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HELP

Description

Returns search results from the help table. The search string can contain the wildcard characters % and _.

info

The HELP feature requires the help tables to be loaded. Follow these steps:

  1. Copy the fill_help_tables-ob.sql file to the tmp directory on the client machine.

  2. Log in to seekdb and execute the statement source /tmp/fill_help_tables-ob.sql.

You can search for a category, multiple topics, or a single topic:

  • View the list of top-level help categories:

    HELP 'contents';
  • View topics within a help category, for example, search for data types:

    HELP 'data_types';
  • For a specific help topic, you can use one or more associated keywords:

    HELP 'create table'

    The returned topics include the following information:

    • name: the name of the topic.

    • description: the descriptive help text for the topic.

Syntax

HELP 'search_string';

search_string:
contents | data_types | theme

Parameters

ParameterDescription
contentsThe directory containing all help information. You can continue to search for help information by directory name.
data_typesThe specified data type.
themeThe specified topic.

Examples

  • View the directory containing all help information.

    HELP 'contents';
    You asked for help about help category: "Contents"
    For more information, type 'help <item>', where <item> is one of the following
    categories:
    Data Types
    Functions
    Operator
    Escape character
    Data Definition
    Data Manipulation
    Transaction Statements
    Prepared Statements
    Compound Statements
    Administration
    Utility
  • View the data types in the Numeric Type category.

    HELP 'Numeric Types';
    You asked for help about help category: "Numeric Types"
    For more information, type 'help <item>', where <item> is one of the following
    topics:
    TINYINT
    BOOL,BOOLEAN
    SMALLINT
    MEDIUMINT
    INT
    INTEGER
    BIGINT
    FLOAT
    DOUBLE
    DOUBLE PRECISION
    FLOAT(p)
    DECIMAL
    NUMERIC
  • View the usage of the KILL statement.

    HELP 'KILL';
    Name: 'KILL'
    Description:

    Syntax:

    KILL [GLOBAL | LOCAL] [CONNECTION | QUERY] 'sessionid'

    Each connection to OceanBase Database runs in an independent thread. You can use the SHOW PROCESSLIST; statement to view the running threads and use the KILL thread_id statement to terminate a thread.

    KILL CONNECTION is the same as KILL without a modifier: it terminates the thread with the specified thread_id.

    KILL QUERY terminates the statement currently being executed by the connection, but keeps the connection intact.
    If you have the PROCESS privilege, you can view all threads. If you have the SUPER privilege, you can terminate all threads and statements. Otherwise, you can only view and terminate your own threads and statements.
  • View the syntax of the SELECT statement.

    HELP SELECT
    Name: 'SELECT'
    Description:

    This statement is used to query the contents of a table.

    Basic query

    Syntax:

    SELECT
    [ALL | DISTINCT]
    selectexpr [AS othername] [, selectexpr ...]
    [FROM table_references]
    [WHERE where_conditions]
    [GROUP BY group_by_list]
    [HAVING search_confitions]
    [ORDER BY order_list]
    [LIMIT {[offset,] rowcount | rowcount OFFSET offset}]
    [FOR UPDATE];