MySQL error 1338 is raised when a cursor is declared after a handler inside a stored routine, violating MySQL’s required declaration order.
MySQL Error 1338: ER_SP_CURSOR_AFTER_HANDLER appears when a DECLARE CURSOR statement comes after a DECLARE HANDLER within the same BEGIN…END block. Reorder the code so all cursors precede handlers to compile successfully.
Cursor declaration after handler declaration
MySQL throws error 1338 at compile time when a cursor declaration follows a handler declaration inside the same routine block. The parser enforces a strict order: variables and conditions first, cursors next, handlers last.
The error belongs to SQLSTATE 42000, identifying it as a syntax-rule violation. It prevents the stored procedure or function from compiling until the order is corrected.
Placing a DECLARE CURSOR after any DECLARE HANDLER in the same BEGIN…END scope violates the declaration sequence MySQL expects, triggering error 1338.
Nested BEGIN blocks suffer the same restriction. A cursor declared inside an inner block must still appear before any handlers in that block, even if the outer block is correctly ordered.
Move every cursor declaration so it sits immediately after variable and condition declarations and before any handler declarations in the same scope.
Group all cursor declarations together, then list all handlers. This keeps code readable and eliminates the risk of future ordering mistakes.
When adding a NOT FOUND handler, developers often place it before defining the cursor it refers to. Relocate the cursor above the handler to solve the problem.
Code generators or migration tools may output handlers first. Review generated routines and adjust the order manually or with a post-processing script.
Adopt a standard declaration sequence: variables, conditions, cursors, handlers. Document it in your style guide and enforce it during code reviews.
Galaxy’s real-time linting flags misordered declarations as you type, allowing you to correct them before saving the routine.
Error 1337 ER_SP_VARCOND_AFTER_CUR – raised when a variable or condition follows a cursor. Declare variables first, then cursors.
Error 1334 ER_SP_UNDECLARED_VAR – occurs when a handler references an undeclared cursor. Ensure all cursors are declared before handlers.
The most frequent cause is writing a NOT FOUND or SQLEXCEPTION handler before the cursor it should act on.
Some ORM or migration tools output handlers first, inadvertently breaking MySQL’s declaration rules.
Developers declare a cursor inside an inner BEGIN…END block but forget to move it above a local handler within that block.
Raised when a DECLARE VARIABLE or DECLARE CONDITION appears after a cursor. Follow the order variables, conditions, cursors, handlers.
Occurs when a handler or statement references a cursor that has not been declared in the current scope.
A broad syntax error that may hide cursor-handler ordering issues when multiple problems exist in the routine.
The parser needs the cursor metadata resolved before handlers can reference it. Ordering simplifies dependency resolution and execution planning.
Yes. Encapsulate cursor logic and its handlers inside their own BEGIN…END block, maintaining correct order within that block.
No. Error 1338 is a compile-time error. The procedure will not be created or altered until the ordering is fixed.
Galaxy’s SQL editor highlights misordered DECLARE statements in real time and offers AI-generated fixes, reducing compile failures.
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