Specifies the default, identifier, and literal character sets for
    the session. The SET NAMES statement also specifies the character
    parameters for SQL module language.

1  –  Environment

    You can use the SET NAMES statement:

    o  In interactive SQL

    o  Embedded in host language programs to be precompiled

    o  As part of a procedure in an SQL module

    o  In dynamic SQL as a statement to be dynamically executed

2  –  Format

  SET NAMES ---> runtime-options ------>

  runtime-options

  --+---> 'string-literal' ------+----->
    +---> parameter -------------+
    +---> parameter-marker ------+

3  –  Arguments

3.1  –  parameter

    Specifies the character set used for the default, identifier,
    and literal character set for the session. The value of runtime-
    options must be a valid character set. See the Oracle Rdb SQL
    Reference Manual for a list of allowable character sets and
    option values.

3.2  –  parameter-marker

    Specifies the character set used for the default, identifier,
    and literal character set for the session. The value of runtime-
    options must be a valid character set. See the Oracle Rdb SQL
    Reference Manual for a list of allowable character sets and
    option values.

3.3  –  'string-literal'

    Specifies the character set used for the default, identifier,
    and literal character set for the session. The value of runtime-
    options must be a valid character set. See the Oracle Rdb SQL
    Reference Manual for a list of allowable character sets and
    option values.

4  –  Example

    Example 1: Setting the default, identifier, and literal character
    sets of an interactive session

    SQL> show character sets;
    Default character set is DEC_MCS
    National character set is DEC_MCS
    Identifier character set is DEC_MCS
    Literal character set is DEC_MCS
    Display character set is UNSPECIFIED
    SQL> --
    SQL> set names 'DEC_KANJI';
    SQL> show character sets;
    Default character set is DEC_KANJI
    National character set is DEC_MCS
    Identifier character set is DEC_KANJI
    Literal character set is DEC_KANJI
    Display character set is UNSPECIFIED
    SQL> --
    SQL> -- Specifying a different default character set
    SQL> --
    SQL> set default character set 'DEC_KOREAN';
    SQL> show character sets;
    Default character set is DEC_KOREAN
    National character set is DEC_MCS
    Identifier character set is DEC_KANJI
    Literal character set is DEC_KANJI
    Display character set is UNSPECIFIED
    SQL>