dynamic linesize in 18.1

Whenever you select and describe in sqlplus it looks ugly

default: pagesize 14 linesize 80

change the default: it is often too large or too narrow

Let’s try WINDOW in sqlplus 18.1, which is available for download on Solaris / Linux / Windows

SQL> set lin window
SQL> sho lin
linesize 95 WINDOW
SQL> sho pages
pagesize 86


And look the result :

Almost perfect 🙂

I think it would nicer if DESC didn’t have this empty line

The cool thing with SET LINESIZE WINDOW is that it is dynamic (as I tested with CMD.EXE/windows and XTERM/Linux). Your window is too narrow, you make it bigger, re-run your select, it looks nicer

but… pagesize cannot be set to NON-WINDOW

SQL> set lin window
SQL> set pages 50000
SQL> sho pages
pagesize 21
SQL>