Hello list, One of my colleague has dropped one datafile using 'alter database datafile '....' ofline drop' command and removed the datafile physically from OS. As we all know that the entry still exists in the datafictionary, when queries dba_data_file status column, the status is still AVAILABLE for this deleted file, which I believe is the way oracle deals with. The actually problem is, he has an application through which he does database cloning, example, he takes the cold backup of all data files and then run this utility which creates the controlfile trace and bla.. bla... . when it is creating the controlfile for clone database, it is actually failing by throwing an error FILE IS MISSING. Then, he edits the trace file script and removes this datafile entry and re-run the create controlfile script successfully. My question is, is there any way that we can avoid this file entry in the controlfile trace? What I was things is that taking an export of this tablespace and then droping the tablespace with its datafiles and then create same tablespace and import it back. I believe its little lengthy, can any one have any other option or work around for this? Thanks for your time. -- Best Regards, Jaffar, OCP DBA Banque Saudi Fransi Saudi Arabia ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It is your atittude, not your aptitude that determins your altitude." -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l