sqlplus / as sysdba

In Oracle 9, you could not connect to a database using sqlplus / as sysdba:

TEST9> sqlplus / as sysdba

Usage: SQLPLUS [ [<option>] [<logon>] [<start>] ]

where <option> ::= -H | -V | [ [-L] [-M <o>] [-R <n>] [-S] ]

      <logon>  ::= <username>[/<password>][@<connect_string>] | / | /NOLOG

      <start>  ::= @<URI>|<filename>[.<ext>] [<parameter> ...]

        "-H" displays the SQL*Plus version banner and usage syntax

        "-V" displays the SQL*Plus version banner

        "-L" attempts log on just once

        "-M <o>" uses HTML markup options <o>

        "-R <n>" uses restricted mode <n>

        "-S" uses silent mode

TEST9>

I guess this was because there were spaces in the connect string but I’m not sure. A connect string without spaces did not cause a problem:

TEST9> sqlplus andrew/reid

SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production on Mon Feb 7 17:10:25 2011

Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation.  All rights reserved.

Connected to:

Oracle9i Enterprise Edition Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production

With the Partitioning option

JServer Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production

SQL>

There were at least 3 ways round this. You could surround the connect string with single quotes:

TEST9> sqlplus '/ as sysdba'

SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production on Mon Feb 7 17:12:39 2011

Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation.  All rights reserved.

Connected to:

Oracle9i Enterprise Edition Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production

With the Partitioning option

JServer Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production

SQL>

You could surround the connect string with double quotes:

TEST9> sqlplus "/ as sysdba"

SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production on Mon Feb 7 17:16:05 2011

Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation.  All rights reserved.

Connected to:

Oracle9i Enterprise Edition Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production

With the Partitioning option

JServer Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production

SQL>

Or you could use sqlplus /nolog then make the connection within SQL*Plus:

TEST9> sqlplus /nolog

SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.7.0 - Production on Mon Feb 7 17:20:01 2011

Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation.  All rights reserved.

SQL> conn / as sysdba

Connected.

SQL>

In Oracle 10, the problem disappeared:

TEST10> sqlplus / as sysdba

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Production on Mon Feb 7 17:23:57 2011

Copyright (c) 1982, 2006, Oracle.  All Rights Reserved.

Connected to:

Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.2.0.3.0 - 64bit Production

With the Partitioning, OLAP and Data Mining options

SQL>