i don't know how 🙂 and besides i'm afraid that if i do something with it and went wrong it could cost me my job 😉 the database available from the office is a live one and cannot be altered unless authorized to do so. so is there anyway i can practice sqlplus? similar to unix where in there are some sites that offer free unix account and can practice there scripts. by the way, thanks matto for the reply i already check out the site and it was not just as i was hoping, sorry 🙂 hope u can provide me with another site, thanks a lot! hope to learn more from all of you...