error description

Hi everybody,

How can i see the description of the error i encountered at the SQL prompt.For e.g if i got the error ORA-01531, a database already open by this instance.

and if i type at sql prompt something like..(i read it somewhere..)
SQL> !oerr ora 1531

It should give me the description of the error...cause and action
But i tried it and it gives me..
SQL> !oerr ora 1531
SP2-0734: unknown command beginning "!oerr ora ..." - rest of line ignored.

Thanks in advance
pras

Where are you firing this command from ??

First it works only on unix not on windows...

If you are using a windows sql client and using it to connect to unix server then also it wont work.

telnet to unix machine, use the client there and then try.

NOTE: Never try what you just read somewhere unless or until you know what it does.

Thanks Amar for the quick response...

pras

If you want to perform the same function on any platform you can use a simple procedure like the following:

Code:

---

SQL> CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE oerr (errno IN NUMBER)
  2  IS
  3    errno_v NUMBER;
  4    msg_v  VARCHAR2(200);
  5  BEGIN
  6    IF errno > 0 THEN
  7      errno_v := errno * -1;
  8    ELSE
  9      errno_v := errno;
 10    END IF;
 11    msg_v := sqlerrm(errno_v) ;
 12    dbms_output.put_line(msg_v) ;
 13  END oerr;
 14 
 15  /

Procedure created.

SQL> set serveroutput on
SQL> exec oerr(1531)
ORA-01531: a database already open by the instance

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

---

HTH

Jim, that's pretty!
Obvious when you see it - isn't that always the way! Thanks.

Hi Jovery,

Actually i am more interested in the cause and the action part of the description.How do i include that in the above procedure.Any other way..Thanks for the help.

pras