Cannot use sqlplus variable in create sequence statement

Question

Hello!
I would like to create a sequence object starting with a number retrieved from a select statement:
var max_resp_no number;
begin
select max(substr(resp_no,2)) into :max_resp_no from brc_mast
where substr(resp_no,1,1)='Z';
end;
print max_resp_no;
drop sequence p659_resp;
create sequence p659_resp start with :max_resp_no;
It tells me that :max_resp_no is an 'invalid number';
TIA,
habeeb

Answer 1

You need to do this entirely in PL/SQL. You can either create a procedure, or use an anonymous block. The procedure version is below. Just change the CREATE to a DECLARE to get an anonymous block.
CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE new_seq IS
max_resp_no NUMBER;
BEGIN
SELECT to_number(MAX(SUBSTR(resp_no,2)))
INTO max_resp_no
FROM brc_mast
WHERE SUBSTR(resp_no,1,1)='Z';
EXECUTE IMMEDIATE 'DROP SEQUENCE p659_resp';
EXECUTE IMMEDIATE 'CREATE SEQUENCE p659_resp START WITH '|| max_resp_no;
END;
SQL> CREATE SEQUENCE p659_resp START WITH 1;
Sequence created.
SQL> SELECT p659_resp.nextval from dual;
   NEXTVAL
         1
SQL> SELECT * FROM brc_mast;
RESP_
Z001
Z002
Z003
Z075
SQL> exec new_seq;
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL> select p659_resp.nextval from dual;
   NEXTVAL
        75Note that the user creating this procedure will need to have CREATE SEQUENCE granted explicitly for the procedure to work. The anonymous block version should work if CREATE SEQUENCE is granted through a role.
John