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Connect to an Oracle Database and Run a Query From a Bash Script

Published: 2019-06-07 • Last updated: 2021-04-06

Table of Contents

# Prerequisites

  • sqlplus (SQL*Plus) version 12.2.x or higher is installed and on your PATH. See install steps for Mac and Linux
  • The following files are in the same directory

# Files

A query.sql file:

-- this file must end in a new line
SELECT 'foo'
FROM dual
WHERE 1 = 1
UNION ALL
SELECT 'bar'
FROM dual
WHERE 2 = 2;

An .env file:

export ORACLE_HOST="localhost"
export ORACLE_PORT="1521"
export ORACLE_DATABASE="some_database"
export ORACLE_USERNAME="some_user"
export ORACLE_PASSWORD="some_password"

A script.sh file:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# Load database connection info
source .env 

# Read sql query into a variable
sql="$(<"query.sql")"

# If sqlplus is not available, then exit
if ! command -v sqlplus > /dev/null; then 
  echo "This script requires sqlplus to be installed and on your PATH ..."
  exit 1 
fi 

# Connect to the database, run the query, then disconnect
echo -e "SET PAGESIZE 0\n SET FEEDBACK OFF\n ${sql}" | \
sqlplus -S -L ${ORACLE_USERNAME}/${ORACLE_PASSWORD}@${ORACLE_HOST}:${ORACLE_PORT}/${ORACLE_DATABASE}

# Usage

Make it executable:

$ chmod 755 script.sh

Print results to stdout:

$ ./script.sh
foo
bar

Write results to file:

$ ./script.sh > results.txt

# Notes

  • The SET PAGESIZE 0 option suppresses all headings, page breaks, titles, the initial blank line, and other formatting information
  • The SET FEEDBACK OFF option suppresses the number of records returned by a script
  • The -S option sets silent mode which suppresses the display of the SQL*Plus banner, prompts, and echoing of commands
  • The -L option attempts to log on just once, instead of reprompting on error