cursor (T-SQL)

A data type for variables or stored procedure OUTPUT parameters that contain a reference to a cursor. Any variables created with the cursor data type are nullable.

The operations that can reference variables and parameters having a cursor data type are:

• The DECLARE @local_variable and SET @local_variable statements.
• The OPEN, FETCH, CLOSE, and DEALLOCATE cursor statements.
• Stored procedure output parameters.
• The CURSOR_STATUS function.
• The sp_cursor_list, sp_describe_cursor, sp_describe_cursor_tables, and sp_describe_cursor_columns system stored procedures.

Important The cursor data type cannot be used for a column in a CREATE TABLE statement.

See Also