Name
SET SQLNUMBER â Not available in iSQL*Plus
Synopsis
The SQLNUMBER setting controls whether SQL*Plus uses the line number as a prompt when you enter a multiline SQL statement.
Syntax
SET SQLN[UMBER] {OFF | ON}
Parameters
- SET SQLN[UMBER]
Is the command, which may be abbreviated SET SQLN.
- OFF
Causes SQL*Plus to use the same prompt for all lines of a SQL statement or PL/SQL block.
- ON
Causes SQL*Plus to use the line number as the prompt for the second and subsequent lines of a SQL statement or PL/SQL block. This is the default setting.
Examples
The following example shows the difference between the ON and OFF settings:
SQL> SET SQLNUMBER ON SQL> SELECT 2 * 3 FROM dual 4 SQL> SET SQLNUMBER OFF SQL> SELECT SQL> * SQL> FROM dual SQL>
I can't imagine any reason to ever turn this setting off. Look at the first and second statements in the example. It's immediately obvious that the three lines of the first query all belong together as one statement. This is not so obvious with the second statementâyou have to think about it a bit. The visual cue provided by the line numbers is missing, making you take more time to figure out what you are really looking at.
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