I have an interesting problem. I am writing a series of Unix/SQL scripts that need to communicate with each other. That seems to be working pretty well, but I've run into an issue that I can't find an answer to. I have a SQL*Plus script that has embedded pl/sql code blocks in it. There are parameters passed to the SQL*Plus script that are referenced in the pl/sql code blocks. In one of the pl/sql code blocks, I need to be able to change the value of one of the parameters. I am running on Oracle 8.1.7.4, on Solaris 9. Here is the code: set serveroutput on def sql_job = &1 def run_stat = &2 def run_rest = &3 select 'Ethnic' from dual; update rit_current_job_seq set curr_job = rit_job_seq.nextval where build_type = 'W'; commit; begin if '&run_stat' = 'R' and '&sql_job' = 'test_exit' or &run_rest = 0 then insert into rit_run_statistics_test select 'test_exit','S',sysdate, rit_step_seq.nextval, curr_job, 'W','test_exit.sh','test_exit.sql',null from rit_current_job_seq where build_type = 'W'; commit; end if; end; / whenever sqlerror exit failure; begin if '&run_stat' = 'R' and '&sql_job' = 'test_exit' or &run_rest = 0 then rit_test_exit(0); end if; end; / whenever sqlerror continue; begin if '&sql_job' = 'test_exit' or &run_rest = 0 then if '&run_stat' = 'R' then insert into rit_run_statistics_test select 'test_exit','E',sysdate, rit_step_seq.currval, curr_job, 'W','test_exit.sh','test_exit.sql',null from rit_current_job_seq where build_type = 'W'; commit; end if; def run_rest = 0; <== This is where I need to change the value of run_rest. end if; end; / exit; The line I am having trouble with is in red. I have tried run_rest = 0;, run_rest := 0;, and &run_rest = 0. Nothing seems to work and I can't find anything in the Oracle documentation about this. Thank you, Scott Canaan (srcdco@xxxxxxx) (585) 475-7886 "Life is like a sewer, what you get out of it depends on what you put into it." - Tom Lehrer. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe send email to: oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. -- Archives are at //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/ FAQ is at //www.freelists.org/help/fom-serve/cache/1.html -----------------------------------------------------------------