Oracle SQL*Plus: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition

Appendix A. SQL*Plus Command Reference

The Command to Invoke SQL*Plus

The sqlplus command is used from the operating system prompt to start SQL*Plus. Chapter 2 shows various examples of the command being used. The syntax is:

sqlplus [options] [logon] [start]

options ::= option [option . . . ]

option ::= {-H[ELP]
           | -V[ERSION]
           | -C[OMPATIBILITY] x.y[.z]
           | -L[OGON]
           | -M[ARKUP] markup
           | -R[ESTRICT] {1 | 2 | 3}
           | -S[ILENT]}

markup ::= HTML [ON | OFF] [HEAD text] [BODY text] [TABLE text] 
           [ENTMAP {ON | OFF}] [PREFORMAT {ON | OFF}]

logon ::= {typical | os_authenticated | administrative | /NOLOG}

typical ::= username[/password][@net_service_name] 

os_authenticated ::= /

administrative ::= typical AS {SYSDBA | SYSOPER}

start ::= @{url | file_path} [param [param . . . ]]

Command-line options are case-insensitive. The command itself may or may not be case-sensitive, depending on the underlying operating system. Parameters of a textual nature that include spaces or other non-alpha characters should be enclosed within double-quotation marks, as in HEAD "<title>My Page</title>".

The parameters are as follows:

-H[HELP]

Displays the syntax for the sqlplus command and then exits.

-V[ERSION]

Displays the current SQL*Plus version number and related information and then exits.

-C[OMPATIBILITY]x.y[.z]

Specifies a prior version (x), a release (y), and optionally an update (z) of SQL*Plus with which you wish to be compatible.

-L[OGON]

Inhibits reprompting for a username and password should the initial login credentials ...