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SQL*Plus Common Commands Summary

1. Connecting and Disconnecting

  • Connect to the database:
  sqlplus username/password@hostname:port/service_name

Or, after entering SQL*Plus:

  CONNECT username/password@hostname:port/service_name;
  • Disconnect from the database:
  DISCONNECT;
  • Exit SQL*Plus:
  EXIT;

2. System Commands

  • Show the current user:
  SHOW USER;
  • Change user:
  CONNECT username/password;
  • Check database version:
  SELECT * FROM V$VERSION;
  • Show instance name:
  SELECT INSTANCE_NAME FROM V$INSTANCE;
  • Set the display title:
  TTITLE 'Your Title Here';
  • Clear the title:
  CLEAR TTITLE;

3. Query and Display Settings

  • Set the number of rows displayed per page:
  SET PAGESIZE number;
  • Set column width:
  COLUMN column_name FORMAT A20;
  • Show row numbers:
  SET NUMBER ON;
  • Turn off row numbers:
  SET NUMBER OFF;
  • Set line width for SQL*Plus buffer:
  SET LINESIZE number;
  • Run an SQL file:
  @filename.sql;

4. Result Formatting

  • Describe the structure of a table:
  DESCRIBE table_name;
  • Set output results as CSV format:
  SET COLSEP ',';
  • Suppress column headers:
  SET HEADING OFF;
  • Show column headers:
  SET HEADING ON;
  • Display executed SQL commands:
  SET ECHO ON;
  • Turn off SQL command display:
  SET ECHO OFF;

5. File Operations

  • Save query results to a file:
  SPOOL file_name;
  SELECT * FROM table_name;
  SPOOL OFF;
  • Edit the current SQL statement:
  EDIT;

6. Transaction Control

  • Commit a transaction:
  COMMIT;
  • Rollback a transaction:
  ROLLBACK;

7. Session Control

  • Show current session information:
  SELECT SID, SERIAL# FROM V$SESSION WHERE AUDSID = USERENV('SESSIONID');
  • Kill a session:
  ALTER SYSTEM KILL SESSION 'sid,serial#';

8. Environment Settings

  • Set output buffer size:
  SET LONG number;
  • Set date format:
  ALTER SESSION SET NLS_DATE_FORMAT = 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS';
  • Enable auto-commit:
  SET AUTOCOMMIT ON;
  • Disable auto-commit:
  SET AUTOCOMMIT OFF;

9. Miscellaneous Commands

  • Show last executed SQL statement:
  LIST;
  • Clear the current input buffer:
  CLEAR BUFFER;
  • Execute the last command again:
  /;

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