based on JLewis example, A small fix, it is not dbms_system.ksddt - writes a date-time stamp it is dbms_system.ksdDdt - writes a date-time stamp 3 d Executing as SYS SQL> begin 2 dbms_system.ksdwrt(3,'________________'); 3 dbms_system.ksdwrt(1,'Writing Alert.Log file') ; 4 dbms_system.ksdwrt(2,'Writing Trace File'); 5 dbms_system.ksdwrt(3,'Writing Both Alert and trace file') ; 6 dbms_system.ksdddt; -- writes a date-time stamp 7 dbms_system.ksdind(11); -- indents text using ":' characters 8 dbms_system.ksdfls; -- flushes the write to file 9 dbms_system.ksdwrt(1,'Writing Alert.Log file') ; 10 dbms_system.ksdwrt(2,'Writing Trace File'); 11 dbms_system.ksdwrt(3,'Writing Both Alert and trace file') ; 12 end; 13 / 14 In Trace File OUTPUT *** 2004-11-01 13:15:49.315 ________________ Writing Alert.Log file Writing Both Alert and trace file *** 2004-11-01 13:15:49.495 :::::::::::Writing Alert.Log file Writing Both Alert and trace file In Alertlog file OUTPUT Mon Nov 01 13:16:46 2004 ________________ Writing Trace File Writing Both Alert and trace file Writing Trace File Writing Both Alert and trace file Juan Carlos Reyes Pacheco OCP -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l