Apprpriate usage of whenever sqlerror

Docs says: Performs the specified action (exits SQLPlus by default) if a SQL command or PL/SQL block generates an error.*

Nothing easier than an example:

script without WHENEVER clause

Create a script (script1.sql) with the following lines. Note the error in the CREATE TABLE statement for tab1 - this statement will error out.

koens macbook % cat script1.sql
prompt first statement

CREATE TABLE tab1 (col1 NUMBERX);

prompt second statement

CREATE TABLE tab2 (col2 NUMBER);

Now run this script - I'm using sqlcl as client:

18c>@script1
first statement

Error starting at line : 3 File @ /Users/klostrie/tmp/script1.sql
In command -
CREATE TABLE tab1 (col1 NUMBERX)
Error report -
ORA-00902: invalid datatype
00902. 00000 -  "invalid datatype"
*Cause:    
*Action:
second statement

Table TAB2 created.

18c>

Note that the first statement fails as expected but the script continues with the next statement

script with WHENEVER clause

Now lets try the same using WHENEVER SQLERROR

18c>!cat script2.sql
whenever sqlerror exit sql.sqlcode
prompt first statement

CREATE TABLE tab1 (col1 NUMBERX);

prompt second statement

CREATE TABLE tab2 (col2 NUMBER);

18c>@script2
first statement

Error starting at line : 4 File @ /Users/klostrie/tmp/script2.sql
In command -
CREATE TABLE tab1 (col1 NUMBERX)
Error report -
ORA-00902: invalid datatype
00902. 00000 -  "invalid datatype"
*Cause:    
*Action:
Disconnected from Oracle Database 18c EE High Perf Release 18.0.0.0.0 - Production
Version 18.7.0.0.0
koens macbook % 

See the difference ? Because of the WHENEVER SQLERROR EXIT the script stops after the first error and exits the oracle client (sqlcl) with the actual error code (ORA-902)

Check the docs for other arguments of WHENEVER SQLERROR.