Justify Left, Centre and Right

This was tested on Oracle 11.2. NUMBER items and their column headings are right justified by default:

 

SQL> set numwidth 15

SQL> select count(*) table_count from dba_tables

  2  /

 

    TABLE_COUNT

---------------

           3110

 

SQL>

 

If you want to see the heading in the centre of the column, you can do so with justify centre:

 

SQL> col table_count justify centre

SQL> select count(*) table_count from dba_tables

  2  /

 

  TABLE_COUNT

---------------

           3110

 

SQL>

 

If you want to see the heading to the left of the column, you can do so with justify left:

 

SQL> col table_count justify left

SQL> select count(*) table_count from dba_tables

  2  /

 

TABLE_COUNT

---------------

           3110

 

SQL>

 

VARCHAR2 items and their column headings are left justified by default:

 

SQL> select table_name from dba_tables

  2  where rownum = 1

  3  /

 

TABLE_NAME

------------------------------

CON$

 

SQL>

 

If you want to see the heading in the centre of the column, you can do so with justify centre:

 

SQL> col table_name justify centre

SQL> select table_name from dba_tables

  2  where rownum = 1

  3  /

 

          TABLE_NAME

------------------------------

CON$

 

SQL>

 

If you want to see the heading to the right of the column, you can do so with justify right:

 

SQL> col table_name justify right

SQL> select table_name from dba_tables

  2  where rownum = 1

  3  /

 

                    TABLE_NAME

------------------------------

CON$

NUMWIDTH

You can use NUMWIDTH to prevent large numbers being displayed in scientific notation. First check the current value of NUMWIDTH:

SQL> show numwidth

numwidth 10

SQL>

Next, display a large number. As it is more than NUMWIDTH digits long, it appears in scientific notation:

SQL> select sum(bytes) from dba_data_files;

SUM(BYTES)

----------

1.2863E+11

SQL>

This will need a NUMWIDTH of 12 or more to be displayed as a normal number:

SQL> set numwidth 12

SQL> l

  1* select sum(bytes) from dba_data_files

SQL> /

  SUM(BYTES)

------------

128625672192

SQL>