used within an IF THEN<\/a><\/code> statement to exit the current loop iteration based on a specified condition as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n