This document summarizes requirements, differences between SQL*Plus and its documented functionality, new features in this release and support information.

It contains the following topics:

• Documentation Accessibility

• Certification

• New Features in SQL*Plus 12.2.0.1.0 Production

• New Features in Previous Releases

• Bugs Fixed

• Support

For information about Oracle's commitment to accessibility, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program website at http://www.oracle.com/pls/topic/lookup?ctx=acc&id=docacc.

SQL*Plus is certified against the operating systems set out in the operating-system specific Oracle Database documentation.

SQL*Plus is certified against Oracle Database 12c Release 2 (12.2) and all supported versions of the Oracle Server.

SQL*Plus Release 12.2.0.1 is a superset of SQL*Plus Release 12.1.

This section describes new features introduced in this release of SQL*Plus. Some features may be affected by the SQLPLUSCOMPATIBILITY setting. See the SET SQLPLUSCOMPATIBILITY Matrix in chapter 12, "SQL*Plus Command Reference" in the SQL*Plus User's Guide and Reference.

SQL*Plus now supports command history. The command history feature enables users to run, edit, or delete previously used SQL*Plus, SQL, or PL/SQL commands from the history list in the current session.

SQL*Plus now supports object lengths of 128 bytes. In previous releases, the object length limit was 30 bytes.

SQL*Plus has new commands that improve performance in certain cases: SET LOBPREF[ETCH], SET ROWPREF[ETCH], and SET STATEMENTC[ACHE].

The new commands enable users to control row and LOB prefetching, as well as statement caching.

The SQLPLUS and CONNECT commands now support the new user privilege SYSRAC as well as the existing SYSBACKUP |SYSDG |SYSKM |SYSASM |SYSDBA |SYSOPER privileges.

Support for input binding by using the VARIABLE command. The VARIABLE command now supports input binding which can be used in SQL and PL/SQL statements.

Support for CSV format data. The SET MARKUP command supports the display of data in CSV format.

Support for SET FEEDBACK option to suppress display of data. A new ONLY option for the SET FEEDBACK command suppresses display of data returned by the query. The number of rows selected and returned by the query is displayed.

Support for Application Continuity. The SQL*Plus command-line option –AC enables Application Continuity in a session. For more information about Application Continuity, see the Oracle Call Interface Programmer's Guide.

SQL*Plus command-line option –F[ast] improves general performance.

This section lists new features introduced in SQL*Plus in previous releases.

• Support for Implicit Results

• Last Login Time

• Displaying Invisible Columns

• Pluggable Database Support

• New Administrative Privileges

• SET XMLOPTIMIZATIONCHECK

• Editions Option

• SET EXITCOMMIT

• FAILOVER Option removed. FAN Events in an Oracle RAC Database are now permanently enabled on UNIX/Linux.

Bug 24602051 - STARTUP OPEN RESTRICTED should return a syntax error when connecting to the Application container root. Instead it results in the PDB opening in normal mode.

Work Around: Use STARTUP OPEN RESTRICT or ALTER PLUGGABLE DATABASE <pdb name> OPEN RESTRICTED.

The following section lists bugs fixed in SQL*Plus. Numbers in parentheses following the problem description refer to bug numbers in the Oracle Bug Database.

• SQL*Plus no longer throws ORA-1005 error when a user name that contains double quotes (") is specified while using the Password command (17613757)

• SQL*Plus no longer crashes when compiling a package body with errors if the name of the "object" specified in the command line is greater than 46 characters (18389912)

• Long column names are no longer displayed as junk characters in the table description (20453052)

• Using the "force" option to create views after altering the session's NLS_SORT parameter no longer causes a crash (20592522)

• Internal fixes (17830524, 17847776, 18925904, 19655924, 19674161, 19953173, 21609521)

• SQL*Plus now correctly executes a sql script that contains a WHENEVER SQLERROR EXIT clause (10375866)

• SPERRORLOG now displays entire statement (9559937)

• SQL*Plus commands now display correctly in PRODUCT_USER_PROFILE (9298298)

• SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE no longer hangs after session becomes defunct (8299200)

• INSERT now correctly reports all rows inserted (7047565)

• Internal fixes (9587813, 9575131, 8832471, 8670263, 8244438, 7629280, 6862613)

• SPERRORLOG now correctly displays the full statement (9559937)

• SQL*Plus unexpected termination in NLS environment fixed. (9575131)

• SQL*Plus WHENEVER commands can now be disabled. (9298298)

• Wildcard behavior in EDIT documented. (9046816)

• SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE no longer hangs. (8299200)

• Internal changes (9587831, 9587716, 9587244, 9370232, 9437352, 9379339, 9370460, 9370232, 9328006, 9226453, 9299444, 9226453, 7676775)

For SQL*Plus support, contact your local Oracle Support Services Center.