SQL Server 2008 Stored Procedure with multiple output parameters

Question

I have a stored procedure as follows:

ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[sp_web_orders_insert]
(
    @userId int = default,
    @custId int = default,
    @orderDate datetime = default,
    @orderTotal money = default,
    @statusId int = default,
    @orderReference varchar(50) = default,
    @custReference varchar(50) = default,
    @order_ID INT output,
    @orderReferenceOutput varchar(50) output
)
AS


    SET NOCOUNT OFF;
    INSERT INTO [web_orders] ([user_ID], [cust_ID], [orderDate], [orderTotal], [statusId], [orderReference], [custReference]) VALUES (@userId, @custId, @orderDate, @orderTotal, @statusId , 'PLC' + REPLICATE('0', (7 - LEN((select MAX(order_ID) from web_orders)))) +  CAST((select(max(order_ID)+1) from web_orders) AS VARCHAR(5)), @custReference);

    SELECT @order_ID = @@IDENTITY
    RETURN @order_ID

    SELECT @orderReferenceOutput = 'PLC' + REPLICATE('0', (7 - LEN((select MAX(order_ID) from web_orders)))) +  CAST((select(max(order_ID)+1) from web_orders) AS VARCHAR(5))
    RETURN @orderReferenceOutput 

For some reason the second output parameter @orderReferenceOutput returns nothing. The purpose of this second output parameter is to retrieve a column I have just inserted into the database.

Answer 1

You have multiple output parameters, you should be using them. RETURN values are for error/status codes, not for data.

ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[sp_web_orders_insert]
    @userId ...,
    @order_ID INT OUTPUT,
    @orderReferenceOutput VARCHAR(50) OUTPUT
AS
BEGIN
    SET NOCOUNT OFF; -- WHY?????????

    INSERT INTO [web_orders] (user_ID, ...) SELECT @userId, ...;

    SELECT @order_ID = SCOPE_IDENTITY(); -- preferred over @@IDENTITY;

    -- using @order_ID here instead of SELECT MAX() twice:

    SELECT @orderReferenceOutput = 'PLC' 
        + REPLICATE('0', (7 - LEN((@order_ID+1))))
        + CAST((@order_ID+1) AS VARCHAR(5)) -- (5)? This breaks when you hit order #100,000

    RETURN; -- do not RETURN any data - it's already in your OUTPUT parameters!
END
GO

Answer 2

Procedure execution ends after your first RETURN which "Exits unconditionally from a query or procedure."

RETURN @order_ID

Instead, consider returning both values as one recordset with

SELECT @order_ID AS OrderID, @orderReferenceOutput AS OrderReference

at the end of the procedure.