6
Using Scripts in SQL*Plus

This chapter helps you learn to write and edit scripts containing SQL*Plus commands, SQL commands, and PL/SQL blocks. It covers the following topics:

Read this chapter while sitting at your computer and try out the examples shown. Before beginning, make sure you have access to the sample schema described in Chapter 1, "SQL*Plus Overview".

Editing Scripts

In command-line SQL*Plus, the use of an external editor in combination with the @, @@ or START commands is an effective method of creating and executing generic scripts. You can write scripts which contain SQL*Plus, SQL and PL/SQL commands, which you can retrieve and edit, and which can be executed in either command-line or iSQL*Plus user interfaces. This is especially useful for storing complex commands or frequently used reports.

You can load any valid SQL script into iSQL*Plus that you can access from your workstation. Some web browsers may require you to create a MIME type or application association for files with a .SQL extension in order to load them into iSQL*Plus. See "Adding MIME Types" for information on how to create a MIME or application association.

Writing Scripts with a System Editor

Your operating system may have one or more text editors that you can use to write scripts. You can run your host operating system's default text editor without leaving SQL*Plus by entering the EDIT command.

You can use the SQL*Plus DEFINE command to define the variable, _EDITOR, to hold the name of your preferred text editor. For example, to define the editor used by EDIT to be vi, enter the following command:

DEFINE _EDITOR = vi

You can include an editor definition in your user or site profile so that it is always enabled when you start SQL*Plus. See "SQL*Plus Configuration", and the DEFINE and EDIT commands in Chapter 13, "SQL*Plus Command Reference" for more information.

To create a script with a text editor, enter EDIT followed by the name of the file to edit or create, for example:



EDIT SALES

EDIT adds the filename extension .SQL to the name unless you specify the file extension. When you save the script with the text editor, it is saved back into the same file.

You must include a semicolon at the end of each SQL command and a period on a line by itself after each PL/SQL block in the file. (You can include multiple SQL commands and PL/SQL blocks.)

Example 6-1 Using a System Editor to Write a SQL Script

Suppose you have composed a query to display a list of salespeople and their commissions. You plan to run it once a month to keep track of how well each employee is doing.

To compose and save the query using your system editor, you must invoke your editor and create a file to hold your script:



EDIT SALES

You can enter SQL*Plus, SQL and PL/SQL statements and commands. Enter each of the following lines in your editor. Do not forget to include the semicolon at the end of the SQL statement:



COLUMN LAST_NAME HEADING 'LAST NAME'
COLUMN SALARY HEADING 'MONTHLY SALARY' FORMAT $99,999
COLUMN COMMISSION_PCT HEADING 'COMMISSION %' FORMAT 90.90
SELECT LAST_NAME, SALARY, COMMISSION_PCT
FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN';

The zero in the format model for the column COMMISSION_PCT tells SQL*Plus to display an initial zero for decimal values, and a zero instead of a blank when the value of COMMISSION_PCT is zero for a given row. Format models and the COLUMN command are described in more detail in Chapter 5, "SQL*Plus Basics" and in the Oracle9i SQL Reference.

Now use your editor's save command to store your query in a file called SALES.SQL:

Modifying Scripts

You can modify an existing script using the EDIT command. To edit an existing script with the EDIT command, follow the word EDIT with the name of the file.

For example, to edit an existing file named PROFIT that has the extension SQL, enter the following command:



EDIT PROFIT

Remember that EDIT assumes the file extension SQL if you do not specify one.

Editing Scripts in SQL*Plus

Because SQL*Plus does not store SQL*Plus commands in the buffer, you edit a SQL*Plus command entered directly at the command prompt by using Backspace or by re-entering the command.

You can use a number of SQL*Plus commands to edit the SQL command or PL/SQL block currently stored in the buffer. Alternatively, you can use a host operating system editor to edit the buffer contents.

Table 6-1 lists the SQL*Plus commands that allow you to examine or change the command in the buffer without re-entering the command.

***Table 6-1 SQL*Plus Editing Commands***

Command	Abbreviation	Purpose
APPEND text	A text	adds text at the end of a line
CHANGE /old/new	C /old/new	changes old to new in a line
CHANGE /text	C /text	deletes text from a line
CLEAR BUFFER	CL BUFF	deletes all lines
DEL	(none)	deletes the current line
DEL n	(none)	deletes line n
DEL *	(none)	deletes the current line
DEL n *	(none)	deletes line n through the current line
DEL LAST	(none)	deletes the last line
DEL m n	(none)	deletes a range of lines (m to n)
DEL * n	(none)	deletes the current line through line n
INPUT	I	adds one or more lines
INPUT text	I text	adds a line consisting of text
LIST	L	lists all lines in the SQL buffer
LIST n	L n or n	lists line n
LIST *	L *	lists the current line
LIST n *	L n *	lists line n through the current line
LIST LAST	L LAST	lists the last line
LIST m n	L m n	lists a range of lines (m to n)
LIST * n	L * n	lists the current line through line n

These are useful if you want to correct or modify a command you have entered.

Listing the Buffer Contents

The SQL buffer contains the last SQL or PL/SQL command. Any editing command other than LIST and DEL affects only a single line in the buffer. This line is called the current line. It is marked with an asterisk when you list the current command or block.

Example 6-2 Listing the Buffer Contents

Suppose you want to list the current command. Use the LIST command as shown below. (If you have exited SQL*Plus or entered another SQL command or PL/SQL block since following the steps in Example 5-1, "Entering a SQL Command", perform the steps in that example again before continuing.)



LIST



SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, LAST_NAME, JOB_ID, SALARY
  2  FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
  3* WHERE SALARY>12000

Notice that the semicolon you entered at the end of the SELECT command is not listed. This semicolon is necessary to mark the end of the command when you enter it, but SQL*Plus does not store it in the SQL buffer. This makes editing more convenient, since it means you can append a new line to the end of the buffer without removing a semicolon.

Editing the Current Line

The SQL*Plus CHANGE command allows you to edit the current line. Various actions determine which line is the current line:

LIST a given line to make it the current line.
When you LIST or RUN the command in the buffer, the last line of the command becomes the current line. (Note, that using the slash (/) command to run the command in the buffer does not affect the current line.)
If you get an error, the error line automatically becomes the current line.

