Using DBMS_XPLAN in version 2.1

Question

Hello,
I'm using SQL Developer for a long time now. Especially with the 1.5 versions, the following script worked like a charm.
set timing on;
set serveroutput off;
set termout off;
select /*+ gather_plan_statistics */ * from emp;
set termout on;
select * from table(dbms_xplan.display_cursor(null,null,'COST IOSTATS LAST'));
Quick explanation:
Running a SELECT with suppressed output, and giving back its execution plan (from the "current cursor") in a nice ASCII art table.
My problem now: Running with version 2.1 of SQL Developer, the current cursor is something entirely different, the dbms_xplan package complains:
cannot fetch plan for SQL_ID: 8kfd4vsgdvxuh, CHILD_NUMBER:1 Please verify value of SQL_ID and CHILD_NUMBER;
It could also be that the plan is no longer in cursor cache (check v$sql_plan)
SQL ID 8kfd4vsgdvxuh is this:
declare
l_line varchar2(32767);
l_done number;
l_buffer varchar2(32767) := '';
l_lengthbuffer number := 0;
l_lengthline number := 0;
begin
loop
dbms_output.get_line(
l_line,l_done);
if (l_buffer is null) then
l_lengthbuffer := 0;
else
l_lengthbuffer := length(l_buffer);
end if;
if (l_line is null)
then l_lengthline := 0;
else l_lengthline := length(l_line);
end if;
exit when l_lengthbuffer + l_lengthline > :maxbytes
OR l_lengthbuffer + l_lengthline > 32767
OR l_done = 1;
l_buffer := l_buffer || l_line || chr(10);
end loop;
:done := l_done;
:buffer := l_buffer;
:line := l_line;
end;
I think this is something caused by the table() keyword, but I'm not sure.
Where comes the difference from? 1.5 has had similar problems, but there "set serveroutput off;" helped to avoid it.
What can I do in 2.1 to make this approach work?
Thanks a lot
Martin Klier

Answer 1

You should be able to get an execution plan using EXPLAIN PLAN - that's what its for. the old way to get execution plans manually
The idea is to try it manaully: do EXPLAIN PLAN in your work window, then execute dbms_xplan manually Something like
in command pane
explain plan for select * from dual;
select * from table(dbms_xplan.display)in output pane
Plan hash value: 272002086
| Id  | Operation         | Name | Rows  | Bytes | Cost (%CPU)| Time     |
|   0 | SELECT STATEMENT  |      |     1 |     2 |     2   (0)| 00:00:01 |
|   1 |  TABLE ACCESS FULL| DUAL |     1 |     2 |     2   (0)| 00:00:01 |
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