Creating the Data Dictionary

When you use the Database Configuration Assistant to create a database, Oracle automatically creates the data dictionary. Thereafter, whenever the database is in operation, Oracle updates the data dictionary in response to every DDL statement.

The data dictionary base tables are the first objects created in any Oracle database. They are created in the SYSTEM tablespace and must remain there. The data dictionary base tables store information about all user-defined objects in the database.

Table 5-1 lists required scripts, which are run automatically when you create a database using the Database Configuration Assistant. They are described here because you might need to run them if you create a database manually, or if you upgrade and subsequently downgrade a database. To run these scripts, you must be connected to Oracle as a user with SYSDBA privileges.

Table 5-1  Creating the Data Dictionary Scripts

Script Name	Needed For	Description
catalog.sql	All databases	Creates the data dictionary and public synonyms for many of its views Grants PUBLIC access to the synonyms
catproc.sql	All databases	Runs all scripts required for, or used with PL/SQL
catclust.sql	Real Application Clusters	Creates Oracle9i Real Application Clusters data dictionary views