A locator variable is a host variable that contains the locator representing a LOB value on the application server. (See Manipulating Large Objects (LOBs) with Locators for information on how locators can be used to manipulate LOB values.)
A locator variable in an SQL statement must identify a locator variable described in the program according to the rules for declaring locator variables. This is always indirectly through an SQL statement.
The term locator variable, as used in the syntax diagrams, shows a reference to a locator variable. The meta-variable locator-variable can be expanded to include a host-identifier the same as that for host-variable.
When the indicator variable associated with a locator is null, the value of the referenced LOB is null.
If a locator-variable that does not currently represent any value is referenced, an error is raised (SQLSTATE 0F001).
At transaction commit, or any transaction termination, all locators acquired by that transaction are released.