Installing Help
Typically, the HELP facility is installed along with the
database during normal installation. However, if for some reason you are unable
to invoke the HELP facility, it has more than likely not been installed or has
been dropped from the installation. In order to install it, follow these simple
steps. If these do not quite work, look inside the files within your particular
HELP directory with any editor as they will be self-documenting and have
changed from version to version.
1. Change
to the directory where the help install scripts reside:
cd $ORACLE_HOME/sqlplus/admin/help
2. Log
into your database with the SYSTEM account:
sqlplus
system/<password>
3. Drop
any lingering help objects:
@helpdrop
4. Create
the help tables and load help information:
@helpbld helpus.sql
Beefing Up HELP
I cannot quite remember the version of Oracle, but it used
to be that the HELP facility also contained quite a few topics that dealt with
the DDL, DML, and other administration commands. Please e-mail me if you
remember the version that this was de-supported. Anyway, I really miss some of
this simple text based help and have since decided to start porting some of the
more widely used command syntax back into my HELP facility on the databases
that I use. There is really nothing you can't put into this HELP facility and
you should seriously start thinking of giving your customers or developers as
others call them, the ability to quickly access information that they need
without having to page through manuals.
Adding HELP content is really just a four-step process.
1. Load
your new content through a SQL script.
2. Rebuild
the 'TOPICS' information
3. Rebuild
the 'INDEX' information
4. Validate
your information
Follow along with the simple formula.
Load Help
The content I wish to add is for the CREATE TABLESPACE
command. All that is required is the TOPIC ('CREATE TABLESPACE'), a unique line
number and the text for that line. After you build your topic I would suggest
that you save it into its own file, in my case I called it create_tablespace.sql
and then if you ever need to rebuild or port this it is very simple.
Remember you must be connected as the SYSTEM user.
Download create_tablespace.sql
Rebuild TOPICS
In order for the 'HELP TOPICS' command to work and show the
new content you just added, you must rebuild the whole TOPIC content. Here are
the four simple steps:
1. Rebuild
the HELP_TEMP_VIEW
CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW HELP_TEMP_VIEW (TOPIC) AS
SELECT DISTINCT UPPER(TOPIC) FROM HELP;
2. Delete
the TOPICS content
DELETE FROM HELP WHERE TOPIC = 'TOPICS';
3. Rebuild
the TOPICS content
INSERT INTO HELP
SELECT 'TOPICS', ROWNUM + 10, TOPIC FROM HELP_TEMP_VIEW;
4. Commit
your work
COMMIT;
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