SQL defines a set of status parameters that can be part of the parameter list for a procedure definition in a nonstored module. They are SQLSTATE, SQLCODE, and SQLCA. An SQL procedure is required to contain at least one of these status parameters in its parameter list. All status parameters are implicitly output parameters. The purpose of these status parameters is to return the status of each SQL statement that is executed. Each status parameter gives information that allows you to determine whether the statement completed execution or an exception has occurred. These status parameters differ in the amount of diagnostic information they supply, when an exception occurs as follows: o SQLCODE-This is the original SQL error handling mechanism. It is an integer value. SQLCODE differentiates among errors (negative numbers), warnings (positive numbers), successful completion (0), and a special code of 100, which means no data. SQLCODE is a deprecated feature of the ANSI/ISO SQL standard. o SQLCA-This is an extension of the SQLCODE error handling mechanism. It contains other context information that supplements the SQLCODE value. SQLCA is not part of the ANSI/ISO SQL standard. However, many databases such as DB2 and ORACLE RDBMS have defined proprietary semantics and syntax to implement it. o SQLSTATE-This is the error handling mechanism for the ANSI/ISO SQL standard. The SQLSTATE value is a character string that is associated with diagnostic information. See the Oracle Rdb SQL Reference Manual for more detailed information.