Example 6-3 Making an Error in Command Entry

Suppose you try to select the JOB_ID column but mistakenly enter it as JO_ID. Enter the following command, purposely misspelling JOB_ID in the first line:



SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, LAST_NAME, JO_ID, SALARY
FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN';

You see this message on your screen:



SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, LAST_NAME, JO_ID, SALARY
                               *
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-00904: invalid column name

Examine the error message; it indicates an invalid column name in line 1 of the query. The asterisk shows the point of error--the mis-typed column JOB_ID.

Instead of re-entering the entire command, you can correct the mistake by editing the command in the buffer. The line containing the error is now the current line. Use the CHANGE command to correct the mistake. This command has three parts, separated by slashes or any other non-alphanumeric character:

the word CHANGE or the letter C
the sequence of characters you want to change
the replacement sequence of characters

The CHANGE command finds the first occurrence in the current line of the character sequence to be changed and changes it to the new sequence. You do not need to use the CHANGE command to re-enter an entire line. Re-enter the line by typing the line number followed by a space and the new text and pressing Return.

Example 6-4 Correcting the Error

To change JO_ID to JOB_ID, change the line with the CHANGE command:



CHANGE /JO_ID/JOB_ID

The corrected line appears on your screen:



1* SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, FIRST_NAME, JOB_ID, SALARY

Now that you have corrected the error, you can use the RUN command to run the command again:

RUN

SQL*Plus correctly displays the query and its result:



  1  SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, LAST_NAME, JOB_ID, SALARY
  2  FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
  3* WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'

EMPLOYEE_ID LAST_NAME                 JOB_ID     MONTHLY SALARY
----------- ------------------------- ---------- --------------
        145 Russell                   SA_MAN            $14,000
        146 Partners                  SA_MAN            $13,500
        147 Errazuriz                 SA_MAN            $12,000
        148 Cambrault                 SA_MAN            $11,000
        149 Zlotkey                   SA_MAN            $10,500

Note that the column SALARY retains the format you gave it in Example 5-2, "Entering a SQL*Plus Command". (If you have left SQL*Plus and started again since performing Example 5-2, "Entering a SQL*Plus Command" the column has reverted to its original format.)

For information about the significance of case in a CHANGE command and on using wildcards to specify blocks of text in a CHANGE command, refer to the COLUMN command.

Adding a New Line

To insert a new line after the current line, use the INPUT command.

To insert a line before line 1, enter a zero ("0") and follow the zero with text. SQL*Plus inserts the line at the beginning of the buffer and that line becomes line 1.



0 SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID

Example 6-5 Adding a Line

Suppose you want to add a fourth line to the SQL command you modified in Example 6-4, "Correcting the Error". Since line 3 is already the current line, enter INPUT (which may be abbreviated to I) and press Return.



INPUT

SQL*Plus prompts you for the new line:

Enter the new line. Then press Return.



4 ORDER BY SALARY

SQL*Plus prompts you again for a new line:

Press Return again to indicate that you will not enter any more lines, and then use RUN to verify and re-run the query.



  1  SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, LAST_NAME, JOB_ID, SALARY
  2  FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
  3  WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'
  4* ORDER BY SALARY

EMPLOYEE_ID LAST_NAME                 JOB_ID     MONTHLY SALARY
----------- ------------------------- ---------- --------------
        149 Zlotkey                   SA_MAN            $10,500
        148 Cambrault                 SA_MAN            $11,000
        147 Errazuriz                 SA_MAN            $12,000
        146 Partners                  SA_MAN            $13,500
        145 Russell                   SA_MAN            $14,000

Appending Text to a Line

To add text to the end of a line in the buffer, use the APPEND command.

Use the LIST command (or just the line number) to list the line you want to change.
Enter APPEND followed by the text you want to add. If the text you want to add begins with a blank, separate the word APPEND from the first character of the text by two blanks: one to separate APPEND from the text, and one to go into the buffer with the text.

Example 6-6 Appending Text to a Line

To append a space and the clause DESC to line 4 of the current query, first list line 4:



LIST 4



4* ORDER BY SALARY

Next, enter the following command (be sure to type two spaces between APPEND and DESC):



APPEND  DESC



4* ORDER BY SALARY DESC

Keyboard icon
Type RUN to verify the query:



  1  SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, LAST_NAME, JOB_ID, SALARY
  2  FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
  3  WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'
  4* ORDER BY SALARY DESC

EMPLOYEE_ID LAST_NAME                 JOB_ID     MONTHLY SALARY
----------- ------------------------- ---------- --------------
        145 Russell                   SA_MAN            $14,000
        146 Partners                  SA_MAN            $13,500
        147 Errazuriz                 SA_MAN            $12,000
        148 Cambrault                 SA_MAN            $11,000
        149 Zlotkey                   SA_MAN            $10,500

Deleting Lines

To delete lines in the buffer, use the DEL command.

Use the LIST command (or just the line numbers) to list the lines you want to delete.
Enter DEL with an optional clause.

Suppose you want to delete the current line to the last line inclusive. Use the DEL command as shown below.



DEL * LAST

DEL makes the following line of the buffer (if any) the current line.

For more information, see the DEL command.

Placing Comments in Scripts

You can enter comments in a script in three ways:

using the SQL*Plus REMARK command for single line comments.
using the SQL comment delimiters /*... */ for single of multi line comments.
using ANSI/ISO (American National Standards Institute/International Standards Organization) comments - - for single line comments.

For further information about using comments in scripts, see "Notes on Placing Comments".

Using the REMARK Command

Use the REMARK command on a line by itself in a script, followed by comments on the same line. To continue the comments on additional lines, enter additional REMARK commands. Do not place a REMARK command between different lines of a single SQL command.



REMARK Commission Report;
REMARK to be run monthly.;
COLUMN LAST_NAME HEADING 'LAST_NAME';
COLUMN SALARY HEADING 'MONTHLY SALARY' FORMAT $99,999;
COLUMN COMMISSION_PCT HEADING 'COMMISSION %' FORMAT 90.90;
REMARK Includes only salesmen;
SELECT LAST_NAME, SALARY, COMMISSION_PCT
FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'

Using /.../

Enter the SQL comment delimiters, /*...*/, on separate lines in your script, on the same line as a SQL command, or on a line in a PL/SQL block.

