Cursor finding zero records is not going into an exception - Why?

Question

Hi:
I have a stored procedure I am running that opens and returns a ref cursor but if the cursor doesnt have any records in it, it isnt firing an exception.
Thanks for any help
PROCEDURE GetPaymentHistory
     (     pi_seq_memb_id      IN NUMBER,
          out_status           OUT NUMBER,
          out_message           OUT VARCHAR2,
          po_curPmtHist          OUT P_EBIZ_DIAM_CONN.cursorType)
     AS
          vsql                VARCHAR2(2000);
          memb_id           NUMBER;
          vSpc                VARCHAR2(1);
          vComma           VARCHAR2(1);
          vLength           NUMBER;
          vDescription      VARCHAR2(60);                    
     BEGIN
          memb_id := pi_seq_memb_id;
          vSpc := '';
          vComma := ',';
          vDescription := '';
          vsql := '' || '';          
          OPEN po_curPmtHist FOR
          SELECT
               (SELECT DISTINCT BB.BILLING_SCHEDULE_TYPE
          FROM HSD_MEMBER_ELIG_HISTORY MEH
               INNER JOIN BILLABLE_GROUP_BCONFIG BGB ON BGB.SEQ_GROUP_ID = MEH.SEQ_GROUP_ID
               INNER JOIN BILLING_BATCH BB ON BGB.BATCH_ID = BB.BATCH_ID
          WHERE MEH.SEQ_MEMB_ID= m.SEQ_MEMB_ID
                    AND MEH.EFFECTIVE_DATE <= sysdate)      AS billFrequency,
               i.invoice_id                               AS InvoiceNumber,
               i.INVOICE_DATE                               AS InvoiceDate,
               i.INVOICE_FROM_DATE                          AS BillFrom,
               i.INVOICE_THRU_DATE                          AS BillTo,
               i.REPORTED_INVOICE_BALANCE                AS InvoiceAmount,
               i.PAYMENT_DUE_DATE                          AS DueDate,
               T.POST_DATETIME                               AS PaidDate,
               T.AMOUNT                                    AS PaidAmount,     
               i.TOTAL_NEW_CHARGES                          AS NewCharges,
               i.TOTAL_APPLIED_PAYMENTS                AS AppliedPayments,
               i.TOTAL_APPLIED_ADJUSTMENTS                AS AppliedAdjustments,
               i.TOTAL_APPLIED_TRANSFERS                AS AppliedTransfers,
               i.TOTAL_APPLIED_RETRO_TRANS                AS AppliedRetroTransactions,
               i.CURRENT_INVOICE_BALANCE                AS InvoiceBalance,     
               i.PREVIOUS_ACCOUNT_BALANCE                AS PreviousAccountBalance,
               i.TOTAL_REPORTED_PAYMENTS                AS ReportedPayments,
               i.TOTAL_REPORTED_ADJUSTMENTS           AS ReportedAdjustments,
               i.TOTAL_REPORTED_TRANSFERS                AS ReportedTransfers,
               i.TOTAL_REPORTED_RETRO_TRANS           AS ReportedRetroTransactions,
               i.REPORTED_ACCOUNT_BALANCE                AS AccountBalance,     
               F.UNAPPLIED_AMOUNT                          AS unappTotalCash,
               F.POST_DATETIME                               AS unappPostDate,
               F.CREATE_DATETIME                          AS unappTransDate,
               F.FUNDS_TYPE                               AS unappType,
               F.AMOUNT                                    AS unappAmount,
               F.DESCRIPTION                               AS unappDescription
          FROM
               invoice i
               INNER JOIN ar_account a ON i.ar_account_id = a.ar_account_id
               INNER JOIN HSD_MEMBER_MASTER m ON a.SEQ_BILL_ENTITY_ID = m.SEQ_FAMILY_ID
               LEFT OUTER JOIN AR_TRANSACTION T ON T.APPLIED_INVOICE_ID = i.INVOICE_ID
               LEFT OUTER JOIN FUNDS F ON F.funds_id = a.ar_account_id
          WHERE
               m.seq_memb_id = memb_id AND
               a.bill_entity_type='S' ;
          --IF po_curPmtHist%ROWCOUNT = 0 THEN
               --out_status := -1;
               --out_message := 'No record found for Get Payment History';
          -- ELSE
          out_status := 0;
          out_message := 'Get Payment History Success';
          --END IF;           
          EXCEPTION
          WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
               out_status := -1;
               out_message := 'No record found for Get Payment History';
          WHEN OTHERS THEN
               out_status := -1;
               out_message := 'Exception occured: Error Number:' || SQLCODE || ' Err Msg:' || SUBSTR(SQLERRM,1,100);
     END GetPaymentHistory;

Answer 1

I have a stored procedure I am running that opens
s and returns a ref cursor but if the cursor doesnt
have any records in it, This is a fairly common misconception. A cursor is simply a pointer to a compiled or prepared SQL statement with a plan for how to return the data.
Cursors do not contain data. With a ref cursor you are passing a pointer that will allow the caller to fetch the data using the prepared SQL statement.
Re: Regarding the data in a cursor