Question about AUTOTRACE, SP2-0618 and SP2-0611

Question

Good morning,
I wanted to look at the execution plan(s) for some sample queries. I did a little research using Google, found out about autotrace, plan_table, plustrace role and utlxplan. I followed the instructions I found but the result isn't quite as expected.
Here is an output of a freshly started session:
0 01:50 [SS1TB Attic-Z] [5G] [750M] Z:\Documentation\Oracle\
Oracle Concepts\Scripts>sqlplus hr/abc123
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Sun Aug 8 01:50:16 2010
Copyright (c) 1982, 2010, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
Connected to:
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing options
SQL> select count(*) from plan_table;
  COUNT(*)
         2
SQL> set autotrace on
SP2-0618: Cannot find the Session Identifier.  Check PLUSTRACE role is enabled
SP2-0611: Error enabling STATISTICS report
SQL> select count(*) from plan_table;
  COUNT(*)
         2
Execution Plan
Plan hash value: 3662021055
| Id  | Operation          | Name       | Rows  | Cost (%CPU)| Time     |
|   0 | SELECT STATEMENT   |            |     1 |     3   (0)| 00:00:01 |
|   1 |  SORT AGGREGATE    |            |     1 |            |          |
|   2 |   TABLE ACCESS FULL| PLAN_TABLE |     2 |     3   (0)| 00:00:01 |
Note
   - dynamic sampling used for this statement (level=2)
SQL>1. the first select is there to ensure I have a plan_table, that checks.
2. When I set autotrace on, I get SP2-0618 and SP2-0611 for reasons that I cannot figure out.
3. the second select is there to find out if the autotrace in step 2 had any effect. It did since now the explain plan is displayed.
The question is: if it is working (as step 3 demonstrates) then why I am getting those errors in step 2 ? and what do I have to do to not get those errors anymore ?
Thank you (again!) for your help,
John.
Note: I created the plustrace role, granted it select on v_$sesstat, v_$statname, v_$session, then I granted plustrace to hr. Was there something else needed ?

Answer 1

Hi John,
It looks like that, for PLUSTRACE it is important for the user to be logged out when the role is granted otherwise, it looks like there is a part of the process that doesn't "stick".That's not just with the PLustrace role. Any role would be working when the next time the user is going to log in. Please see below where using two sessions, I shall grant a user some privs and would see whether its working for the user or not.
*Session1BANNER
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
PL/SQL Release 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
CORE    11.2.0.1.0      Production
TNS for 32-bit Windows: Version 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
SQL> create user john identified by john;
User created.
SQL> grant connect to john;
Grant succeeded.
SQL> create role dangerous ;
Role created.
SQL> grant drop any table,create any index to dangerous;
Grant succeeded.
SQL> conn john/john
Connected.
SQL> select * from session_privs;
PRIVILEGE
CREATE SESSIONSo far, what I did that I created a user John, granted him a direct priviledge. There is a role also that's prepared and would be granted to the user while still he being connected. See below, this is the second session,
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Sun Aug 8 15:33:09 2010
Copyright (c) 1982, 2010, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
Connected to:
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing options
SQL> grant dangerous to john;
Grant succeeded.I would check the available permissions for the user in the session. This command was entered in the first session where the user john was already connected.
SQL> /
PRIVILEGE
CREATE SESSIONYou can see that there is no change in the session privs. Now, let's disconnect and connect again,
SQL> disconn
Disconnected from Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.1.0 - Production
With the Partitioning, OLAP, Data Mining and Real Application Testing options
SQL> conn john/john
Connected.
SQL> select * from session_privs;
PRIVILEGE
CREATE SESSION
DROP ANY TABLE
CREATE ANY INDEXAll he privs are active now for the user.
Now, the privs in the role, if would be updated, would be reflecting right away in the user's currently connected session. I added one more priv to the role in the 2nd session and it was coming in the 1st session, see below please,
session-2
SQL> grant alter any table to dangerous;
Grant succeeded.
SQL>
session-1
SQL> /
PRIVILEGE
CREATE SESSION
ALTER ANY TABLE
DROP ANY TABLE
CREATE ANY INDEX
SQL>I copied extra lines I guess, deleted them now.
Aman....
Edited by: Aman.... on Aug 8, 2010 3:56 PM