Issue with variable value

Question

Apologies for my mistakes, I am learning pl/sql as I have to fix something at work that's broken.
I have this bit of code:
DECLARE
    l_x_contract VARCHAR2(100);
BEGIN
SELECT DISTINCT wiav.text_value
       INTO l_x_contract
   FROM apps.wf_item_attribute_values wiav
      , apps.wf_item_attributes wia
      , apps.wf_items wi
      WHERE wiav.item_type = wia.item_type
    AND wi.item_type = wiav.item_type
    AND wi.item_key = wiav.item_key
    AND wiav.NAME = wia.NAME
    AND wiav.text_value IS NOT NULL
    AND wiav.item_type = 'POAPPRV'
    AND wia.NAME = 'X_CONTRACT_IN_PLACE'
    AND wi.user_key = TO_CHAR(l_this_doc_num);
EXCEPTION
WHEN no_data_found THEN    
     l_x_contract := 'OLD';
     INSERT INTO XX.XTMP(l_id, l_name, l_value) VALUES (APPS.XSEQ.NEXTVAL, 'l_x_contract no_data_found', l_x_contract);
     COMMIT;
END;
IF l_x_contract = 'N' THEN
     l_supplier_flagged := FALSE;
END IF;
IF l_x_contract = 'Y' THEN
     l_supplier_flagged := TRUE;            
END IF;
IF l_x_contract = 'OLD' THEN
     l_supplier_flagged := l_supplier_flagged;                 
END IF;
INSERT INTO XX.XTMP(l_id, l_name, l_value) VALUES (APPS.XSEQ.NEXTVAL, 'l_x_contract end', l_x_contract);
COMMIT;When it runs, and I then select * from XX.XTMP, I see this:
l_id  | l_name                       | l_value
1     | l_x_contract no_data_found   | OLD
2     | l_x_contract end             | Meaning that in the BEGIN block, the code knows the value of "l_x_contract".
Outside the block, by the time the 2nd debug insert runs, it doesn't know the value of "l_x_contract", hence the no value in the debug table for the 2nd insert.
I naively tried changing the top block to:
DECLARE
    l_x_contract VARCHAR2(100);
BEGIN
SELECT DISTINCT wiav.text_value
       INTO l_x_contract
   FROM apps.wf_item_attribute_values wiav
      , apps.wf_item_attributes wia
      , apps.wf_items wi
      , po.po_headers_all pha
  WHERE wiav.item_type = wia.item_type
    AND wi.item_type = wiav.item_type
    AND wi.item_key = wiav.item_key
    AND wiav.NAME = wia.NAME
    AND wi.user_key = pha.segment1
    AND wiav.text_value IS NOT NULL
    AND wiav.item_type = 'POAPPRV'
    AND wia.NAME = 'X_CONTRACT_IN_PLACE'
    AND wi.user_key = TO_CHAR(l_this_doc_num);
    RETURN l_x_contract;
EXCEPTION
WHEN no_data_found THEN
    l_xccc_contract := 'OLD';
    RETURN l_x_contract;
    INSERT INTO XX.XTMP(l_id, l_name, l_value) VALUES (APPS.XSEQ.NEXTVAL, 'l_x_contract no_data_found', l_x_contract);
    COMMIT;
END;But that returns this error:
PLS-00372: In a procedure, RETURN statement cannot contain an expressionHaving googled that, I think I need to create a function in order to return something, as it's not possible to include a return in my block.
Is that right? Is there no other way for the block to let the rest of the code know what the value of the l_x_contract, other than to use a function? I tried to write a function, but made a total mess of it.
Any advice much appreciated, and apologies for being useless, lazy, stupid etc. etc.
Thank you

Answer 1

Given that you say this is a snippet from a procedure in a package, I suspect that the whole procedure has a structure similar to this.
PROCEDURE x
   variable declarations
BEGIN
   some code
   DECLARE
      l_x_contract VARCHAR2(100);
   BEGIN
      SELECT text_value
   EXCEPTION
   END;
   IF l_x_contract = 'N' THEN
   END IF;
END IF;If my assumtion is correct. then the variable l_x_contract is only visible between the DECLARE and the END following the exception block. Just move the declaration of l_x_contract to the main declaration section for the procedure (where I have variable declarations in the skeleton above), then lose the declare altogether. You can have a begin exception end block anywhere without requiring a declare block.
John