Re: Re[2]: var source_data varchar2(12)

I never use those. I find it better not to be overly smart with sqlplus. Sqlplus is a program for ad-hoc queries from the command line and for the administrative functions (startup/shutdown, alter database/system), nothing more and nothing less. If I need a program, I can either write a PL/SQL block, anonymous or not, or a program in another language, like perl, C or C++. As a DBA tool, sqlplus is not very well suited for general developer or user population. SQL*Plus has a ghastly and disgusting user interface, implemented without "readline" or equivalent, which would give a command history. Littering the system with those @#$%! afiedt.buf files is bad enough but line editting commands are an indicator of how much oracle cares for the user interface. They've had several catastrophic failures (Oracle*Media - does anybody still remember the Ellison's "pizza" presentation when he ordered a pizza using interactive TV? Oracle Developer is another monumental flop. They've lost a significant portion of the market after transition from SQL*Forms 3.0 -> Developer 2000, which was practically unusable ) because of the inadequate user interface and sqlplus is definitely not something that I'd like presenting to my users. Using features like "var" and "print" is, in my opinion, being too smart for one's own good. If you need a report on permanent basis, write a perl script. Perl, after all, is a reporting tool ("Practical Extraction and Reporting Language") with a phenomenal regular expression engine. Sqlplus, on the other side, is a DBA tool. If the company is willing to spend some money, there are always Crystal Reports, Business Objects and VB/VC++ for creating data entry forms. OEM is jet another example of oracle's user interface blunder, with it's slow speed, huge memory consumption and parts that simply do not work (change management pack)

On 11/11/2003 07:59:24 PM, Jonathan Gennick wrote:
> Tuesday, November 11, 2003, 5:44:26 PM, Mladen Gogala (mladen_at_wangtrading.com) wrote:
> MG> Of course, within sqlplus one can only use it to invoke another
> MG> PL/SQL procedure.
>
> You can also PRINT (SQL*Plus command) the value of a
> REFCURSOR variable returned by a stored procedure to
> generate a SQL*Plus report.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Jonathan Gennick --- Brighten the corner where you are
> http://Gennick.com * 906.387.1698 * mailto:jonathan@gennick.com
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Mladen Gogala
Oracle DBA

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