iSQL*Plus

Release 9.0.0 Beta

 Objectives

After this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe the architecture of iSQL*Plus
• Use appropriate connection privileges to
access the database
• Use the Work Screen to retrieve data
• Modify the iSQL*Plus configuration files
• Discuss the known issues with iSQL*Plus
• List the unsupported iSQL*Plus commands
 iSQL*Plus Overview

• iSQL*Plus is a browser-based implementation

of SQL*Plus
– No client software, just a web browser!
• Component of SQL*Plus
• Available on Windows NT/2000
• Available on other platforms in future releases

iSQL*Plus Overview
iSQL*Plus runs in a web browser, so you can use iSQL*Plus to access Oracle9i from any
computer connected to the Internet or your intranet.
 iSQL*Plus Architecture

Three tier implementation

– iSQL*Plus user interface (web browser)
– iSQL*Plus Server, Oracle HTTP Server,
Oracle Net
– Oracle9i

iSQL*Plus Architecture
The three tiers may be on the same machine, or on separate machines.
iSQL*Plus User Interface (Client Tier)
The iSQL*Plus user interface runs in a web browser connected to the Internet or your
intranet. You only need to know the URL of the Oracle HTTP Server to access Oracle9i, or
any Oracle database. There is no installation or configuration required for the iSQL*Plus
user interface other than a web browser.
Oracle HTTP Server (Middle Tier)
The iSQL*Plus Server is installed as part of the Oracle HTTP Server. The iSQL*Plus
Server enables communication and authentication between the iSQL*Plus user interface
and the RDBMS.
Oracle9i (Database Tier)
Oracle Net components provide communication between the iSQL*Plus Server and
Oracle9i.
 iSQL*Plus Log In Screen
http://<host>.<domain>/isqlplus

iSQL*Plus Log In Screen

To log in to iSQL*Plus
1. Start the web browser.
2. Type in the URL of iSQL*Plus.
3. Fill in the Username, Password, and Connect Identifier fields.
The Connect Identifier field can contain either the Oracle Net alias (set in the tnsnames.ora
file in the middle tier), or the fully qualified Oracle Net connection identifier. If the field is
left empty, iSQL*Plus will try to connect to the default database.
Each log in is uniquely identified, so you can:
• Connect multiple times from the same machine.
• Connect multiple times from different machines.
 iSQL*Plus Work Screen

iSQL*Plus Work Screen

iSQL*Plus allows you to:
• Type in queries
• Load scripts
• Save scripts to a text file
• Display output to screen, or to an HTML file
• Output queries in HTML (4.0 Transitional)
The Work Screen has several key areas:
Input area: The area where you type the SQL statements, PL/SQL blocks and iSQL*Plus
commands.
Output area: The area where query output and/or error messages are displayed.
Script location field: Enter the location of the SQL*Plus script, or browse your file system to
locate it. Click the Load Script button to load the script to the Input area.
Execute button: Click the Execute button to execute the statements and commands in the Input
area.
Output dropdown: Select whether you want to display the output to screen, or save it to a file.
Clear Screen button: Click the Clear Screen button to clear text from the Input area and any
output that is displayed.
Save Script button: Click the Save Script button to save the contents of the Input area to a file.
Help button: Click the Help button to display the iSQL*Plus online documentation.
Log Out button: Click the Log Out button to end the iSQL*Plus session and return to the
iSQL*Plus Log In screen.
 iSQL*Plus Connection Privileges

Two modes to connect to RDBMS

– Standard user (User)
– Privileged user (AS SYSDBA or AS
SYSOPER)

iSQL*Plus Connection Privileges

There are two modes to connect to iSQL*Plus:
• as a standard user (User)
• as privileged user (AS SYSDBA or AS SYSOPER)
 Connect as Standard User

• Cannot issue DBA commands such as

– STARTUP
– SHUTDOWN
• Cannot use CONNECT command to reconnect
with SYSDBA or SYSOPER privileges
 Connect as Privileged User
(AS SYSDBA or AS SYSOPER)
• Authenticate with Oracle HTTP Server
– Username and password in iSQL*Plus user
authentication file

• After log in, URL becomes

http://<host>.<domain>/isqlplusdba

Connect as Privileged User (AS SYSDBA or AS SYSOPER)

If either AS SYSDBA or AS SYSOPER is selected, you are prompted for a username and
password. To access iSQL*Plus with SYSDBA or SYSOPER privileges, a username and
password must be added to the iSQL*Plus user authentication file:
ORACLE_HOME\sqlplus\admin\iplusdba.pw
By default, the authentication file has no entries.
After logging in AS SYSDBA or AS SYSOPER, the URL is changed to:
http://<host>.<domain>/isqlplusdba
 Add Privileged User

