Plsql cursor help

Question

i was writing a plsql block using cursors.
the main theme is that is have a table circle(radius, area) and i just wanted to get the sum of the areas in the table "in the traditional way using a while loop but i get errors like"
declare
sum number(6,2) :=0;
area circle.area%type;
cursor selector is select area from circle;
begin
open selector;
if selector%isopen then
while selector%found
loop
fetch selector into area;
sum := sum+area;
end loop;
dbms_output.put_line(area);
close selector;
else
dbms_output.put_line('error opening cursor');
end if;
end;
the errors that come up are
that sum :=sum+area .. error at '+' expecting (
and several others .. can anyone help me
i know i can use the sum aggregate function to get the sum.. but i am practicing plsql...

Answer 1

Hmm. I disagree in part, in that it's useful to know that these methods exist and how they work. I agree that you need to know where and when is best to use (and conversely, not use!) them.
I've learnt about While loops, for example, and could code one if I had to, but I think I've used it at most once, if at all. Still, I know that it's there should I need it.
Perhaps the OP could have used a better example to practise on, but I think they'll learn from it none-the-less; if only that it's not a commonly used technique, and that SQL would be much better suited to the task! *{;-)