<literal>BACKWARD</literal>.

Omitting <replaceable>direction</replaceable> is the same

as specifying <literal>NEXT</literal>.

In the forms using a <replaceable>count</replaceable>,

the <replaceable>count</replaceable> can be any integer-valued

expression (unlike the SQL <command>FETCH</command> command,

which only allows an integer constant).

<replaceable>direction</replaceable> values that require moving

backward are likely to fail unless the cursor was declared or opened

with the <literal>SCROLL</literal> option.

be checked to see whether there was a next row to move to.

</para>

<para>

The <replaceable>direction</replaceable> clause can be any of the

variants allowed in the SQL <xref linkend="sql-fetch"/>

command, namely

<literal>NEXT</literal>,

<literal>PRIOR</literal>,

<literal>FIRST</literal>,

<literal>LAST</literal>,

<literal>ABSOLUTE</literal> <replaceable>count</replaceable>,

<literal>RELATIVE</literal> <replaceable>count</replaceable>,

<literal>ALL</literal>,

<literal>FORWARD</literal> <optional> <replaceable>count</replaceable> | <literal>ALL</literal> </optional>, or

<literal>BACKWARD</literal> <optional> <replaceable>count</replaceable> | <literal>ALL</literal> </optional>.

Omitting <replaceable>direction</replaceable> is the same

as specifying <literal>NEXT</literal>.

<replaceable>direction</replaceable> values that require moving

backward are likely to fail unless the cursor was declared or opened

with the <literal>SCROLL</literal> option.

</para>

<para>

Examples:

<programlisting>

This page describes usage of cursors at the SQL command level.

If you are trying to use cursors inside a <application>PL/pgSQL</application>

function, the rules are different &mdash;

see <xref linkend="plpgsql-cursors"/>.

see <xref linkend="plpgsql-cursor-using"/>.

</para>

</note>

</refsect1>