You must enter a space after the slash-asterisk(/*) beginning a comment, otherwise the comment is treated as a command, and the slash is interpreted as an execute command, executing any command in the SQL*Plus buffer.

The comments can span multiple lines, but cannot be nested within one another:



/* Commission Report
 to be run monthly. */
COLUMN LAST_NAME HEADING 'LAST_NAME';
COLUMN SALARY HEADING 'MONTHLY SALARY' FORMAT $99,999;
COLUMN COMMISSION_PCT HEADING 'COMMISSION %' FORMAT 90.90;
REMARK Includes only salesmen;
SELECT LAST_NAME, SALARY, COMMISSION_PCT
FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
/* Include only salesmen.*/
WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'

If you enter a SQL comment directly at the command prompt, SQL*Plus does not store the comment in the buffer.

Using - -

You can use ANSI/ISO "- -" style comments within SQL statements, PL/SQL blocks, or SQL*Plus commands. Since there is no ending delimiter, the comment cannot span multiple lines.

For PL/SQL and SQL, enter the comment after a command on a line, or on a line by itself:



-- Commissions report to be run monthly
DECLARE --block for reporting monthly sales

For SQL*Plus commands, you can only include "- -" style comments if they are on a line by themselves. For example, these comments are legal:



-- set maximum width for LONG to 777
SET LONG 777

This comment is illegal:



SET LONG 777 -- set maximum width for LONG to 777

If you enter the following SQL*Plus command, SQL*Plus interprets it as a comment and does not execute the command:



-- SET LONG 777

Notes on Placing Comments

SQL*Plus generally does not parse or execute input it identifies as a comment.

SQL*Plus does not have a SQL or PL/SQL command parser. It scans the first few keywords of each new statement to determine the command type, SQL, PL/SQL or SQL*Plus. Comments in some locations can prevent SQL*Plus from correctly identifying the command type, giving unexpected results. The following usage notes may help you to use SQL*Plus comments more effectively:

Do not put comments within the first few keywords of a statement. For example:
```
CREATE OR REPLACE
  2  /* HELLO */
  3  PROCEDURE HELLO AS
  4  BEGIN
  5  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('HELLO');

Warning: Procedure created with compilation errors.
```
The location of the comment prevents SQL*Plus from recognizing the command as a PL/SQL command. SQL*Plus submits the block to the server when it sees the slash "/" at the beginning of the comment, which it interprets as the "/" statement terminator. Move the comment to avoid this error. For example:
```
 CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE
  2  /* HELLO */
  3  HELLO AS
  4  BEGIN
  5  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('HELLO');
  6  END;
  7  /

Procedure created.
```
Do not put comments after statement terminators (period, semicolon or slash). For example, if you enter:
```
SELECT 'Y' FROM DUAL; -- TESTING
```
You get the following error:
```
SELECT 'Y' FROM DUAL; -- TESTING
                    *
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-00911: invalid character
```
SQL*Plus expects no text after statement terminators on the same line and is unable to recognize the comment.
Do not put statement termination characters at the end of a comment line or after comments in a SQL statement or a PL/SQL block. For example, if you enter:
```
SELECT *
-- COMMENT;
```
You get the following error:
```
-- COMMENT
         *
ERROR at line 2:
ORA-00923: FROM keyword not found where expected
```
The semicolon is interpreted as a statement terminator and SQL*Plus submits the partially formed SQL command to the server for processing, resulting in an error.
Do not use ampersand characters '&' in comments in a SQL statement or PL/SQL block. For example, if you enter a script such as:
```
SELECT REGION_NAME, CITY
/* THIS & THAT */
FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
WHERE SALARY>12000;
```

It prompts for the value of &that:



Enter value for that: 
old   2: /* THIS & THAT */
new   2: /* THIS  */

REGION_NAME               CITY
------------------------- ------------------------------
Americas                  Seattle
Americas                  Seattle
Americas                  Seattle
Europe                    Oxford
Europe                    Oxford
Americas                  Toronto

6 rows selected.

SQL*Plus interprets text after the ampersand character "&" as a substitution variable and prompts for the value of the variable. You can SET DEFINE OFF to prevent scanning for the substitution character.

For more information on substitution and termination characters, see DEFINE, SQLTERMINATOR and SQLBLANKLINES in the SET command.

Running Scripts

The START command retrieves a script and runs the command(s) it contains. Use START to run a script containing SQL commands, PL/SQL blocks, and SQL*Plus commands. You can have many commands in the file. Follow the START command with the name of the file:

START file_name

If the file has the extension SQL, you need not add the period and the extension SQL to the filename.

Example 6-7 Running a Script

To retrieve and run the command stored in SALES.SQL, enter



START SALES

SQL*Plus runs the commands in the file SALES and displays the results of the commands on your screen, formatting the query results according to the SQL*Plus commands in the file:



LAST NAME                 MONTHLY SALARY COMMISSION %
------------------------- -------------- ------------
Russell                          $14,000         0.40
Partners                         $13,500         0.30
Errazuriz                        $12,000         0.30
Cambrault                        $11,000         0.30
Zlotkey                          $10,500         0.20

To see the commands as SQL*Plus "enters" them, you can set the ECHO variable of the SET command to ON. The ECHO variable controls the listing of the commands in scripts run with the START, @ and @@ commands. Setting the ECHO variable to OFF suppresses the listing.

You can also use the @ ("at" sign) command to run a script:



@SALES

The @ command lists and runs the commands in the specified script in the same manner as START. SET ECHO affects the @ command as it affects the START command.

START, @ and @@ leave the last SQL command or PL/SQL block in the script in the buffer.

