World'S dumbest unix/Oracle Question

I am attempting to get SQLPLUS too return a non-zero return code in unix when the login fails.

It is very nice that it gives me three chances to get the userid and password correct but if the base is down or some other horrible thing has happended I would like to get something out of my script other than a return code of zero.

Please do not tell me about the "whenever sqlerror" command because sqlplus never gets far enough to read the glogin or login files.

Help!!

If it helps we are running 7.1.6 and version 2.? of solaris

thanks folks

-- 
Robert Wolfe					robwolfe_at_fox.nstn.ca
DMR Group Inc
97 Brookfield Avenue
Dartmouth, NS