Re: simple sql question.

From: Renby <renby_at_virgilio.it>
Date: 20 Dec 2002 08:36:09 -0800
Message-ID: <bc08717a.0212200836.15d06d41@posting.google.com>

Shravana Kumar <kumar.shravana_at_blr.spcnl.co.in> wrote in message news:<3E025D01.41FE8586_at_blr.spcnl.co.in>...

> SQL> select * from tab; ( get some results only if you end the
> statement with a semi colon )

SQL*PLUS recognizes this as a pure SQL statement (SELECT is a SQL base keyword), so it sends to Oracle everything up to semi colon.

> SQL> desc tab ( get results even if you don't end the statement with
> the semi colon )

This is not a SQL statement, but a SQL*PLUS command. It isn't sent to Oracle, but processed by SQL*PLUS itself locally, so it doesn't require a semi colon.

Hope this help. Received on Fri Dec 20 2002 - 10:36:09 CST