Extracting column names from a table.. SQL with UNIX

fmina · #1 (**permalink**) 08-18-2008

hi there everybody,
i need help,... thanks anyway!
i am working on a very huge table with the name table1. the problem is that i know only one field name in this table...,
working with a ksh environment i don't know how to view the table to check out the field names

.

Any ideas?

PS: Using the command select * from table1; seems to take a lifetime and never gives back a readable notation of the table.

thx anyways.

jim mcnamara · #2 (**permalink**) 08-18-2008

Oracle? in sqlplus

Code:

describe table1

fmina · #3 (**permalink**) 08-18-2008

Well,
This table is used in billing at a telecommunications company, so it contains all subscribers' tel. numbers and bill amounts, bill dates,... supposedly.
if i only select the subno column and redirect to a file i might have to wait for about 5 min for all the contents of the file to be concatenated on screen.

I am using sqlplus in unix, yes..

thank you a lot

for your help!

Vi-Curious · #4 (**permalink**) 08-18-2008

He wasn't asking you for a description of the table. In sql

Code:

desc table1;

returns the table description (column names and data types).

fmina · #5 (**permalink**) 08-19-2008

Thank you a lot Vi_Curious and jim!
This itty-bitty line of code works great!

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