VAREXISTS( variable-name-string )

INT

• CREATE VARIABLE statement
• DECLARE statement
• IF statement

The following IF statement creates a variable with a name start_time if one is not already created or declared. The variable can then be used safely.

IF VAREXISTS( 'start_time' ) = 0 THEN
    CREATE VARIABLE start_time TIMESTAMP;
END IF;
SET start_time = current timestamp;