How to return string value from the stored procedure

Question

Alter procedure S_Comp(@str1 varchar(20),@r varchar(100) out)
as
declare  @str2 varchar(100)
set @str2  ='welcome to sql server. Sql server is a product of Microsoft'
if(PATINDEX('%'+@str1 +'%',@str2)>0)
    return @str1+'present in the string'
else 
    return @str1+'not present'

I am executing the above stored procedure. I am getting the following error :

Msg 245, Level 16, State 1, Procedure S_Comp, Line 8 Conversion failed when converting the varchar value 'Amruthanot present' to data type int.

Please do help me resolving this

Answer 1

You are placing your result in the RETURN value instead of in the passed @r value.

From MSDN

(RETURN) Is the integer value that is returned. Stored procedures can return an integer value to a calling procedure or an application.

Changing your procedure.

ALTER procedure S_Comp(@str1 varchar(20),@r varchar(100) out) as 

    declare @str2 varchar(100) 
    set @str2 ='welcome to sql server. Sql server is a product of Microsoft' 
    if(PATINDEX('%'+@str1 +'%',@str2)>0) 
        SELECT @r =  @str1+' present in the string' 
    else 
        SELECT @r = @str1+' not present'

Calling the procedure

  DECLARE @r VARCHAR(100)
  EXEC S_Comp 'Test', @r OUTPUT
  SELECT @r

Answer 2

change your

return @str1+'present in the string' ;

to

set @r = @str1+'present in the string' 

Answer 3

Use SELECT or an output parameter. More can be found here: http://www.sqlteam.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=100201

Answer 4

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/language-elements/return-transact-sql?view=sql-server-ver15

Is the integer value that is returned. Stored procedures can return an integer value to a calling procedure or an application.

Syntax syntaxsql

RETURN [ integer_expression ]

it only returns integer values.