GOTO (Transact-SQL)
Alters the flow of execution to a label. The Transact-SQL statement or statements that follow GOTO are skipped and processing continues at the label. GOTO statements and labels can be used anywhere within a procedure, batch, or statement block. GOTO statements can be nested.
.gif "Topic link icon")
Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions
Syntax
Define the label:
label:
Alter the execution:
GOTO label
Arguments
- label
Is the point after which processing starts if a GOTO is targeted to that label. Labels must follow the rules for identifiers. A label can be used as a commenting method whether GOTO is used.
Remarks
GOTO can exist within conditional control-of-flow statements, statement blocks, or procedures, but it cannot go to a label outside the batch. GOTO branching can go to a label defined before or after GOTO.
Permissions
GOTO permissions default to any valid user.
Examples
The following example shows how to use GOTO as a branch mechanism.
DECLARE @Counter int;
SET @Counter = 1;
WHILE @Counter < 10
BEGIN
SELECT @Counter
SET @Counter = @Counter + 1
IF @Counter = 4 GOTO Branch_One --Jumps to the first branch.
IF @Counter = 5 GOTO Branch_Two --This will never execute.
END
Branch_One:
SELECT 'Jumping To Branch One.'
GOTO Branch_Three; --This will prevent Branch_Two from executing.
Branch_Two:
SELECT 'Jumping To Branch Two.'
Branch_Three:
SELECT 'Jumping To Branch Three.'