FREE

The FREE statement releases the memory associated to a cursor or prepared statement.

General format

EXEC SQL [AT Database]     FREE Host-Variable   END-EXEC

Syntax rules

1.	Host-Variable must be defined as USAGE HANDLE in DATA DIVISION.

General Rules

1.	Database identifies the active connection that will execute the query and must be previously defined using a Format 4 DECLARE statement.

Examples

This sample allocates a cursor handle, uses it and releases it at the end. Allocate is an Oracle specific SQL statement.

exec sql allocate :cur-hndl end-exec.   exec sql execute    begin         open :cur-hndl for select * from emp;    end; end-exec.   exec sql fetch :cur-hndl into :empno,:ename end-exec.   exec sql free :cur-hndl end-exec.

Prepare a statement to insert a row, execute it and free the handle.

working-storage section. ... 77 cmd handle. ... procedure division. ...  exec sql      prepare :cmd from          "insert into cust_table values (2010,'Evan Raymond','New York')" end-exec   exec sql      execute :cmd end-exec   exec sql      free :cmd end-exec