Reference Manual
   CHAPTER 9. SQL Statements     

PRINT statement [T-SQL]

Function 

To display a message on the message window of the database server or return a message to the client window.

Syntax 

PRINT format-string [, arg-list]

Authorization 

Must be connected to the database.

Side effects 

None.

See also 

MESSAGE statement

Description 

The PRINT statement returns a message to the client window if you are connected from an Open Client application or JDBC application. If you are connected from an Embedded SQL or ODBC application, the message is displayed on the database server window.

The format string can contain placeholders for the arguments in the optional argument list. These placeholders are of the form %nn!, where nn is an integer between 1 and 20.

Standards and compatibility 

• SQL/92     Transact-SQL extension.

• Sybase     Supported by Adaptive Server Enterprise.

Examples 

• The following procedure displays a message on the server message window:

  CREATE PROCEDURE print_test
  AS
  PRINT 'Procedure called successfully' 

  The statement

  EXECUTE print_test

  returns the string Procedure called successfully to the client.

• The following statement illustrates the use of placeholders in the PRINT statement:

  DECLARE @var1 INT, @var2 INT
  SELECT @var1 = 3, @var2 = 5
  PRINT 'Variable 1 = %1!, Variable 2 = %2!', @var1, @var2