error description

[pras]

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

[adewri]

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.

[pras]

Thanks Amar for the quick response...

pras

[jovery]

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

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

[DaPi]

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

[pras]

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