SQL*Plus User's Guide and Reference

CHAPTER 4. Formatting Query Results

This chapter explains how to format your query results to produce a finished report. This chapter covers the following topics:

changing column headings

formatting NUMBER, CHAR, VARCHAR2 (VARCHAR), LONG, DATE, and Trusted Oracle columns

copying, listing, and resetting column display attributes

suppressing duplicate values and inserting space for clarity

calculating and printing summary lines (totals, averages, minimums, maximums, and more)

listing and removing spacing and summary line definitions

setting page dimensions

placing titles at the top and bottom of each page

displaying column values and the current date or page number in your titles

listing and suppressing page title definitions

placing headers and footers at the beginning and end of reports

sending query results to a file or printer

Read this chapter while sitting at your computer and try out the examples shown. Before beginning, make sure you have access to the sample tables described