Get Schema for a specific object.

Question

I need to get the schema name for a "table" so that I can get its underlying meta data info. A user passes me the "table" name, but the "table" could be in my schema, or could a synonym pointing to another schema. I need to be able to execute the following ;
Select COLUMN_NAME, DATA_TYPE, NULLABLE from all_tab_columns where table_name = passedTable and owner = TableOwner
But the calling program only knows (and passes) the "table" name, so I need to figure out what the true owner/table is.
What I nee is something similar to the "which" command in unix/linux.
Paul

Answer 1

Thank you dan.
Once I had the name of the procedure (DBMS_UTILITY.NAME_RESOLVE), I was able to find other information about how to use it.
For further information look;
http://psoug.org/reference/dbms_utility.html
My actual working code in vb.net is;
strSQL = "sys.dbms_utility.name_resolve"
strErrorSection = strSQL
objCommand = New OracleCommand(strSQL, objConnection)
objCommand.CommandText = strSQL
objCommand.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure
objOracleParameter = New OracleParameter
objOracleParameter.ParameterName = "name"
objOracleParameter.OracleType = OracleType.VarChar
objOracleParameter.Direction = ParameterDirection.Input
objOracleParameter.Size = 30
objOracleParameter.Value = UCase(strTableName)
objCommand.Parameters.Add(objOracleParameter)
objOracleParameter = New OracleParameter
objOracleParameter.ParameterName = "context"
objOracleParameter.OracleType = OracleType.Number
objOracleParameter.Direction = ParameterDirection.Input
objOracleParameter.Size = 10
objOracleParameter.Value = 2
objCommand.Parameters.Add(objOracleParameter)
objOracleParameter = New OracleParameter
objOracleParameter.ParameterName = "schema"
objOracleParameter.OracleType = OracleType.VarChar
objOracleParameter.Size = 30
objOracleParameter.Direction = ParameterDirection.Output
objCommand.Parameters.Add(objOracleParameter)
objOracleParameter = New OracleParameter
objOracleParameter.ParameterName = "part1"
objOracleParameter.OracleType = OracleType.VarChar
objOracleParameter.Size = 30
objOracleParameter.Direction = ParameterDirection.Output
objCommand.Parameters.Add(objOracleParameter)
objOracleParameter = New OracleParameter
objOracleParameter.ParameterName = "part2"
objOracleParameter.OracleType = OracleType.VarChar
objOracleParameter.Size = 30
objOracleParameter.Direction = ParameterDirection.Output
objCommand.Parameters.Add(objOracleParameter)
objOracleParameter = New OracleParameter
objOracleParameter.ParameterName = "dblink"
objOracleParameter.OracleType = OracleType.VarChar
objOracleParameter.Size = 30
objOracleParameter.Direction = ParameterDirection.Output
objCommand.Parameters.Add(objOracleParameter)
objOracleParameter = New OracleParameter
objOracleParameter.ParameterName = "part1_type"
objOracleParameter.OracleType = OracleType.VarChar
objOracleParameter.Size = 30
objOracleParameter.Direction = ParameterDirection.Output
objCommand.Parameters.Add(objOracleParameter)
objOracleParameter = New OracleParameter
objOracleParameter.ParameterName = "object_number"
objOracleParameter.OracleType = OracleType.Number
objOracleParameter.Size = 10
objOracleParameter.Direction = ParameterDirection.Output
objCommand.Parameters.Add(objOracleParameter)
objCommand.ExecuteNonQuery()
strActualSchema = objCommand.Parameters("schema").Value
strActualTableName = objCommand.Parameters("part1").Value
objCommand = Nothing
strSQL = "Select COLUMN_NAME, DATA_TYPE, NULLABLE " & _
"from all_tab_columns where table_name = '" & strActualTableName & "' and owner = '" & strActualSchema & "'"