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

Name

START

Synopsis

The START command functions the same way as the @ command and is used to execute a SQL*Plus script file. From iSQL*Plus, you can only run scripts via http or ftp.

Syntax

STA[RT] {script_file | url} [argument [argument . . . ]]

Paremeters

STA[RT]

Is the command, which may be abbreviated STA.

script_file

Is the name of the file you want to execute and may include the path and the extension. The default extension is sql. If you don't specify a path, SQL*Plus will look for the file first in the current working directory and then search each directory listed in the SQLPATH environment variable. See Chapter 14 for information about customizing the search path.

url

Is an http or ftp URL pointing to a script that you wish to execute. Oracle9i Database Release 1 brought this option to SQL*Plus on Windows; Oracle9i Database Release 2 brought it to SQL*Plus on all platforms.

argument

Is an argument you wish to pass to the script. You may pass as many arguments as you like. Arguments must be separated from each other by at least one space. Arguments may be enclosed in quotation marks, and should be if they contain spaces. Single or double quotation marks may be used at your discretion. Your script may reference the first argument as &1, the second as &2, etc.