4 Administering SQL*Plus

4.1.1 Using Setup Files

When you start SQL*Plus, it runs the GLOGIN.SQL site profile setup file and then runs the LOGIN.SQL user profile setup file.

$DEFINE SQLPATH "disk1:[path1],disk2:[path2]"

4.1.2 Using the PRODUCT_USER_PROFILE Table

During a typical installation, the PRODUCT_USER_PROFILE table is created automatically. This table is used to disable the SQL and SQL*Plus commands you specify. To re-create this table, run the following script in the SYSTEM schema:

ORA_ROOT:[SQLPLUS.ADMIN]PUPBLD.SQL

For example:

$ SQLPLUS SYSTEM/MANAGER
SQL> @ORA_ROOT:[SQLPLUS.ADMIN]PUPBLD.SQL

4.1.3 Using Demonstration Tables

Oracle Database provides demonstration tables that you can use for testing. To install the demonstration tables in a database, you must choose an installation type that installs a preconfigured database.

$ SQLPLUS SYSTEM/MANAGER 
SQL> @ORA_SQLPLUS_DEMO:DEMOBLD.SQL

$ SQLPLUS SCOTT/TIGER 
SQL> @ORA_SQLPLUS_DEMO:DEMODROP.SQL

4.2.1 Installing the SQL*Plus Command Line Help

There are three ways to install SQL*Plus command line Help:

• Use Oracle Database Configuration Assistant.

  You can use Oracle Database Configuration Assistant to create Help tables when creating a database.

• Install the Help facility manually.

4.2.2 Removing SQL*Plus Command Line Help

You can also run the ORA_SQLPLUS:HELPDROP.SQL script in SQL*Plus to manually drop the command line Help tables in a schema. For example:

$ SQLPLUS SYSTEM/MANAGER
SQL> @ORA_ROOT:[SQLPLUS.ADMIN.HELP]HELPDROP.SQL

4.3.1 Using a System Editor from SQL*Plus

If you enter an ED or EDIT command at the SQL*Plus prompt, then the system starts an operating system editor, such as EDT or TPU, depending on how the OpenVMS EDIT symbol is defined.

When you start the editor, the current SQL buffer is placed in the editor. When you exit the editor, the changed SQL buffer is returned to SQL*Plus.

You can specify which editor starts by defining the SQL*Plus _EDITOR variable. You can define this variable in the GLOGIN.SQL site profile, the LOGIN.SQL user profile, or define it during the SQL*Plus session. For example, to set the default editor to EDT, enter:

SQL> DEFINE _EDITOR=EDT

If you start the editor, then SQL*Plus uses the AFIEDT.BUF temporary file to pass text to the editor. You can use the SET EDITFILE command to specify a different file name. For example:

SQL> SET EDITFILE test15:[tmp]myfile.sql 

SQL*Plus does not delete the temporary file.

4.3.2 Running Operating System Commands from SQL*Plus

Using the HOST command or a dollar sign ($) as the first character after the SQL*Plus prompt causes subsequent characters to be passed to a sub-process.

To return to SQL*Plus, enter LOGOUT.

For example, to enter one command:

SQL> HOST SHOW DEFAULT

or

SQL> $ SHOW DEFAULT

To enter multiple operating system commands from SQL*Plus, enter the Host or $ command, and press Enter. SQL*Plus returns you to the operating system prompt.

To return to SQL*Plus, enter:

$ LOGOUT

4.3.3 Interrupting SQL*Plus

While running SQL*Plus, you can stop the scrolling record display and terminate a SQL statement by pressing Ctrl+C.

4.3.4 Using the SPOOL Command

The SPOOL command causes output from all subsequent SQL commands to be captured in a specified file. The default file name extension of files generated by the SPOOL command is .lis. To change this extension, specify a spool file containing a period (.). For example, enter:

SQL> SPOOL QUERY.TXT

4.4.1 Resizing Windows

The default values for SQL*Plus LINESIZE and PAGESIZE are not automatically adjusted for window size.

4.4.2 Return Codes

When exiting SQL*Plus and returning a status code back to the operating system with EXIT, WHENEVER OSERROR EXIT, or WHENEVER SQLERROR EXIT, OpenVMS return codes accept a positive 4 byte number in the range of 0 to 2147483647 (00000000 to 7FFFFFFF in hexadecimal).