Running a Script as You Start SQL*Plus

To run a script as you start SQL*Plus, use one of the following four options:

Follow the SQLPLUS command with your username, a slash, your password, a space, @, and the name of the file:
```
SQLPLUS HR/your_password @SALES
```
SQL*Plus starts and runs the script.
Follow the SQLPLUS command and your username with a space, @, and the name of the file:
```
SQLPLUS HR @SALES
```
SQL*Plus prompts you for your password, starts, and runs the script.
Include your username as the first line of the file. Follow the SQLPLUS command with @ and the filename. SQL*Plus prompts for your password, starts, and runs the file.
Include your username, a slash (/), and your password as the first line of the file. Follow the SQLPLUS command with @ and the filename. SQL*Plus starts and runs the file. Please consider the security risks of exposing your password in the file before using this technique.

Nesting Scripts

To run a series of scripts in sequence, first create a script containing several START commands, each followed by the name of a script in the sequence. Then run the script containing the START commands. For example, you could include the following START commands in a script named SALESRPT:

START Q1SALES
START Q2SALES
START Q3SALES
START Q4SALES
START YRENDSLS

Note:

The @@ command may be useful in this example. See the @@ (double "at" sign) command in Chapter 13, "SQL*Plus Command Reference" for more information.

Receiving a Return Code

If you fail to log in successfully to SQL*Plus because your username or password is invalid or some other error, SQL*Plus will return an error status equivalent to an EXIT FAILURE command. See the EXIT command in this chapter for further information.

Example 6-8 Starting SQLPlus*

To start SQL*Plus with username HR and password your_password, enter



SQLPLUS HR/your_password

To start SQL*Plus, as above, and to make POLICY the default database (where POLICY is a valid Oracle Net database connect identifier), enter



SQLPLUS HR/your_password@POLICY

To start SQL*Plus with username HR and password your_password and run a script named STARTUP with the extension SQL, enter



SQLPLUS HR/your_password @STARTUP

Note the space between HR and @STARTUP.

To start SQL*Plus with HTML ON, so that output can be captured in a file and then viewed on a web browser, enter



SQLPLUS -M "HTML ON" HR/your_password

To start SQL*Plus with no access to the EDIT and HOST commands during the session, enter



SQLPLUS -R 1 HR/your_password

Example 6-9 Displaying the SQLPLUS syntax

To display the syntax of the SQLPLUS command, enter



SQLPLUS -H



Usage: SQLPLUS [ [<option>] [<logon>] [<start>] ]
where <option> ::= -H | -V | [[-L] [-M <o>] [-R <n>] [-S] ]
      <logon>  ::= <username>[/<password>][@<connect_string>] | / |/NOLOG
      <start>  ::= @<URL>|<filename>[.<ext>] [<parameter> ...]
        -H displays the SQL*Plus version banner and usage syntax
        -V displays the SQL*Plus version banner
        -L attempts logon just once
        -M <o> uses HTML markup options <o>
        -R <n> uses restricted mode <n>
        -S uses silent mode

Exiting from a Script with a Return Code

If your script generates a SQL error while running from a batch file on the host operating system, you may want to abort the script and exit with a return code. Use the SQL*Plus command WHENEVER SQLERROR to do this; see the WHENEVER SQLERROR command for more information.

Similarly, the WHENEVER OSERROR command may be used to exit if an operating system error occurs. See the WHENEVER OSERROR command for more information.

Writing Interactive Commands

The following features of SQL*Plus make it possible for you to set up scripts that allow end-user input:

defining user variables
substituting values in commands
using the START command to provide values
prompting for values

Defining User Variables

You can define variables, called user variables, for repeated use in a single script by using the SQL*Plus DEFINE command. Note that you can also define user variables to use in titles and to save your keystrokes (by defining a long string as the value for a variable with a short name).

Example 6-10 Defining a User Variable

To define a user variable L_NAME and give it the value "SMITH", enter the following command:



DEFINE L_NAME = SMITH

To confirm the variable definition, enter DEFINE followed by the variable name:



DEFINE L_NAME



DEFINE L_NAME = "SMITH" (CHAR)

To list all user variable definitions, enter DEFINE by itself at the command prompt. Note that any user variable you define explicitly through DEFINE takes only CHAR values (that is, the value you assign to the variable is always treated as a CHAR datatype). You can define a user variable of datatype NUMBER implicitly through the ACCEPT command. You will learn more about the ACCEPT command later in this chapter.

To delete a user variable, use the SQL*Plus command UNDEFINE followed by the variable name.

Using Substitution Variables

Suppose you want to write a query like the one in SALES (see Example 6-1, "Using a System Editor to Write a SQL Script") to list the employees with various jobs, not just those whose job is SA_MAN. You could do that by editing a different CHAR value into the WHERE clause each time you run the command, but there is an easier way.

By using a substitution variable in place of the value SA_MAN in the WHERE clause, you can get the same results you would get if you had written the values into the command itself.

A substitution variable is a user variable name preceded by one or two ampersands (&). When SQL*Plus encounters a substitution variable in a command, SQL*Plus executes the command as though it contained the value of the substitution variable, rather than the variable itself.

For example, if the variable SORTCOL has the value JOB_ID and the variable MYTABLE has the value EMP_DETAILS_VIEW, SQL*Plus executes the commands

SELECT &SORTCOL, SALARY
FROM &MYTABLE
WHERE SALARY>12000;

as if they were

SELECT JOB_ID, SALARY
FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
WHERE SALARY>12000;

Where and How to Use Substitution Variables

You can use substitution variables anywhere in SQL and SQL*Plus commands, except as the first word entered at the command prompt. When SQL*Plus encounters an undefined substitution variable in a command, SQL*Plus prompts you for the value.

You can enter any string at the prompt, even one containing blanks and punctuation. If the SQL command containing the reference should have quote marks around the variable and you do not include them there, the user must include the quotes when prompted.

SQL*Plus reads your response from the keyboard, even if you have redirected terminal input or output to a file. If a terminal is not available (if, for example, you run the script in batch mode), SQL*Plus uses the redirected file.

After you enter a value at the prompt, SQL*Plus lists the line containing the substitution variable twice: once before substituting the value you enter and once after substitution. You can suppress this listing by setting the SET command variable VERIFY to OFF.

You should avoid creating substitution variables with names that may be identical to values that you will pass to them, as unexpected results can occur. If a value supplied for a substitution variable matches a variable name, then the contents of the matching variable are used instead of the supplied value.

