How do you pass an argument to a PL/SQL block within a sql file called using START in sqlplus?

Question

I have a bash script running several sql files via sqlplus:

sqlplus $connectioninfo << end
start file1.sql
start file2.sql
start file3.sql $variable
quit
end

file3 has some PL/SQL:

BEGIN

  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(&1);

END;
/

But it just prints the literal "&1" instead of the value of $variable. I have also tried the following in file3:

DEFINE var_a = &1;
BEGIN

  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(var_a);

END;
/

and also the following:

DECLARE
  var_b VARCHAR2(64) := &1;

BEGIN

  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(var_b);

END;
/

and finally:

DEFINE var_a = &1;

DECLARE
  var_b VARCHAR2(64) := var_a;

BEGIN

  DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(var_b);

END;
/

However, I am getting various errors or just the literal value '&1' for all of these.

Answer 1

Try adding SET DEFINE ON to the start of your script file3.sql.

If SET DEFINE is ON, SQL*Plus will replace &... substitution parameters with their values. If SET DEFINE is OFF (which it seems to be for you), SQL*Plus won't do this.