Ben, What about using export / import? Also what version and OS? I had problems with using copy and the Windows version of sqlplusw at = one stage which worked under the Windows CMD sqlplus program - I could = find exact details if this matches your configuration. Also, what happens if you try using copy insert with a precreated table = rather than copy create? I'm sure someone will suggest Perl / OCI. HTH, Bruce Reardon -----Original Message----- From: Ben Sauer Sent: Thursday, 21 October 2004 9:18 AM (On an inheritted database) I have a long field on a table that is being = used to encode html for forms. It's in some kind of unicode form that is quite = weird. When I look at it with sqlplus I see every character with a space after = it.=20 Anyway, I need to make a copy of the table to a remote database. When I = try the same thing in Toad (and even Access in desperation) I see only the first character of the field when I try and look at it. (I do see more in = toad before I try and zoom in but each character has a solid black line (like the interpretation of a hard return) after it.) Create table temp as select * from table_with_long@remotedatabase gets = me an illegal use of long error so I switch to the copy command: =20 copy from "username/password@remotedatabase" create temp using select * = from table_with_long. The result is that I get truncated data. Not sure how long it is = copying but it is truncating it. Doesn't matter if I set my long to 1000000 or = 9999999 it stops in exactly the same place. I need to get the table copied over = exactly as is, any ideas what's going on or how to fix it? Thanks, Ben. NOTICE This e-mail and any attachments are private and confidential and may = contain privileged information. If you are not an authorised recipient, = the copying or distribution of this e-mail and any attachments is = prohibited and you must not read, print or act in reliance on this = e-mail or attachments. This notice should not be removed. -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l