Preface

The SQL*Plus (pronounced "sequel plus") User's Guide and Reference introduces the SQL*Plus program and its uses. It also provides a detailed description of each SQL*Plus command.

Throughout this document, unless explicitly stated otherwise, SQL*Plus is used to refer to SQL*Plus behavior available through all its user interfaces: command-line, Windows Graphical User Interface and the iSQL*Plus web-based user interface.

This preface contains these topics:

• Intended Audience

• Documentation Accessibility

• Structure

• Related Documents

• Conventions

Intended Audience

The SQL*Plus User's Guide and Reference is intended for business and technical users and system administrators who perform the following tasks:

• Develop and run batch scripts

• Format, calculate on, store, print and create web output from query results

• Examine table and object definitions

• Perform database administration

This document requires a basic understanding of the SQL language. If you do not have familiarity with this database tool, see the Oracle Database SQL Reference. If you plan to use the PL/SQL database language in conjunction with SQL*Plus, see the PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference for information on using PL/SQL.

Documentation Accessibility

Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation accessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, our documentation includes features that make information available to users of assistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains markup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Standards will continue to evolve over time, and Oracle is actively engaged with other market-leading technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be accessible to all of our customers. For additional information, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program Web site at

http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/

Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation

JAWS, a Windows screen reader, may not always correctly read the code examples in this document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces should appear on an otherwise empty line; however, JAWS may not always read a line of text that consists solely of a bracket or brace.

Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation

This documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies or organizations that Oracle does not own or control. Oracle neither evaluates nor makes any representations regarding the accessibility of these Web sites.

Structure

This document contains:

A brief guide to get you up and running after installation.

Provides an overview of SQL*Plus, describes the command-line interface, Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the iSQL*Plus user interface, and provides configuration information and information you need to log in and run SQL*Plus.

An overview of SQL*Plus, SQL*Plus architecture and user interfaces, with instructions on using this guide, and information on what you need to run SQL*Plus.

Describes the SQL*Plus command-line, Windows GUI and iSQL*Plus user interfaces.

Explains how to configure your SQL*Plus command-line, Windows GUI and iSQL*Plus environments.

Provides command syntax and explanations for the SQLPLUS command, explains how to start, connect to an Oracle database, access the command-line and online help and exit SQL*Plus. It provides information about the login username and password and the connection identifier you use to connect to an Oracle database.

Contains SQL*Plus user guide and tutorial content, information about writing SQL*Plus scripts, and SQL*Plus tuning, security, database administration and globalization information.

Explains how to enter and execute commands. You learn by following step-by-step examples using sample tables.

Contains further examples to help you learn to write and edit scripts containing SQL*Plus, SQL and PL/SQL statements and commands.

Uses examples to explain how you can format your query results to produce a finished text report.

Explains how to generate a HTML report containing your query results.

Explains how to obtain and use statistics and other mechanisms to obtain optimal performance from SQL*Plus.

Explains how to restrict access to databases, and to certain SQL*Plus and SQL commands.

Explains basic database administration features in SQL*Plus for Database Administrators (DBAs).

Explains how to configure globalization support in command-line SQL*Plus and iSQL*Plus user interfaces.

Contains SQL*Plus Command Reference and Error Messages.

Provides a summary of SQL*Plus commands and detailed descriptions of each SQL*Plus command in alphabetical order.

Lists error messages generated by SQL*Plus. It provides likely causes and appropriate actions for recovery.

Contains SQL*Plus Appendixes.

Lists the maximum values for elements of SQL*Plus.

Provides syntax and usage information for the COPY command.

Provides information on obsolete SQL*Plus commands.

Lists SQL*Plus commands that are not supported in iSQL*Plus.

Related Documents

For more information, see these Oracle resources:

• SQL*Plus Quick Reference

• PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference

• Oracle Database SQL Reference

• Oracle Database Concepts

• Oracle Database Administrator's Guide

• Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics

• Oracle Database Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals

• Oracle XML DB Developer's Guide

• Oracle Database Globalization Support Guide

• Oracle Database Heterogeneous Connectivity Administrator's Guide

• Oracle Database Error Messages

• Oracle Database Upgrade Guide

• Oracle Database Reference

• Oracle Database Performance Tuning Guide

• Oracle Net Services Administrator's Guide

• Pro*COBOL Programmer's Guide

• Pro*C/C++ Programmer's Guide

• Oracle Database installation and user's manuals for your operating system

Many of the examples in this book use the sample schemas of the seed database, which is installed by default when you install Oracle Database. Refer to Oracle Database Sample Schemas for information on how these schemas were created and how you can use them yourself.

SQL*Plus error message documentation is available in Chapter 14, "SQL*Plus Error Messages". Oracle Database error message documentation is only available in HTML. If you only have access to the Oracle Database Documentation CD, you can browse the Oracle Database error messages by range. Once you find the specific range, use your browser's "find in page" feature to locate the specific message. When connected to the Internet, you can search for a specific error message using the error message search feature of the Oracle Database online documentation.

Printed documentation is available for sale in the Oracle Store at

http://oraclestore.oracle.com/

To download free release notes, installation documentation, white papers, or other collateral, please visit the Oracle Technology Network (OTN). You must register online before using OTN; registration is free and can be done at

http://otn.oracle.com/membership/

If you already have a username and password for OTN, then you can go directly to the documentation section of the OTN Web site at

http://otn.oracle.com/documentation/

Conventions

This section describes the conventions used in the text and code examples of this documentation set. It describes:

• Conventions in Text

• Conventions in Code Examples

• Conventions for Windows Operating Systems

We use various conventions in text to help you more quickly identify special terms. The following table describes those conventions and provides examples of their use.

Code examples illustrate SQL, PL/SQL, SQL*Plus, or other command-line statements. If users are expected to type them into the system, they are displayed in a monospace (fixed-width) font and separated from normal text as follows:

SELECT username FROM dba_users WHERE username = 'MIGRATE';

Similarly, output from an example is identified by boxed text as follows.

PAGESIZE 24

The following table describes typographic conventions used in code examples and provides examples of their use.

[]

DECIMAL (digits [, precision])

{}

{ENABLE | DISABLE}

|

{ENABLE | DISABLE}
[COMPRESS | NOCOMPRESS]

...

CREATE TABLE ... AS subquery;

SELECT col1, col2, ... , coln
FROM employees;

.
 .
 .

SQL> SELECT NAME FROM V$DATAFILE;
NAME
------------------------------------
/fsl/dbs/tbs_01.dbf
/fs1/dbs/tbs_02.dbf
.
.
.
/fsl/dbs/tbs_09.dbf

acctbal NUMBER(11,2);
acct CONSTANT NUMBER(4) := 3;

Italics

CONNECT SYSTEM/system_password
DB_NAME = database_name

UPPERCASE

SELECT last_name, employee_id
FROM employees;
SELECT * FROM USER_TABLES;
DROP TABLE hr.employees;

lowercase

SELECT last_name, employee_id
FROM employees;
sqlplus hr/your_password
CREATE USER mjones IDENTIFIED BY ty3MU9;

The following table describes conventions for Windows operating systems and provides examples of their use.

C:\>exp scott/tiger TABLES=emp
QUERY=\"WHERE job='SALESMAN'
and sal<1600\"
C:\>imp SYSTEM/password
FROM USER=scott TABLES=(emp, dept)

HOME_NAME

C:\> net start OracleHOME_NAMETNSListener