Example 6-11 Using Substitution Variables

Create a script named STATS, to be used to calculate a subgroup statistic (the maximum value) on a numeric column:



CLEAR BUFFER
INPUT


SELECT &GROUP_COL, MAX(&NUMBER_COL) MAXIMUM
FROM &TABLE
GROUP BY &GROUP_COL
.

SAVE STATS Screen icon

Created file STATS

Now run the script STATS:



@STATS

And respond to the prompts for values as shown:



Enter value for group_col: JOB_ID
old   1: SELECT   &GROUP_COL,
new   1: SELECT   JOB_ID,
Enter value for number_col: SALARY
old   2:          MAX(&NUMBER_COL) MAXIMUM
new   2:          MAX(SALARY) MAXIMUM
Enter value for table: EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
old   3: FROM     &TABLE
new   3: FROM     EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
Enter value for group_col: JOB_ID
old   4: GROUP BY &GROUP_COL
new   4: GROUP BY JOB_ID

SQL*Plus displays the following output:



JOB_ID        MAXIMUM                                                           
---------- ----------                                                           
AC_ACCOUNT       8300                                                           
AC_MGR          12000                                                           
AD_ASST          4400                                                           
AD_PRES         24000                                                           
AD_VP           17000                                                           
FI_ACCOUNT       9000                                                           
FI_MGR          12000                                                           
HR_REP           6500                                                           
IT_PROG          9000                                                           
MK_MAN          13000                                                           
MK_REP           6000                                                           

JOB_ID        MAXIMUM                                                           
---------- ----------                                                           
PR_REP          10000                                                           
PU_CLERK         3100                                                           
PU_MAN          11000                                                           
SA_MAN          14000                                                           
SA_REP          11500                                                           
SH_CLERK         4200                                                           
ST_CLERK         3600                                                           
ST_MAN           8200         

19 rows selected.

If you wish to append characters immediately after a substitution variable, use a period to separate the variable from the character. For example:



SELECT SALARY FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW WHERE EMPLOYEE_ID='&X.5';
Enter value for X:  20

is interpreted as

SELECT SALARY FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW WHERE EMPLOYEE_ID='205';

Avoiding Unnecessary Prompts for Values

Suppose you wanted to expand the file STATS to include the minimum, sum, and average of the "number" column. You may have noticed that SQL*Plus prompted you twice for the value of GROUP_COL and once for the value of NUMBER_COL in Example 6-11, and that each GROUP_COL or NUMBER_COL had a single ampersand in front of it. If you were to add three more functions--using a single ampersand before each--to the script, SQL*Plus would prompt you a total of four times for the value of the number column.

You can avoid being re-prompted for the group and number columns by adding a second ampersand in front of each GROUP_COL and NUMBER_COL in STATS. SQL*Plus automatically DEFINEs any substitution variable preceded by two ampersands, but does not DEFINE those preceded by only one ampersand. When you have DEFINEd a variable, SQL*Plus substitutes the value of variable for each substitution variable referencing variable (in the form &variable or &&variable). SQL*Plus will not prompt you for the value of variable in this session until you UNDEFINE variable.

Example 6-12 Using Double Ampersands

To expand the script STATS using double ampersands and then run the file, first suppress the display of each line before and after substitution:



SET VERIFY OFF

Now retrieve and edit STATS by entering the following commands:



GET STATS
SELECT   &GROUP_COL,
MAX(&NUMBER_COL) MAXIMUM
FROM     &TABLE
GROUP BY &GROUP_COL


2
  2* MAX(&NUMBER_COL) MAXIMUM
APPEND ,
  2* MAX(&NUMBER_COL) MAXIMUM,
CHANGE/&/&&
  2* MAX(&&NUMBER_COL) MAXIMUM,
I
  3i MIN (&&NUMBER_COL) MINIMUM,
  4i SUM(&&NUMBER_COL)  TOTAL,
  5i AVG(&&NUMBER_COL)  AVERAGE
  6i
  1* SELECT   &GROUP_COL,
CHANGE/&/&&
  1* SELECT   &&GROUP_COL,
7
  7* GROUP BY &GROUP_COL
CHANGE/&/&&/
  7* GROUP BY &&GROUP_COL
SAVE STATS2
Created file STATS2

Finally, run the script STATS2 and respond to the prompts as follows:



START STATS2
Enter value for group_col: JOB_ID
Enter value for number_col: SALARY
Enter value for table: EMP_DETAILS_VIEW

SQL*Plus displays the following output:



JOB_ID        MAXIMUM    MINIMUM      TOTAL    AVERAGE                          
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------                          
AC_ACCOUNT       8300       8300       8300       8300                          
AC_MGR          12000      12000      12000      12000                          
AD_ASST          4400       4400       4400       4400                          
AD_PRES         24000      24000      24000      24000                          
AD_VP           17000      17000      34000      17000                          
FI_ACCOUNT       9000       6900      39600       7920                          
FI_MGR          12000      12000      12000      12000                          
HR_REP           6500       6500       6500       6500                          
IT_PROG          9000       4200      28800       5760                          
MK_MAN          13000      13000      13000      13000                          
MK_REP           6000       6000       6000       6000                          

JOB_ID        MAXIMUM    MINIMUM      TOTAL    AVERAGE                          
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------                          
PR_REP          10000      10000      10000      10000                          
PU_CLERK         3100       2500      13900       2780                          
PU_MAN          11000      11000      11000      11000                          
SA_MAN          14000      10500      61000      12200                          
SA_REP          11500       6100     250500       8350                          
SH_CLERK         4200       2500      64300       3215                          
ST_CLERK         3600       2100      55700       2785                          
ST_MAN           8200       5800      36400       7280                          

19 rows selected.

Note that you were prompted for the values of NUMBER_COL and GROUP_COL only once. If you were to run STATS2 again during the current session, you would be prompted for TABLE (because its name has a single ampersand and the variable is therefore not DEFINEd) but not for GROUP_COL or NUMBER_COL (because their names have double ampersands and the variables are therefore DEFINEd).

