ATTRIBUTE

ATTRIBUTE [type_name.attribute_name [option ...]]

where option represents one of the following clauses:

ALI[AS] alias
CLE[AR]
FOR[MAT] format
LIKE {type_name.attribute_name|alias}
ON|OFF

Specifies display characteristics for a given attribute of an Object Type column, such as format for NUMBER data.

Also lists the current display characteristics for a single attribute or all attributes.

Terms | Usage | Examples | Top

Enter ATTRIBUTE followed by type_name.attribute_name and no other clauses to list the current display characteristics for only the specified attribute. Enter ATTRIBUTE with no clauses to list all current attribute display characteristics.

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

type_name.attribute_name

Identifies the data item (typically the name of an attribute) within the set of attributes for a given object of Object Type, type_name.

If you select objects of the same Object Type, an ATTRIBUTE command for that type_name.attribute_name will apply to all such objects you reference in that session.

ALI[AS] alias

Assigns a specified alias to a type_name.attribute_name, which can be used to refer to the type_name.attribute_name in other ATTRIBUTE commands.

CLE[AR]

Resets the display characteristics for the attribute_name. The format specification must be a text constant such as A10 or $9,999--not a variable.

FOR[MAT] format

Specifies the display format of the column. The format specification must be a text constant such as A10 or $9,999--not a variable.

LIKE {type_name.attribute_name|alias}

Copies the display characteristics of another attribute. LIKE copies only characteristics not defined by another clause in the current ATTRIBUTE command.

ON|OFF

Controls the status of display characteristics for a column. OFF disables the characteristics for an attribute without affecting the characteristics' definition. ON reinstates the characteristics.

Usage | Terms | Examples | Top

You can enter any number of ATTRIBUTE commands for one or more attributes. All attribute characteristics set for each attribute remain in effect for the remainder of the session, until you turn the attribute OFF, or until you use the CLEAR COLUMN command. Thus, the ATTRIBUTE commands you enter can control an attribute's display characteristics for multiple SQL SELECT commands.

When you enter multiple ATTRIBUTE commands for the same attribute, SQL*Plus applies their clauses collectively. If several ATTRIBUTE commands apply the same clause to the same attribute, the last one entered will control the output.

Examples | Terms | Usage | Top

To make the LAST_NAME attribute of the Object Type EMPLOYEE_TYPE 20 characters wide, enter

ATTRIBUTE EMPLOYEE_TYPE.LAST_NAME FORMAT A20

To format the SALARY attribute of the Object Type EMPLOYEE_TYPE so that it shows millions of dollars, rounds to cents, uses commas to separate thousands, and displays $0.00 when a value is zero, enter

ATTRIBUTE EMPLOYEE_TYPE.SALARY FORMAT $9,999,990.99