Re: Why is it so hard to find?

This is getting REALLY frustrating!!! I have what should be a very simple question and I'm hitting brick walls everywhere I turn. Everyone's telling me to read the concepts information. The Oracle website won't let me register telling me my domain is invalid.

I'm back to my very simple question. I've got 8i installed, I'm sitting at an sqlplus prompt and I want to know what files/tables/whatever.you.want.to.call.them are available. I'm not looking to find operating system files. I want to know things like CUSTOMERS, INVOICES, PET_NAMES, FAVORITE_COLORS, .... which I can then do a DESC CUSTOMERS to find out what kind of data is in it.

This CAN'T be such a tough question for someone to be able to answer. I keep wanting to try SELECT * FROM TABLES but, as I'm sure many of you want to tell me, is not valid.

Please! A straight, direct answer of what the command is that's equivalent to "What's currently defined in this
environment/system/account/'You.Are.Here'."

"Ryan Gaffuri" <rgaffuri_at_cox.net> wrote in message news:1efdad5b.0307100811.a0b5450_at_posting.google.com...
> karthik <anon_at_anon.com> wrote in message
news:<bedbhq$di4$1_at_mozo.cc.purdue.edu>...
> > Oracles features is enough to intimidate most users. If you have some
> > programming experience, it should not be hard to pick up the basics of
> > Oracle Sql Programmning. DBA is tougher.
> >
> > i would suggest thomas kytes book "Expert one on one Oracle" and
> > Jonathan Lewis "Practical Oracle 8i". Forgive me if i get the last title
> > wrong. Also check out Quest softwares knowledge expert for DBA and
> > PLSQL. really helpful to get a quick start.
> >
> > Being a DBA is tough or easy depending on what you are managing. If you
> > are a newbie and you need to manage an Oracle database with transactions
> > going on all the time, its madness. You better find another job.
> >
> > If you are an Oracle DBA and given the task of managing a Read only
> > database in a student lab (like me), its easy. Plus you get the
> > oppurtunity to hack the thing and learn a bit!
> >
> > Good luck!
> > Karthik
> >
> > Bob Woodward wrote:
> >
> > > Why is it so hard to find out how to get a simple list of what fricken
files
> > > there are? Okay, so I'm an Oracle moron but I've got plenty of
programming
> > > experience. Is there anyplace that has a straight forward "cheat
sheet"
> > > kind of listing of simple, "get you started" kind of commands? Maybe
a
> > > super condensed "For the neanderthal" Dummy's guide online? I've
figured
> > > out how to install 8i on Solaris but now I'm scratching my head going
NOW
> > > what?
> > >
> > > And PLEASE don't say RTFM. I've RTFM and am STILL confused of where
to go
> > > next.
> > >
> > >
>
>
> i agree with you on learning sql first. I disagree with jumping right
> into kyte and lewis. hold off on those for a bit. learn sql. learn
> pl/sql. if your a programmer pl/sql is just syntax. just get the
> basics.
>
> select,insert,update,delete
>
> go to otn.oracle.com read the concepts document. Get the big picture.
> then read the developer fundamentals(lots of stuff in here you can
> skip like oracle xa, java, objects, lobs... go back to them later).
> just skim that one.
>
> then skim the administrator guide. Lots of stuff in here you can skim
> over too.
>
> go for 'big picture' first.
>
> the only cheat sheat you have at first is sql and pl/sql. It should
> not be hard to learn. Then after you digest the basic concepts read
> lewis and kyte. much more efficient use of your time that way. those a
> books assume you know quite a bit.
Received on Fri Jul 11 2003 - 12:01:07 CDT