Question

In SSMS 2012, after setting Options > Query Execution > ANSI > SET IMPLICIT_TRANSACTIONS, cf this SO post

I have the following code in a query window:

begin transaction 
    select @@TRANCOUNT
    begin
    declare @someNumber int; set @someNumber = 1; 
    print @someNumber;
    end
rollback 

When I select the whole block and press Execute, I see the expected result, i.e. 1.

However, when I select the first 4 lines and execute, then select line 5, i.e. print @someNumber;, I got the following message:

Msg 137, Level 15, State 2, Line 1
Must declare the scalar variable “@someNumber”.

What is exactly the scope of the variable?

I’m baffled. Can someone shed any light or point me to the right direction please?

Answer 1

The variable is scoped per batch.

The scope of a local variable is the batch in which it is declared.

Each press of “Execute” is a batch. So, for the 2nd run, it isn’t declared

What are doing with 2 runs is this

--start of batch 1
    begin transaction 
        select @@TRANCOUNT
        begin
        declare @someNumber int; set @someNumber = 1; 
--end of batch 1
        GO --separate batch after this
--start of batch 2
        print @someNumber;
        end
    rollback
--end of batch 2