Lets start all again.. with vino's addition:
What do you know about unix in general? (may help us understand your pain... and answer accordingly...)

vino suggest you set some env variable:
the best for you in this case is to edit using vi your .profile
on a standard HP system you should be using ksh (or posix..)
so in your home directory do a vi of .profile:
look for this line:
# Set up the search paths:

#### and add now:
ORACLE_HOME=/usr/oracle/u01/8.1.7
#### and complete the PATH:
PATH=$PATH:$ORACLE_HOME/bin
export ORACLE_HOME PATH

### save -> :wq
now execute . ./.profile
env
you should see the modified path and the new variable
which sqlplus should say /usr/oracle/u01/8.1.7/bin/sqlplus (If you are sure its in that directory...)

Helpful people: Please also take note of the fact that he is using bash (as can be seen from his original post), and he is being instructed to add things to korn shell config files.

Shawn -

In HPUX /sbin/sh usually points to ksh by default. Most bash installation are in places like /usr/local/bin. This does not mean that /sbin/sh could not point somewhere else, but you have to assume ksh or a POSIX Bourne-like shell.

(ant B.11.11 U 9000/800 168921511 unlimited-user license
ant:/sbin $ file sh
sh: PA-RISC1.1 shared executable
ant:/sbin $ file /usr/bin/sh
/usr/bin/sh: PA-RISC1.1 shared executable dynamically linked
ant:/sbin $ file /usr/bin/ksh
/usr/bin/ksh: PA-RISC1.1 shared executable dynamically linked
ant:/sbin $

/sbin/sh is by default only used by root and is pure bourne shell(not dynamically linked), the reason in when in maintenance level or single user you may very well have nothing more than / mounted...
this said it doesnt change anything to the syntax given...

thanks guys for your answers.

vbe as you understand i use unix only for my work and the only things i know are from college 3-4 years ago.so....please do answer me accordingly!

by default the machine points at sh but i used ksh to write what vino instructed
i will these new things and we'll see
thanks talk you soon!

What does running this:

/usr/oracle/u01/8.1.7/bin/sqlplus

at the command line give you?

Also, if you have significant permissions, try:

find /usr/oracle/u01/8.1.7 -name sqlplus