Using System Procedures

A parameter is an argument to a stored or system procedure.

If a parameter value for a system procedure contains reserved words, punctuation, or embedded blanks, you must enclose it in single or double quotes. If the parameter is an object name, and the object name is qualified by a database name or owner name, enclose the entire name in single or double quotes.

System procedures can be invoked during a session using either chained or unchained transaction mode. Chained mode implicitly begins a transaction before any data retrieval or modification statement. Unchained mode requires explicit begin transaction statements paired with commit transaction or rollback transaction statements to complete the transaction. See Transact-SQL Users Guide > Transactions: Maintaining Data Consistency and Recovery.

You cannot execute the system procedures that modify data in system tables in the master database from within a transaction, since this may compromise recovery. You cannot run system procedures that create temporary worktables from transactions.

If no transaction is active when you execute a system procedure, SAP ASE turns off chained mode and sets transaction isolation level 1 for the duration of the procedure. Before returning, the session’s chained mode and isolation level are reset to their original settings. See Transact-SQL Users Guide > Transactions: Maintaining Data Consistency and Recovery.

All system procedures report a return status. For example, the following means that the procedure executed successfully:
return status = 0 

If the system procedures do not execute successfully, the return status is a number other than 0.