Re: FAQ for help going from Sybase to Oracle?

In article <01bc1318$73f96bc0$9787a4cd_at_157.121.8.16.N_MIS>, "Kevin M. Haney" <khaney_at_netaxs.com> writes
>If there's a FAQ out there that will help me make the transition from
>Sybase to Oracle, I'd like to hear about it. It's driving me crazy that I
>can't just connect to an Oracle database and do an sp_who, or select name
>from sysobjects, or select db_name(). I'm sure there are equivalent
>commands... I just need a good reference to figure them out.

There is no shortage of oracle books. Check out the oracle press site at http://WWW.OSBORNE.COM/oracle/index.htm, or any half-decent book shop.
>
>Is there a "master" database in Oracle?
No. The nearest equivalent is the system tablespace which holds all the data dictionary tables and views. Most information about about the system is held in a series of views prefixed by DBA_ (everything in the system), ALL_ (everything in the system which the current user has access to) or USER_ (everything owned by the current user). These views are documented in the Server Reference Manual.

>Are there system stored procedures like sybase?

Yes.

>How do I use sqlplus from unix (I've played with "sqlplus
>user/password_at_server"... it doesn't seem as flexible as isql)?,

What do you mean? Anyone who has used both SQLplus and ISQL couldn't help but agree that SQL*Plus is the better product. What are you trying to get it to do? SQL*Plus is documented in the SQL*Plus User Guide and Reference.

> are there
>equivalent tables like sysdatabases, syslogins, sysobjects, etc, etc.
>

Yes, see above.

-- 
Jim Smith