Before continuing, set the system variable VERIFY back to ON:



SET VERIFY ON

Restrictions

You cannot use substitution variables in the buffer editing commands, APPEND, CHANGE, DEL, and INPUT, nor in other commands where substitution would be meaningless, such as in SQL*Plus comments (REMARK, /*... */ or --). The buffer editing commands, APPEND, CHANGE, and INPUT, treat text beginning with "&" or "&&" literally, as any other text string.

System Variables

The following system variables, specified with the SQL*Plus SET command, affect substitution variables:

SET DEFINE	Defines the substitution character (by default the ampersand "&") and turns substitution on and off.
SET ESCAPE	Defines an escape character you can use before the substitution character. The escape character instructs SQL*Plus to treat the substitution character as an ordinary character rather than as a request for variable substitution. The default escape character is a backslash (\).
SET VERIFY ON	Lists each line of the script before and after substitution.
SET CONCAT	Defines the character that separates the name of a substitution variable or parameter from characters that immediately follow the variable or parameter--by default the period (.).

For more information about system variables, see the SET command.

Substitution Variables in iSQL*Plus

System variables specified with the SET command can affect iSQL*Plus behavior. SET DEFINE, SET ESCAPE, SET VERIFY ON, and SET CONCAT affect variable substitution behavior, and should be set in iSQL*Plus before attempting to execute a script. For further information about these SET options, see the SET command.

iSQL*Plus preprocesses a script for '&' and '&&' variables, and prompts the user for their values before sending the script to the SQL*Plus engine for execution. You should synchronize variable substitution with one of the two following options:

Enter SET DEFINE ON to set iSQL*Plus to always prompt for substitution variables before running any further scripts. Click the Execute button to execute the command.

Enter your script using '&' and '&&' as the prefix for variables. Do not use DEFINE, or UNDEFINE. Click the Execute button to execute the script. iSQL*Plus prompts you for values for all the substitution variables in your script. At the end of script execution, any double ampersand values contained in the script remain defined. This means that you will not be prompted to enter values for these variables again, until they have been undefined, or you log out of iSQL*Plus. If this is not the behavior you want, then use a single ampersand as the prefix for variables in your script. You are always prompted for value substitution for variables created with a single ampersand prefix. If you use DEFINE to define variable values in your script in this mode, the defined values override values entered in the Variable Substitution screen.
Enter SET DEFINE OFF to set iSQL*Plus to never prompt for substitution variables before running any further scripts. Click the Execute button to execute the command.

Enter your script. Ensure that you include SET DEFINE OFF as the last command in your script to make sure that iSQL*Plus does not prompt for variable values when the script is executed again. Enter SET DEFINE ON, and DEFINE all variables with '&' or '&&' before they are referenced. You can also use COLUMN ... new_value or COLUMN ... old_value to instantiate substitution variables. Click the Execute button to execute the script. iSQL*Plus does not prompt you for values for substitution variables. In this usage, be aware that iSQL*Plus substitutes a NULL value for any variable you do not DEFINE in the script.

iSQL*Plus Substitution Variables Screen

When iSQL*Plus executes a script containing substitution variables, the Substitution Variables screen is displayed. For example, when you enter:

BREAK ON &SORTCOL
SELECT &SORTCOL, SALARY
FROM &MYTABLE
WHERE SALARY > 12000
ORDER BY &SORTCOL

iSQL*Plus displays:

Text description of substit.gif follows.

Text description of the illustration substit.gif

Variable

Displays the substitution variable names.

Value

Enter a value for each substitution variable. For example, enter LAST_NAME in the sortcol field, and EMP_DETAILS_VIEW in the mytable field of the example script.

OK

Click the OK button to execute the script in the Input area with the substitution variable values you entered.

Cancel

Click the Cancel button to return to the Work screen without executing the script in the Input area.

Passing Parameters through the START Command

You can bypass the prompts for values associated with substitution variables by passing values to parameters in a script through the START command.

You do this by placing an ampersand (&) followed by a numeral in the script in place of a substitution variable. Each time you run this script, START replaces each &1 in the file with the first value (called an argument) after START filename, then replaces each &2 with the second value, and so forth.

For example, you could include the following commands in a script called MYFILE:



SELECT * FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
WHERE JOB_ID='&1'
AND SALARY='&2';

In the following START command, SQL*Plus would substitute CLERK for &1 and 7900 for &2 in the script MYFILE:



START MYFILE PU_CLERK 3100

When you use arguments with the START command, SQL*Plus DEFINEs each parameter in the script with the value of the appropriate argument.

Example 6-13 Passing Parameters through START

To create a new script based on SALES that takes a parameter specifying the job to be displayed, enter



GET SALES


  1  COLUMN LAST_NAME HEADING 'LAST NAME'
  2  COLUMN SALARY  HEADING 'MONTHLY SALARY' FORMAT $99,999
  3  COLUMN COMMISSION_PCT HEADING 'COMMISSION %' FORMAT 90.90
  4  SELECT LAST_NAME, SALARY, COMMISSION_PCT
  5  FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
  6* WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'
6
  6* WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'
CHANGE /SA_MAN/&1
  6* WHERE JOB_ID='&1'
SAVE ONEJOB
Created file ONEJOB

Now run the command with the parameter SA_MAN:



START ONEJOB SA_MAN

SQL*Plus lists the line of the SQL command that contains the parameter, before and after replacing the parameter with its value, and then displays the output:



old   3: WHERE JOB_ID='&1'
new   3: WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'

LAST NAME                 MONTHLY SALARY COMMISSION %
------------------------- -------------- ------------
Russell                          $14,000         0.40
Partners                         $13,500         0.30
Errazuriz                        $12,000         0.30
Cambrault                        $11,000         0.30
Zlotkey                          $10,500         0.20

You can use any number of parameters in a script. Within a script, you can refer to each parameter any number of times, and can include the parameters in any order.

Note:

You cannot use parameters when you run a command with RUN or slash (/). You must store the command in a script and run it with START or @.

Before continuing, return the columns to their original heading by entering the following command:



CLEAR COLUMN

Communicating with the User

Three SQL*Plus commands--PROMPT, ACCEPT, and PAUSE--help you communicate with the end user. These commands enable you to send messages to the screen and receive input from the user, including a simple Return. You can also use PROMPT and ACCEPT to customize the prompts for values SQL*Plus automatically generates for substitution variables.

