Oracle PL/SQL - ORA-01403 “No data found” when using “SELECT INTO” - plsql

Question

I have a pl sql code that execute three queries sequentially to determine a match level and do some logic
The issue is - when first query has no results (completely valid scenario) I get ORA-01403 No data found.
I understand that I need to incorporate [ Exception clause when NO_DATA_FOUND ]- but how to add it and continue to the next query?
PL/SQL Code
SELECT A into PARAM A FROM SAMPLE WHERE SOME CONDITION;
-- GOT ORA-01403 No data found HERE
MATCH_LEVEL =1;
if A is null then
do some logic;
end if
SELECT A INTO PARAM_B FROM SAMPLE WHERE SOME OTHER CONDITION
MATCH_LEVEL =2
if A is null then
do some logic 2;
end if
SELECT A INTO PARAM_B FROM SAMPLE WHERE SOME OTHER CONDITION
MATCH_LEVEL =3
if A is null then
do some logic 3;
end if
END PL/SQL Code

Answer 1

Declare
--your declarations
begin
SELECT A into PARAM A FROM SAMPLE WHERE SOME CONDITION;
-- GOT ORA-01403 No data found HERE
Begin
MATCH_LEVEL =1;
if A is null then
do some logic;
end if;
EXCEPTION
WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
dbms_output.put_line ('Error...');
END;
--- and son on for other blocks
end;

Answer 2

Just surround your SELECT INTO with begin-end;
begin
-- your faulty statement here
Exception
When NO_DATA_FOUND Then
-- Do what you want or nothing
WHEN TOO_MANY_ROWS THEN
-- what if you get more then one row? and need specific handler for this
When OTHERS Then
-- do something here or nothing (optional - may happen if you have more than your SELECT INTO between 'begin' and 'Exception')
end;
This is like try block of PL/Sql
With this technique you can log the reason your statement failed.

Answer 3

For a SELECT ... INTO ... statement, the PL/SQL engine assume there will be one, and only one row returned by your query. If there is no row, or more than one, an exception is raised.
FWIW, you can handle such cases without resorting on exception handling by using aggregate functions. That way, there will always be only one row in the result set.
Assuming A can't be NULL in your rows:
SELECT MAX(A) into PARAM A FROM SAMPLE WHERE SOME CONDITION;
-- A would be NULL if there was *no* row. Otherwise, it is *the* value for *the* row
MATCH_LEVEL =1;
if A is null then
do some logic;
end if
If the NULL value is a possible case, just add an extra COUNT(*) column:
SELECT MAX(A), COUNT(*) into A, HAS_FOUND_ROW FROM SAMPLE WHERE SOME CONDITION;
if HAS_FOUND_ROW > 0 then
...
end if;

Answer 4

Oracle will not allow you to open an implicit cursor (i.e. a select statement in the body of a code block) that returns no rows. You have two options here (3 really, counting #Sylvain's answer, but that is an unusual approach): use an explicit cursor or handle the error.
Explicit Cursor
An explicit cursor is one found in the DECLARE section it must be opened and fetched manually (or in a FOR loop). This has the added advantage that, if you parameterize the query properly, you can write it once and use it multiple times.
DECLARE
a sample.a%type;
MATCH_LEVEL number;
cursor cur_params (some_column_value number) is
SELECT A FROM SAMPLE WHERE some_column = some_column_value;
BEGIN
MATCH_LEVEL := 1;
open cur_params (match_level);
fetch cur_params into a;
close cur_params;
if A is null then
null; --some logic goes here
end if;
MATCH_LEVEL := 2;
open cur_params (match_level);
fetch cur_params into a;
close cur_params;
if A is null then
null; --some logic goes here
end if;
end;
Handle the error
If you choose to handle the error, you'll need to create a BEGIN...END block around the code that is going to throw the error. When disregarding an error, it's crucial that you ensure that you are only disregarding the specific error you want avoid, when generated from the specific statement you expect it from. If you simply add the EXCEPTION section to your existing BEGIN...END block, for instance, you couldn't know which statement generated it, or even if it was really the error you expected.
DECLARE
a sample.a%type;
MATCH_LEVEL number;
BEGIN
MATCH_LEVEL := 1;
BEGIN
SELECT A into A FROM SAMPLE WHERE some_column = MATCH_LEVEL;
EXCEPTION
WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
null; --Do nothing
END;
if A is null then
null; --some logic goes here
end if;
MATCH_LEVEL := 2;
BEGIN
SELECT A into A FROM SAMPLE WHERE some_column = MATCH_LEVEL;
EXCEPTION
WHEN NO_DATA_FOUND THEN
null; --Do nothing
END;
if A is null then
null; --some logic goes here
end if;
end;
While I'd discourage it, you can catch any other errors in the same exception blocks. However, by definition, those errors would be unexpected, so it would be a poor practice to discard them (you'll never know they even happened!). Generally speaking, if you use a WHEN OTHERS clause in your exception handling, that clause should always conclude with RAISE;, so that the error gets passed up to the next level and is not lost.