[oracle] How to get input from user at runtime

I want to take runtime input from user in Oracle 10g PL/SQL blocks (i.e. interactive communication with user). Is it possible?

declare
x number;
begin
x=&x;
end

this code gives error as

& can't be used in oracle 10g

`DECLARE
c_id customers.id%type := &c_id;
c_name customers.name%type;
c_add customers.address%type;
c_sal customers.salary%type;
a integer := &a`   

Here c_id customers.id%type := &c_id; statement inputs the c_id with type already defined in the table and statement a integer := &a just input integer in variable a.

SQL> DECLARE
  2     a integer;
  3     b integer;
  4  BEGIN
  5     a:=&a;
  6     b:=&b;
  7     dbms_output.put_line('The a value is : ' || a);
  8     dbms_output.put_line('The b value is : ' || b);
  9  END;
 10  /

declare
a number;
b number;
begin
a:= :a;
b:= :b;
if a>b then
dbms_output.put_line('Large number is '||a);
else
dbms_output.put_line('Large number is '||b);
end if;
end;

TRY THIS

declare 
  a number;
begin
  a := :a;
dbms_output.put_line('Inputed Number is >> '|| a);
end;
/  

OR

declare 
  a number;
begin
  a := :x;
dbms_output.put_line('Inputed Number is >> '|| a);
end;
/

its very simple

just write:

//first create table named test....

create table test (name varchar2(10),age number(5));

//when you run the above code a table will be created....

//now we have to insert a name & an age..

Make sure age will be inserted via opening a form that seeks our help to enter the value in it

insert into test values('Deepak', :age);

//now run the above code and you'll get "1 row inserted" output...

/now run the select query to see the output

select * from test;

//that's all ..Now i think no one has any queries left over accepting a user data...

That is because you have used following line to assign the value which is wrong.

x=&x;

In PL/SQL assignment is done using following.

:=

So your code should be like this.

    declare
    x number;
    begin
    x:=&x;
-- Below line will output the number you received as an input
    dbms_output.put_line(x);
    end;
    /

you can try this too And it will work:

DECLARE
  a NUMBER;
  b NUMBER;
BEGIN
  a :=: a; --this will take input from user
  b :=: b;
  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('a = '|| a);
  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('b = '|| b);
END;