OS - Basic Teradata Query

Basic Teradata Query Reference

Product
Basic Teradata Query
Release Number
15.10
Language
English (United States)
Last Update
2018-10-07
dita:id
B035-2414
lifecycle
previous
Product Category
Teradata Tools and Utilities

Purpose  

Submits an operating system command to a workstation-attached system. For Mainframe BTEQ, see “TSO” on page 349.

Syntax  

where:

 

Syntax Element

Specification

os_command

A string that represents a valid operating system command.

Usage Notes  

The specified operating system command must be valid for execution on the operating system in use. To use more than one operating system command, send the BTEQ OS command repeatedly, or send the operating system command that enables control to be given to another program. This is accomplished differently in each operating system.

The OS command can be used to look at the complete contents of a closed export file. Using the OS command to look at the contents of an open export file might not display the last few records in the file, though they transfer to the file when the file is closed. This is because the last few records are still in the buffer, and have not yet been written to disk. (See “EXPORT” on page 158 for more information about closing an export file.)

An OS command can be used in a Teradata SQL macro, but only for one specific command at a time. (That is, do not use it to drop into the command processor or shell).

The command is issued to the operating system in the UTF-8 encoding for Workstation BTEQ, whenever the I/O encoding is UTF8 or UTF16. The use of multi-byte characters in the OS command is not supported and might produce unpredictable results.

Example - List Directory Files

Use one of the following OS commands to display the files in a directory:

  • For a UNIX system, specify:
  •    .OS ls
  • For Windows, specify:
  •    .OS DIR

    Example - UNIX OS

    For a UNIX system, use the UNIX command EXECUTE SHELL to exit from BTEQ and press and hold the keys Control and D to return to BTEQ.

    For example:

       .OS exec s
       $ pg myfile.one
       $ cp oldfile newfile
       $ cd draft
       $ <cntrl>/<d>

    Example - Windows

    For Windows, use the DOS command COMMAND (secondary command processor) to exit from BTEQ and the EXIT command to return to BTEQ.

       .OS command
       C> type b:myfile.one
       C> edlin b:myfile.one
       C> dir a:
       C> exit

    Example - Teradata SQL

    In a Teradata SQL macro, the OS command is written as follows:

       ECHO '.OS ls';

    Example - Change Window Title

    When multiple instances of Windows BTEQ are active, the .OS command with the DOS command TITLE can be used to customize the console windows’ title text so they can be differentiated. The following example changes the default title to mach1:

    .OS TITLE mach1