control files on linux

I'm running Oracle Enterprise Edition 8.0.5 on linux and have a question about control files. The documentation says that the 'create database' command creates the control files which on linux are defaulted to $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/ctrlSID.dbf unless otherwise specified. My understanding that "unless otherwise specified" means that I can put a line in my initSID.ora file that says control_files and specify another directory.

Does this mean that I don't use the 'create controlfile' command to create these files initially? Does the create database command automatically make my ctrlSID.dbf file? Is the 'create controlfile' command used for the system.dbf, tools.dbf, users.dbf, etc files?

Thanks
E Shaw Received on Thu Jul 15 1999 - 08:59:26 CDT