Differences between PL/SQL Developer and SQL*Plus

Tested on an Oracle 11 database. I have been trying out PL/SQL Developer, a product by allroundautomations. You can see details here: https://www.allroundautomations.com/ If you use it,  you need to be aware of subtle differences between this product and Oracle’s SQL*Plus.

 

If you have a file like this:

 

set echo on

prompt -

prompt - Check the date:

prompt -

select sysdate

from dual

/

 

And you try to run it in SQL*Plus, it will fail:

 

SQL> get todays_date

  1  set echo on

  2  prompt -

  3  prompt - Check the date:

  4  prompt -

  5  select sysdate

  6* from dual

SQL> @todays_date

SQL> set echo on

SQL> prompt -

> prompt - Check the date:

prompt - Check the date:

SQL> prompt -

> select sysdate

select sysdate

SQL> from dual

SP2-0042: unknown command "from dual" - rest of line ignored.

SQL> /

SP2-0552: Bind variable "PROMPT" not declared.

SQL>

 

That’s because SQL*Plus treats single hyphens as continuation characters so Oracle thinks that the select sysdate is part of the prompt on the preceding line. PL/SQL Developer does not do this and is able to execute the SQL (as usual, click the image to display it at its correct size and bring it into focus):