Help with FIXED LENGTH columns - using spool command

Question

Hi guys,
I have a view I am trying to spool using fixed length columns, and the spacing is off. Ive tried numerous things such as specifiying the column width before running the query, using the rpad command, but nothing seems to work. I have to spool it to a text file in order for the users to import this file into another system. I would welcome any and all suggestions. Thanks so much. The following is the view:
SELECT "EMPLOYEE_ID","FIRST NAME","INITIAL","LAST NAME","SUFFIX","TRAINING DATE","Course ID","Class ID", "We", "Make / Model", "Cali", "Barrell", "Serial Number", "Qualification", "Application", "SCORE", "Status", "Add Time", "Record Add ID","Record Add Date","Record Change ID","Record Change Date","RN" FROM
(SELECT
UPPER(RPAD(tbl.ssn,10)) AS "EMPLOYEE_ID",
UPPER(RPAD('',12)) AS "FIRST NAME",
UPPER(RPAD('',1)) AS "INITIAL",
UPPER(RPAD('',20)) AS "LAST NAME",
UPPER(RPAD('',5)) AS "SUFFIX",
UPPER(RPAD(to_char(QUALDATE, 'mmddyyyy'),8)) AS "TRAINING DATE",
UPPER(RPAD('P123',8)) AS "Course ID",
UPPER(RPAD('',6)) AS "Class ID",
UPPER(RPAD('P',4)) AS "We",
UPPER(RPAD('',4)) AS "Make / Model",
UPPER(RPAD('',4)) AS "Cali",
UPPER(RPAD('',7)) AS "Barrell",
UPPER(RPAD('',15)) AS "Serial Number",
UPPER(RPAD('A',4)) AS "Qualification",
UPPER(RPAD('D',4)) AS "Application",
to_char((RAWSCORE/250)*100, 'fm000.00') AS "SCORE",
UPPER(RPAD('PASS',4)) AS "Status",
UPPER(RPAD('',8)) AS "Add Time",
UPPER(RPAD('',8)) AS "Record Add ID",
UPPER(RPAD('',8)) AS "Record Add Date",
UPPER(RPAD('',8)) AS "Record Change ID",
UPPER(RPAD('',8)) AS "Record Change Date",
row_number()over(partition by firearms_scores.ID_NUMBER order by QUALDATE desc ) rn
FROM FIREARMS_scores, TBL
where scores.id_number=tbl.id_number
and qualyear='2010' and coursecode='SA'
order by employee_id)
where rn =1

Answer 1

Hi,
You RPAD doesn't do anything, since they are same as:
SQL> SELECT NULL AS "Record Add ID",
  2         NULL AS "Record Add Date",
  3         NULL AS "Record Change ID",
  4         NULL AS "Record Change Date" FROM DUAL;
R R R R
SQL>Can't see why COLUMN command shouldn't do what you want. Maybe you forgot the double quotes?
SQL> COL "Record Add ID" FOR a18
SQL> COL "Record Add Date" FOR a18
SQL>
SQL> SELECT NULL AS "Record Add ID",
  2         NULL AS "Record Add Date",
  3         NULL AS "Record Change ID",
  4         NULL AS "Record Change Date" FROM DUAL;
Record Add ID      Record Add Date    R R
SQL>P.S: You probably shouldn't set a column width which is smaller than the header length
Regards
Peter