Undocumented Oracle functions

I was reviewing some notes I wrote from 1991 and came across some undocumented features in Oracle that I found. I just tried them and they all still work. Here they are:

    SQL Functions:

1. userenv('usermode') - userenv() is not new, but I haven't seen the 'usermode' argument documented. It returns 'MULTI-USER' if on a multiuser system, I haven't tried it on a single user system. ex. select userenv('usermode') from dual
2. merge$actions(arg1,arg2) - arg1 and arg2 are character strings. This function returns a string with 'B' in position n if arg1[n] <> arg2[n], otherwise returns the matched character. ex. select merge$actions('HI MOM','HI DAD') from dual returns: 'HI BBB'.

      Oracle Forms: (Discovered under SQL*Forms 3, but works with  4.x)
        1. no_operation  - Generates a FRM-4100 msg - You pressed an
           undefined function key.
           or 'This function is not currently available' under 4.x.
           Equivalent to noop macro in Forms 2.x.
           ex.  no_operation; -- Use in a trigger or PL/SQL block.
        2. null_command - same as null;
           ex. null_command;
        3. macro(V2args) - Executes SQL*Forms 2.x macro commands.
           Perhaps useful for using 2.x macros that have no equivalent
           command in 3.x and 4.x. These macros are:
              MOVLEFT, MOVRIGHT, SCRLEFT, SCRRIGHT.
           ex. macro('ENTQRY;'); -- Use in trigger on PL/SQL block.

--
Dan Bailey - Data Design Group, Inc.   Tallahassee, FL  850-671-7845