Prompting for and Accepting User Variable

Through PROMPT and ACCEPT, you can send messages to the end user and accept values as end-user input. PROMPT displays a message you specify on-screen; use it to give directions or information to the user. ACCEPT prompts the user for a value and stores it in the user variable you specify. Use PROMPT in conjunction with ACCEPT when your prompt for the value spans more than one line.

Example 6-14 Prompting for and Accepting Input

To direct the user to supply a report title and to store the input in the variable MYTITLE for use in a subsequent query, first clear the buffer:



CLEAR BUFFER

Next, set up a script as shown and save this file as PROMPT1:



INPUT



  4  PROMPT Enter a title of up to 30 characters
  5  ACCEPT MYTITLE PROMPT 'Title: '
  6  TTITLE LEFT MYTITLE SKIP 2
  7  SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, SALARY
  8  FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
  9  WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN'
  10


SAVE PROMPT1



Created file PROMPT1.sql

The TTITLE command sets the top title for your report. For more information about the TTITILE command, see "Defining Page and Report Titles and Dimensions".

Finally, run the script, responding to the prompt for the title as shown:



START PROMPT1

Enter a title of up to 30 characters
Title: Department Report
Department Report

EMPLOYEE_ID FIRST_NAME           LAST_NAME                     SALARY
----------- -------------------- ------------------------- ----------
        145 John                 Russell                        14000
        146 Karen                Partners                       13500
        147 Alberto              Errazuriz                      12000
        148 Gerald               Cambrault                      11000
        149 Eleni                Zlotkey                        10500

Before continuing, turn the TTITLE command off:



TTITLE OFF

Customizing Prompts for Substitution Variable

If you want to customize the prompt for a substitution variable value, use PROMPT and ACCEPT in conjunction with the substitution variable, as shown in the following example.

Example 6-15 Using PROMPT and ACCEPT in Conjunction with Substitution Variables

As you have seen in Example 6-14, SQL*Plus automatically generates a prompt for a value when you use a substitution variable. You can replace this prompt by including PROMPT and ACCEPT in the script with the query that references the substitution variable. First clear the buffer with:



CLEAR BUFFER

To create such a file, enter the following:



INPUT


PROMPT Enter a valid employee ID
PROMPT For Example 145, 206
ACCEPT ENUMBER NUMBER PROMPT 'Employee ID. :'
SELECT FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, SALARY
FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW
WHERE EMPLOYEE_ID=&ENUMBER
.

Save this file as PROMPT2. Next, run this script. SQL*Plus prompts for the value of ENUMBER using the text you specified with PROMPT and ACCEPT:



START PROMPT2

SQL*Plus prompts you to enter an Employee ID:



Enter a valid employee ID
For Example 145, 206

Employee ID. :205



old   3: WHERE EMPLOYEE_ID=&ENUMBER
new   3: WHERE EMPLOYEE_ID=       205

Department Report

FIRST_NAME           LAST_NAME                     SALARY
-------------------- ------------------------- ----------
Shelley              Higgins                        12000

What would happen if you typed characters instead of numbers? Since you specified NUMBER after the variable name in the ACCEPT command, SQL*Plus will not accept a non-numeric value:

Try entering characters instead of numbers to the prompt for "Employee. ID.", SQL*Plus will respond with an error message and prompt you again to re-enter the correct number:



START PROMPT2

When SQL*Plus prompts you to enter an Employee ID, enter the word "one" instead of a number:



Enter a valid employee ID
For Example 145, 206

Employee ID. :one

SP2-0425: "one" is not a valid number

Sending a Message and Accepting Return as Input

If you want to display a message on the user's screen and then have the user enter Return after reading the message, use the SQL*Plus command PAUSE. For example, you might include the following lines in a script:



PROMPT Before continuing, make sure you have your account card.

PAUSE Press RETURN to continue.

Clearing the Screen

If you want to clear the screen before displaying a report (or at any other time), include the SQL*Plus CLEAR command with its SCREEN clause at the appropriate point in your script, using the following format:



CLEAR SCREEN

Before continuing to the next section, reset all columns to their original formats and headings by entering the following command:



CLEAR COLUMNS

Using Bind Variables

Suppose that you want to be able to display the variables you use in your PL/SQL subprograms in SQL*Plus or use the same variables in multiple subprograms. If you declare a variable in a PL/SQL subprogram, you cannot display that variable in SQL*Plus. Use a bind variable in PL/SQL to access the variable from SQL*Plus.

Bind variables are variables you create in SQL*Plus and then reference in PL/SQL or SQL. If you create a bind variable in SQL*Plus, you can use the variable as you would a declared variable in your PL/SQL subprogram and then access the variable from SQL*Plus. You can use bind variables for such things as storing return codes or debugging your PL/SQL subprograms.

Because bind variables are recognized by SQL*Plus, you can display their values in SQL*Plus or reference them in PL/SQL subprograms that you run in SQL*Plus.

Creating Bind Variables

You create bind variables in SQL*Plus with the VARIABLE command. For example



VARIABLE ret_val NUMBER

This command creates a bind variable named ret_val with a datatype of NUMBER. For more information, see the VARIABLE command. (To list all bind variables created in a session, type VARIABLE without any arguments.)

Referencing Bind Variables

You reference bind variables in PL/SQL by typing a colon (:) followed immediately by the name of the variable. For example

:ret_val := 1;

To change this bind variable in SQL*Plus, you must enter a PL/SQL block. For example:



VARIABLE ret_val NUMBER
BEGIN
 :ret_val:=4;
END;
/



PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

This command assigns a value to the bind variable named ret_val.

Displaying Bind Variables

To display the value of a bind variable in SQL*Plus, you use the SQL*Plus PRINT command. For example:



PRINT RET_VAL



   RET_VAL
----------
         4

This command displays a bind variable named ret_val. For more information about displaying bind variables, see the PRINT command.

Using REFCURSOR Bind Variables

SQL*Plus REFCURSOR bind variables allow SQL*Plus to fetch and format the results of a SELECT statement contained in a PL/SQL block.

