<p>Error 1421 occurs when a stored routine tries to FETCH, CLOSE, or otherwise manipulate a cursor that has not been opened in the current context.</p>
<p>MySQL Error 1421 ER_STMT_HAS_NO_OPEN_CURSOR appears when you FETCH or CLOSE a cursor that was never opened. Verify the routine flow and ensure each cursor is opened before any operation to resolve the issue.</p>
The statement (%lu) has no open cursor.
MySQL raises error 1421 - ER_STMT_HAS_NO_OPEN_CURSOR - when code attempts to operate on a cursor that is not currently open. The server cannot locate an active cursor for the given statement handle, so execution stops.
This error surfaces in stored procedures, functions, and triggers that rely on DECLARE CURSOR, OPEN, FETCH, and CLOSE. Correcting it is critical because a halted cursor loop can interrupt ETL jobs and transactional processes.
The most common cause is calling FETCH or CLOSE before issuing an OPEN for the same cursor name. Conditional statements that bypass the OPEN path, or exception handlers that skip initialization, can also trigger the error.
Older versions of MySQL may reuse statement handles across calls, leading to stale cursor references. Schema or privilege changes during execution can likewise leave the cursor unopened.
Guarantee that each DECLARE CURSOR is followed by exactly one OPEN before any FETCH or CLOSE. Place the OPEN inside the same conditional branches that contain the FETCH loop. Add exit handlers to ensure CLOSE executes even on errors.
In Galaxy, the live linter flags any FETCH without a matching OPEN, helping you catch issues before deployment.
When a WHILE loop runs multiple times, opening the cursor outside the loop can leave subsequent iterations without an open cursor. Move the OPEN inside the loop or restructure using a LOOP label.
If business logic sometimes skips work, still perform an OPEN and immediate CLOSE for the cursor to satisfy MySQL’s lifecycle rules.
Keep cursor lifecycle short: declare, open, fetch, close in one block. Use unique cursor names, and test routines with PRINT statements or Galaxy’s step-through debugger.
Static analysis tools and peer reviews reduce cursor misuse, preventing runtime failures and maintaining transactional integrity.
Error 1324 occurs when a cursor is opened twice. Error 1325 is thrown when closing a cursor that is not open. Both issues resolve by tracking the correct open-close sequence.
FETCH or CLOSE is executed without a preceding OPEN for the declared cursor.
Conditional logic bypasses the OPEN while later code still references the cursor.
An earlier error causes control flow to skip the OPEN statement, leaving the cursor unopened.
Older MySQL versions reuse statement handles across calls, generating stale references.
Altering tables or revoking privileges invalidates the cursor so subsequent FETCH fails.
Raised when OPEN is executed twice for the same cursor.
Occurs when attempting to CLOSE an unopened cursor.
Thrown when FETCH targets a non-existent cursor handle.
No. The routine halts immediately. You must correct the cursor sequence.
Nearly all cases occur inside stored procedures, functions, or triggers because cursors exist only there.
Upgrading does not change cursor rules. You still need OPEN before any FETCH or CLOSE operation.
Galaxy detects unmatched FETCH statements and warns you in real time, reducing runtime failures.
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