This might work with Oracle, but the redef of SYS$OUTPUT will most likely include extraneous text in the output, which would then have to be stripped in order for that output to be useful. Rich ________________________________ From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Reardon, Bruce (CALBBAY) Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 6:14 PM To: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: spool to symbol in vms Barb, I haven't got Oracle on VMS so can't test spool but how about doing this (which doesn't use spool but redefines standard output) - demonstrated with Rdb: BBV013> tmp == "fred.txt" BBV013> show sym tmp TMP == "fred.txt" BBV013> BBV013> define sys$output 'tmp BBV013> sql SQL> at 'f pas_batch_db'; SQL> select * from pot limit to 1 row; SQL> Exit BBV013> deass sys$output BBV013> ty 'tmp SQL> declare transaction read only; SQL> SET NOVERIFY; POT_NUM POTLINE_NUM POT_PSTN 2001 2 NULL 1 row selected BBV013> Hope this helps, Bruce Reardon -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Reidy, Ron Sent: Friday, 8 September 2006 2:13 AM To: barb.baker@xxxxxxxxx; oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: spool to symbol in vms Is this like Unix? If so ... spool ${tmp} -- Ron Reidy Lead DBA Array BioPharma, Inc. ________________________________ From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Barbara Baker Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 10:06 AM To: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: spool to symbol in vms OpenVMS 7.3-1 Oracle 9.2.0.4 Hi, all. Does anyone know how to spool to a symbol in vms? Here's my dcl. I want to spool to the file identified by the symbol tmp. $ val_sid = f$trnlnm("ora_sid") $! $ sho sym val_sid $ tmp = "tmp_"+"''val_sid'"+".txt" $ sho sym tmp $ sqlplus "/ as sysdba" spool 'tmp select '$ STOP/IDENTIFICATION=' || p.spid proc_id from v$session s, v$process . . . . . Thanks for any help! Barb