REFCURSOR bind variables can also be used to reference PL/SQL cursor variables in stored procedures. This allows you to store SELECT statements in the database and reference them from SQL*Plus.

A REFCURSOR bind variable can also be returned from a stored function.

Note:

You must have Oracle7, Release 7.3 or above to assign the return value of a stored function to a REFCURSOR variable.

Example 6-16 Creating, Referencing, and Displaying REFCURSOR Bind Variables

To create, reference and display a REFCURSOR bind variable, first declare a local bind variable of the REFCURSOR datatype



VARIABLE employee_info REFCURSOR

Next, enter a PL/SQL block that uses the bind variable in an OPEN... FOR SELECT statement. This statement opens a cursor variable and executes a query. See the PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference for information on the OPEN command and cursor variables.

In this example we are binding the SQL*Plus employee_info bind variable to the cursor variable.



BEGIN
   OPEN :employee_info FOR SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, SALARY FROM                        EMP_DETAILS_VIEW WHERE 
JOB_ID='SA_MAN' ;
END;
 /


PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

The results from the SELECT statement can now be displayed in SQL*Plus with the PRINT command.



PRINT employee_info



EMPLOYEE_ID     SALARY
----------- ----------
        145      14000
        146      13500
        147      12000
        148      11000
        149      10500

The PRINT statement also closes the cursor. To reprint the results, the PL/SQL block must be executed again before using PRINT.

Example 6-17 Using REFCURSOR Variables in Stored Procedures

A REFCURSOR bind variable is passed as a parameter to a procedure. The parameter has a REF CURSOR type. First, define the type.



CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE cv_types AS
TYPE EmpInfoTyp is REF CURSOR RETURN emp%ROWTYPE;
END cv_types;
/


Package created.

Next, create the stored procedure containing an OPEN... FOR SELECT statement.



CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE EmpInfo_rpt
(emp_cv IN OUT cv_types.EmpInfoTyp) AS
BEGIN
OPEN emp_cv FOR SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, SALARY FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW -
WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN' ;
 END;
 /


Procedure created.

Execute the procedure with a SQL*Plus bind variable as the parameter.



VARIABLE odcv REFCURSOR
EXECUTE EmpInfo_rpt(:odcv)


PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

Now print the bind variable.



PRINT odcv



EMPLOYEE_ID     SALARY
----------- ----------
        145      14000
        146      13500
        147      12000
        148      11000
        149      10500

The procedure can be executed multiple times using the same or a different REFCURSOR bind variable.



VARIABLE pcv REFCURSOR
EXECUTE EmpInfo_rpt(:pcv)



PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.



PRINT pcv



EMPLOYEE_ID     SALARY
----------- ----------
        145      14000
        146      13500
        147      12000
        148      11000
        149      10500

Example 6-18 Using REFCURSOR Variables in Stored Functions

Create a stored function containing an OPEN... FOR SELECT statement:



CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION EmpInfo_fn RETURN -
cv_types.EmpInfo IS
resultset cv_types.EmpInfoTyp;
BEGIN
OPEN resultset FOR SELECT EMPLOYEE_ID, SALARY FROM EMP_DETAILS_VIEW -
WHERE JOB_ID='SA_MAN' ;
RETURN(resultset);
END;
 /


Function created.

Execute the function.



VARIABLE rc REFCURSOR
EXECUTE :rc := EmpInfo_fn



PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

Now print the bind variable.



PRINT rc



EMPLOYEE_ID     SALARY
----------- ----------
        145      14000
        146      13500
        147      12000
        148      11000
        149      10500

The function can be executed multiple times using the same or a different REFCURSOR bind variable.



EXECUTE :rc := EmpInfo_fn



PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.



PRINT rc



EMPLOYEE_ID     SALARY
----------- ----------
        145      14000
        146      13500
        147      12000
        148      11000
        149      10500

6 Using Scripts in SQL*Plus

Editing Scripts

Writing Scripts with a System Editor

Example 6-1 Using a System Editor to Write a SQL Script

Modifying Scripts

Editing Scripts in SQL*Plus

Table 6-1 SQL*Plus Editing Commands

Listing the Buffer Contents

Example 6-2 Listing the Buffer Contents

Editing the Current Line

Example 6-3 Making an Error in Command Entry

Example 6-4 Correcting the Error

Adding a New Line

Example 6-5 Adding a Line

Appending Text to a Line

Example 6-6 Appending Text to a Line

Deleting Lines

Placing Comments in Scripts

Using the REMARK Command

Using /*...*/

Using - -

Notes on Placing Comments

Running Scripts

Example 6-7 Running a Script

Running a Script as You Start SQL*Plus

Nesting Scripts

Receiving a Return Code

Example 6-8 Starting SQL*Plus

Example 6-9 Displaying the SQLPLUS syntax

Exiting from a Script with a Return Code

Writing Interactive Commands

Defining User Variables

Example 6-10 Defining a User Variable

Using Substitution Variables

Where and How to Use Substitution Variables

Example 6-11 Using Substitution Variables

Avoiding Unnecessary Prompts for Values

Example 6-12 Using Double Ampersands

Restrictions

System Variables

Substitution Variables in iSQL*Plus

iSQL*Plus Substitution Variables Screen

Variable

Value

OK

Cancel

Passing Parameters through the START Command

Example 6-13 Passing Parameters through START

Communicating with the User

Prompting for and Accepting User Variable

Example 6-14 Prompting for and Accepting Input

Customizing Prompts for Substitution Variable

Example 6-15 Using PROMPT and ACCEPT in Conjunction with Substitution Variables

Sending a Message and Accepting Return as Input

Clearing the Screen

Using Bind Variables

Creating Bind Variables

Referencing Bind Variables

Displaying Bind Variables

Using REFCURSOR Bind Variables

Example 6-16 Creating, Referencing, and Displaying REFCURSOR Bind Variables

Example 6-17 Using REFCURSOR Variables in Stored Procedures

Example 6-18 Using REFCURSOR Variables in Stored Functions

6
Using Scripts in SQL*Plus

***Table 6-1 SQL*Plus Editing Commands***

Using /.../

Example 6-8 Starting SQLPlus*