<p>MySQL raises error 1415 (ER_SP_NO_RETSET) when a stored function, trigger, or event tries to return a result set, which is only permitted from stored procedures.</p>
<p>MySQL Error 1415: ER_SP_NO_RETSET means a function, trigger, or event tried to return a result set. Move the SELECT into a stored procedure or assign values to variables to fix the problem.</p>
Not allowed to return a result set from a %s
Error 1415 fires when MySQL detects a SELECT statement inside a stored function, trigger, or event that would send rows back to the caller. Only stored procedures may stream result sets, so MySQL blocks the operation and shows the message “Not allowed to return a result set from a %s”.
The placeholder %s becomes “function”, “trigger”, or “event” depending on the routine type. Ignoring the rule can break applications, stall migrations, and expose unwanted data. Understanding the restriction and available work-arounds is essential for reliable code.
A routine category that disallows result sets is calling SELECT without INTO or OPEN CURSOR. MySQL views this as an attempt to send rows to the client, triggering error 1415 immediately at compile or runtime.
The error also appears when a trigger contains a CALL to a stored procedure that itself returns data. MySQL evaluates the full stack and stops execution if any disallowed routine ultimately attempts to stream rows.
Convert the routine to a stored procedure if you genuinely need to stream rows. Procedures can freely use SELECT to return result sets to the caller.
If the routine must remain a function or trigger, rewrite each SELECT to store values in variables or temporary tables. Fetch rows with SELECT ... INTO var or use INSERT INTO temp_table ... SELECT.
Reporting functions often try to run SELECT * FROM table. Replace the query with a procedure or return an aggregated scalar such as COUNT.
Audit triggers sometimes call procedures that return diagnostic information. Add a NO_RESULT procedure wrapper that stores the output into local tables instead of emitting it.
Design routines with clear boundaries: procedures for data retrieval, functions for deterministic scalar results, and triggers for side-effects only. This prevents accidental SELECT leakage.
Use a modern SQL editor like Galaxy to lint routines before deployment. Galaxy highlights disallowed SELECT statements in functions and triggers, reducing production errors.
Error 1336 (ER_SP_BADRETURN) appears when a function returns an incorrect type. Error 1337 (ER_SP_BADSELECT) flags SELECT misuse in stored procedures with NO SQL or READS SQL DATA modifiers. The fixes mirror those for error 1415: adjust routine type or rewrite SQL.
A direct SELECT without INTO inside a function streams rows and triggers error 1415.
A BEFORE or AFTER trigger that invokes a procedure returning rows inherits the violation.
An EVENT that tries to output rows to the client raises the same error because events cannot return data.
Developers sometimes add SELECT for debugging and forget to remove it, causing failures in production.
Raised when a stored function returns a result type inconsistent with its declaration.
Occurs when a procedure marked NO SQL or READS SQL DATA contains a SELECT that modifies data.
Triggered by unsupported statements in stored routines, such as COMMIT inside a trigger.
No. The limitation is hard-coded in MySQL to maintain transactional and deterministic guarantees for functions, triggers, and events.
Functions are meant to return a single deterministic value and can be used inside SQL expressions, while procedures are designed for broader logic and interactive data retrieval.
Yes. MariaDB inherits the same rule and will raise ER_SP_NO_RETSET for functions, triggers, and events attempting to return result sets.
Galaxy’s context-aware linting flags SELECT statements inside functions and triggers before you run them, guiding you to convert or rewrite the code.
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