Create user with SYSDBA or SYSOPER privileges

– Run htpasswd utility as the Oracle HTTP
Server administrator

htpasswd <ORACLE_HOME>/sqlplus/admin/iplusdba.pw <username>

Add Privileged User

Create a new user entry with SYSDBA or SYSOPER privileges in the iSQL*Plus
authentication file using the htpasswd utility.
The username and password created with htpasswd are not related to the Oracle RDBMS
userid and password.
For more information about htpasswd, see the Oracle HTTP Server documentation.
 iSQL*Plus Configuration

• iSQL*Plus HTTP configuration file

ORACLE_HOME\sqlplus\admin\isqlplus.conf
• iSQL*Plus cascading style sheet
ORACLE_HOME\sqlplus\admin\iplus\iplus.css
• iSQL*Plus password file
ORACLE_HOME\sqlplus\admin\iplusdba.pw
• Oracle Net database alias file
ORACLE_HOME\network\admin\tnsnames.ora

iSQL*Plus Configuration
iSQL*Plus HTTP configuration file
ORACLE_HOME\sqlplus\admin\isqlplus.conf
• There are no options which can be changed in the beta version of iSQL*Plus. Later
versions may contain options which can be changed.
iSQL*Plus Cascading Style Sheet
ORACLE_HOME\sqlplus\admin\iplus\iplus.css
• Edit the contents of the style sheet to change the look and feel of the iSQL*Plus
user interface. The style sheet uses version 1.0 of the Cascading Style Sheet
specifications.
iSQL*Plus password file
ORACLE_HOME\sqlplus\admin\iplusdba.pw
• This file contains the authorization information for privileged users who have
SYSDBA or SYSOPER access through iSQL*Plus.
Oracle Net database alias file
ORACLE_HOME\network\admin\tnsnames.ora
• Update this file to include database aliases which can be used in the iSQL*Plus
Connection Identifier field.
 iSQL*Plus Known Issues

• Not certified against Oracle9i Application

Server
• User login.sql file not used
• Some SQL*Plus commands not supported
• Substitution variables not supported
– Available in release 9.0.1
• Password expiry not supported
– Available in release 9.0.1

iSQL*Plus Known Issues

Oracle9i Application Server Support
iSQL*Plus is not tested or certified against Oracle9i Application Server, or any other web
server.
Login.sql
iSQL*Plus does not use the login.sql file to set up sessions for different users as there is no
client installation of SQL*Plus. Configuration for user’s sessions will be enhanced in future
releases.
Unsupported Commands
Some SQL*Plus commands are not supported or have no context in iSQL*Plus. These
commands are listed on the following slides.
Substitution Variables
iSQL*Plus does not support substitution variables (‘&’variables). The production release
of iSQL*Plus will contain support for substitution variables.
Password Expiry
iSQL*Plus does not support the expiry of passwords. Warnings that the password should be
changed are not given. When the password expires, the user cannot log in again. Passwords
should be changed using SQL*Plus.
 Unsupported SQL*Plus Commands

• Commands with no context in iSQL*Plus

CLEAR SCREEN SET SQLNUMBER
EXIT SET SQLPREFIX
NEWPAGE SET SQLPROMPT
RUN SET SUFFIX
SET COLSEP SET TAB
SET ECHO SET TERMOUT
SET EDITFILE SET TIME
SET FLUSH SET TRIMOUT
SET NEWPAGE SET TRIMSPOOL
SET PAUSE SET VERIFY
SET SHOWMODE WHENEVER OSERROR EXIT
SET SQLCONTINUE WHENEVER SQLERROR EXIT

Unsupported SQL*Plus Commands

The commands listed above have no context in iSQL*Plus and have not been implemented.
Attempting to use these commands raises an error message.
 Unsupported SQL*Plus Commands

• Commands disabled for security reasons

@ GET SPOOL
@@ HOST START
EDIT SAVE STORE

• Buffer editing commands

[0-9]+ APPEND CHANGE
DEL INPUT

Unsupported SQL*Plus Commands

The first list of commands are disabled for security reasons. The second list of commands
are used to edit the buffer, and are not relevant in iSQL*Plus.
Attempting to use these commands raises an error message.
 For More Information

• SQL*Plus web site

http://www-plus.au.oracle.com/sqlplus/
• plushelp_us@oracle.com
• infoplus_us@oracle.com
• SQL*Plus section on Oracle Technology
Network
http://technet.oracle.com/tech/sql_plus/
• “iSQL*Plus” discussion forum on Oracle
Technology Network
 Summary

In this lesson, you should have learned about:

• The architecture of iSQL*Plus
• The connection privileges to access the
database
• Usage of the Work Screen to retrieve data
• The iSQL*Plus configuration files
• Known issues with iSQL*Plus
• Unsupported iSQL*Plus commands