Get a list of tables: select table_name from all_tables.

Get a table's structure: desc tablename.

Date format: '7-Dec-2001'.

Oracle lives on the machine's filesystem at $ORACLE_BASE. $ORACLE_HOME is the root for the version that's currenlty being used.

When starting up a database, Oracle will look in =$ORACLE_HOME/dbs for the init.ora file.

JDBC connection URL format: jdbc:oracle:thin:@hostname:port:instance e.g. jdbc:oracle:thin:@poohpa:1521:CABOT. Oracle packages their jdbc driver in a .zip file (why should they follow the standards?), so look for a file named classes111.zip or something like that.

init.ora parameters: http://otn.oracle.com/doc/server.815/a67790/ch1.htm

"Oracle views": http://otn.oracle.com/doc/server.815/a67790/ch1.htm

To export a database use exp, exp help=y will give you help.

To see what database you're currently connected to, select name from u$database

In sqlplus, set timing on gives elapsed time for sql commands.

-- TobyCabot - 23 May 2002 - 19 Jul 2002