EDIT

Purpose

Invokes a host operating system text editor on the contents of the specified file or on the contents of the buffer.

Syntax

ED[IT] [file_name[.ext]]

Terms and Clauses

Refer to the following for a description of the term or clause:

file_name[.ext]

Represents the file you wish to edit (typically a command file).

Enter EDIT with no filename to edit the contents of the SQL buffer with the host operating system text editor.

Usage Notes

If you omit the file extension, SQL*Plus assumes the default command-file extension (normally SQL). For information on changing the default extension, see the SUFFIX variable of the SET command in this chapter.

If you specify a filename, SQL*Plus searches for the file in the current working directory. If SQL*Plus cannot find the file in the current working directory, it creates a file with the specified name.

The user variable, _EDITOR, contains the name of the text editor invoked by EDIT. You can change the text editor by changing the value of _EDITOR. See DEFINE for information about changing the value of a user variable. If _EDITOR is undefined, EDIT attempts to invoke the default host operating system editor.

EDIT alone places the contents of the SQL buffer in a file by default named AFIEDT.BUF (in your current working directory) and invokes the text editor on the contents of the file. If the file AFIEDT.BUF already exists, it is overwritten with the contents of the buffer. You can change the default filename by using the SET EDITFILE command. For more information about setting a default filename for the EDIT command, see the EDITFILE variable of the SET command in this chapter.

If you do not specify a filename and the buffer is empty, EDIT returns an error message.

To leave the editing session and return to SQL*Plus, terminate the editing session in the way customary for the text editor. When you leave the editor, SQL*Plus loads the contents of the file into the buffer.

Example

To edit the file REPORT with the extension SQL using your host operating system text editor, enter

SQL> EDIT REPORT