It does work from Sql*Plus:
Code:
$ sqlplus scott/tiger
SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.1.0 - Production on Wed Feb 26 11:38:42 2003
Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved.
Connected to:
Oracle9i Enterprise Edition Release 9.2.0.1.0 - Production
With the Partitioning option
JServer Release 9.2.0.1.0 - Production
SQL> set pages 0 long 5000
SQL> select dbms_metadata.get_ddl('TABLE','EMP') from dual;
CREATE TABLE "SCOTT"."EMP"
( "EMPNO" NUMBER(4,0) NOT NULL ENABLE,
"ENAME" VARCHAR2(10),
"JOB" VARCHAR2(9),
"MGR" NUMBER(4,0),
"HIREDATE" DATE,
"SAL" NUMBER(7,2),
"COMM" NUMBER(7,2),
"DEPTNO" NUMBER(2,0)
) PCTFREE 10 PCTUSED 40 INITRANS 1 MAXTRANS 255 NOCOMPRESS LOGGING
STORAGE(INITIAL 65536 NEXT 1048576 MINEXTENTS 1 MAXEXTENTS 2147483645
PCTINCREASE 0 FREELISTS 1 FREELIST GROUPS 1 BUFFER_POOL DEFAULT)
TABLESPACE "USERS"