Select statement in PL/SQL - sql

Question

Does anyone know how to use their tables and columns from pre-existing databases in a pl/sql command. I am using something from Oracles webpage to use as an example.
SQL> declare
2 v_line varchar2(40):= '&v_string';
3 begin
4 v_line := 'Hello '||v_line;
5 dbms_output.put_line (v_line);
6 end;
7 /
old 2: v_line varchar2(40):= '&v_string';
New 2: v_line varchar2(40):= 'Thomas';
Hello Thomas
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
I am wanting to be able to manipulate the data from above. Lets say I have a table called name_s and I have columns called n_first and n_last and I want to use those columns to output 'Hello Thomas' but using those tables.
I am new to pl.sql and trying to learn the syntax.
I wasn't sure if you could,
DECLARE
n_first
n_last
BEGIN
SELECT * FROM name_s
n_fisrt := 'Thomas'||n_first;
dbms_output.put_line(n_first)
END;
/
Desired Output: 'Thomas'
I understand that this is not syntactically correct but I am just trying to pick up on how you can use data from your existing tables to get this sort of desired output
EDIT: The above table is hypothetical and only contains two columns for this example. Now using real tables and data.
SET SERVEROUTPUT ON;
begin
for cur_r in (select loc_t from loc_t_matrix where store_s in(1,2,3,4,5); loop
dbms_output.put_line('Hello store' || cur_r.loc_traits );
end loop;
end;
/
The above does not compile

Answer 1

Do you need something like this
declare
v_authName author.author_last_name%type;
begin
select
author_last_name into v_authName
from
author
where
author_key = 'A103';
dbms_output.put_line('Name: '||v_authName);
end;
/
Name: weaton
http://www.dba-oracle.com/t_pl_sql_plsql_select_into_clause.htm

Answer 2

As tables usually contain more than one row, I presume that NAME_S also contains several rows. In that case, the simplest option to display those names is a cursor FOR loop (Google for it). For example:
begin
for cur_r in (select n_first, n_last from name_s) loop
dbms_output.put_line('Hello ' || cur_r.n_first ||' '||cur_r.n_last);
end loop;
end;
/
As you can see, you don't need local variables in that case.
If you used your SELECT ... INTO (as suggested by mCeviker), that would work unless it raises TOO-MANY-ROWS (as you can't put all rows' names into a single variable).