Re: Oracle9i: How to pull LOB data via SQL*Plus ?

From: Howard J. Rogers <hjr_at_dizwell.com>
Date: Wed, 08 Sep 2004 21:32:59 +1000
Message-ID: <413eedf6$0$15471$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au>

André Hartmann wrote:

>> sql*plus is the wrong tool -- it does not have the capability to extract
>> binary data to client files
>>
>> why is the customer specifying a shell script?

>
> He does, and the question "why" is not a legitimate question to a
> customer.

Rubbish. Of course it's a legitimate question if it elicits real information about the fundamental business need. Unless of course you are stuck with a client who thinks he knows everything, and simply wants you to implement his already-decided-upon solution.

But if he is approaching you for advice and insight, then you have a *responsibility* to ask 'why'. Then your consulting assignment has a chance of being of use to the client.

> He wants it and it is my task to evaluate if it is possible. Of
> course I might find it is not possible.. in which case the customer would
> have to alter their requirement but until then my job is to try with a
> script.

You don't even appear to know what the client *requirement* is. You know what the client *thinks* is a solution. But that is not the same thing at all.

>> what's the environment? client/server? what's the client? is sql*plus
>> installed on every client?

>
> As I said in my original post, the client is a Solaris workstation and
> it
> is obviously equipped with an Oracle client software. The platform of the
> server is not known and I dont think it is relevant here. We can assume
> client and server to be Ora9i.
>

>> does the script need to be integrated into a system that already uses
>> scripts?

>
> I dont know that, its not part of the requirement. So for the moment I
> assume it is a standalone script.

Oh dear. A consultancy assignment that starts on a bunch of assumptions is going nowhere very fast. Stop assuming. Stop not knowing. Find out. Start asking 'why'.

HJR
>

>> if you're in a web-based environment, you could also use a simple PL/SQL

> web

>> toolkit app for file upload/download -- it's fairly straight-forward,

>
> I am not. It is a simple Oracle client/server setup. No web or anything
> mentioned.
>
> AH
> :)
Received on Wed Sep 08 2004 - 06:32:59 CDT