SAP HANA Procedure Dynamic SQL Select Into Variable: Not Working

Question

Any ideas on how to use spatial functions in either a procedure or a calculation view? I cannot use a table function, as I need a cursor. Please see issues below:

I tried dynamic SQL in a stored procedure with select into (Doesn't allow into): (About three months back it did work, but now cannot activate?) This blog says it should work: https://blogs.sap.com/2017/04/18/sap-hana-2.0-sps-01-new-developer-features-database-development/

Dynamic SQL:

EXECUTE IMMEDIATE 'SELECT NEW ST_Point(' || char(39) || 'POINT(' || decEndPointLong1 || ' ' || decEndPointLat1 || ')' || char(39) || ', 4326).ST_Distance( NEW ST_Point(' || char(39) || 'POINT(' || CURRLONG || ' ' || CURRLAT || ')' || char(39) || ', 4326)) FROM DUMMY' INTO dDistEP1;

Then, I thought that I would create a calculation view, This blog says it should work: https://blogs.sap.com/2018/02/23/compute-distance-using-a-calculation-view-xs-advanced-model/

But, does not allow the use of spatial functions in ether columnengine or SQL engine.

Calculated Column:

I went back and tried to re-activate the procedure that contains this code and has been working, and still works, but if I edit it and try to activate it has the same compile error. Cannot select into variable. So, something has changed since I first created this procedure.

Answer 1

​Wow, I stumbled upon an alternate syntax that does not need single quotes: ​https://blogs.sap.com/2017/02/17/transforming-spatial-data-in-sap-hana/

SELECT NEW ST_Point(-117.0400842, 32.92197086).ST_SRID(4326).ST_Distance( NEW ST_Point(-117.0394467, 32.92241185).ST_SRID(4326)) FROM DUMMY

Now, I think that I can eliminate the Dynamic SQL.

Looking at the two differ ways:

1) SELECT NEW ST_Point(-117.0400842, 32.92197086).ST_SRID(4326).ST_Distance( NEW ST_Point(-117.0394467, 32.92241185).ST_SRID(4326)) FROM DUMMY;
2) SELECT NEW ST_Point('POINT(-117.0400842 32.92197086)', 4326).ST_Distance( NEW ST_Point('POINT(-117.0394467 32.92241185)', 4326)) FROM DUMMY;

They yield slightly different results (meters):

1. 77.06
2. 77.12

Probably, because (1) converts a calculated point to 4326, and (2) calculates the point based on 4326.

So, this code:

EXECUTE IMMEDIATE 'SELECT NEW ST_Point(' || char(39) || 'POINT(' || decEndPointLong1 || ' ' || decEndPointLat1 || ')' || char(39) || ', 4326).ST_Distance( NEW ST_Point(' || char(39) || 'POINT(' || CURRLONG || ' ' || CURRLAT || ')' || char(39) || ', 4326)) FROM DUMMY' INTO dDistEP1;

​Boiled down to:

SELECT r1.FROMLAT  INTO decEndPointLat1  FROM DUMMY;
SELECT r1.FROMLONG INTO decEndPointLong1 FROM DUMMY;
SELECT NEW ST_Point(decEndPointLong1, decEndPointLat1).ST_SRID(4326) INTO stEndCoord1 FROM DUMMY;
    
SELECT NEW ST_Point(CURRLONG, CURRLAT).ST_SRID(4326) INTO stCurrCoord FROM DUMMY;
    
SELECT stEndCoord1.ST_Distance(stCurrCoord) INTO dDistEP1 FROM DUMMY;