Question

I’m trying to execute a query with SQL*Plus (command line) that is a VIEW. SQL*Plus isn’t supporting new lines or multiline comments ( /* — */ ).

When I run set sqlblanklines on, it returns an error:

SQL> set sqlblanklines on
unknown SET option beginning "sqlblankli...".

So I ran ‘help set’ and it says that the command sqlblanklines (with an asterisk) is not supported by isql , but I’m using SQL*Plus indeed.

I don’t know how to get rid of it, I’ve been frying my brain off about a couple days…

thanks in adv!!!

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More details

The version is 8.0.6.0.0.

I’m running a script from a file. It shows many errors like this:

SQL> start /tmp/sql/pti/APPS.DIBVWIP001.sql 

The errors are like

   unknown command beginning "and msi.i..." - rest of line ignored. 
   unknown command beginning "and msi.o..." - rest of line ignored. 
   unknown command beginning "and bic.c..." - rest of line ignored. 
   unknown command beginning "and bbm.b..." - rest of line ignored. 
   For a list of known commands enter HELP and to leave enter EXIT. 

Before that block there’s an blank line.. that’s the point. I can’t remove the blank lines from the scripts.

Answer 1

You are working with an ancient version of the software. So it’s no good looking at a modern version of the manual. If you consult the SQL*Plus User’s Guide for Oracle 8.0.5 you will discover that SET doesn’t support SQLBLANKLINES, which is what the error message told you.

I’m not sure why the multi-line comments are giving you grief: according to the documentation that should be supported. However, SQL*Plus – especially older versions – is sensitive to where we place the comments. It doesn’t like comments which are placed too early in the DDL command. So if you’re doing something like this …

create  
/*  this is a comment
    which spans several lines
    oh yes
*/
or replace view my_view as select * from dual
/

… you might get some problems (although it runs fine in 11g).