Okay, idiot level question I think. I have a script to run on windows as a batchfile: BATCHFILE: sqlplus <C:\bin\script_imp.sql SCRIPT script_imp.sql username/password@instance set pagesize 0 set linesize 500 set head off set verify off set termout off set feedback off spool C:\bin\an_outputfile_imp.csv <SQL statement> spool off; The problem is that the SQL is always shown at the top of the file!! Thanks! -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ David Cheyne BA(hons.) Oracle Database Administrator