When automating database tasks, developers often need to execute SQL scripts through SQL*Plus without manual intervention. The key pain point emerges when the script lacks an EXIT command, leaving the SQL*Plus session open and blocking subsequent commands in the batch process.

The most efficient approach uses command-line parameters to both execute the script and force termination:

sqlplus username/password@database @script.sql EXIT

Alternatively, you can use this more explicit syntax:

sqlplus -L username/password@database @script.sql EXIT

The -L flag attempts only one login (useful for scripts). The EXIT command after the script reference ensures termination.

For complex scenarios, you might need to handle return codes:

@echo off
sqlplus -S username/password@database @script.sql EXIT > output.log 2>&1
if %ERRORLEVEL% neq 0 (
    echo SQL*Plus execution failed
    exit /b 1
)

If you need to pass parameters to both SQL*Plus and your script:

sqlplus username/password@database @script.sql param1 param2 EXIT

For silent execution (no banner output):

sqlplus -S username/password@database @script.sql EXIT > nul

• Ensure the EXIT command comes after the script reference
• Use -L for scripts that might encounter login failures
• Redirect output (> output.log) when running in scheduled tasks
• The EXIT command will commit any pending transactions

When automating Oracle database tasks through command-line scripts, a common pain point arises: sqlplus.exe doesn't automatically exit after script execution unless explicitly told to do so. This becomes problematic when:

• Running batch processes that chain multiple database operations
• Scheduling jobs through Windows Task Scheduler
• Integrating with CI/CD pipelines

Oracle's SQL*Plus accepts several command-line arguments that solve this elegantly without modifying your SQL scripts:

sqlplus username/password@database @script.sql exit

Or more securely (to avoid password exposure):

sqlplus /nolog @run_script.sql

Where run_script.sql contains:

CONNECT username/password@database
@your_actual_script.sql
EXIT

For production environments, consider these robust approaches:

REM Windows batch example with error handling
sqlplus -L -S username/password@database @script.sql & exit_code.txt
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 (
    ECHO SQL*Plus error occurred
    TYPE exit_code.txt
    EXIT /B 1
)

Using PowerShell for better control:

$sqlOutput = sqlplus -S username/password@database @script.sql | Out-String
if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
    Write-Error "SQL*Plus execution failed"
    $sqlOutput
    exit 1
}

Proper exit handling enables:

• Accurate job status reporting
• Clean resource release
• Seamless integration with other tools
• Proper error code propagation

If you encounter problems:

1. Verify the -S (silent) flag isn't suppressing critical errors
2. Check Oracle environment variables (ORACLE_HOME, PATH)
3. Test connection strings independently first
4. Review SQL*Plus version compatibility