formatSpec
The following table lists RMAN substitution variables that are valid in format strings.
Syntax ElementDescription
%aSpecifies the activation ID of the database.
%cSpecifies the copy number of the backup piece within a set of duplexed backup pieces. If you did not duplex a backup, then this variable is 1 for backup sets and 0 for proxy copies. If one of these commands is enabled, then the variable shows the copy number. The maximum value for %c is 256.
%dSpecifies the name of the database (see Example 3-22).
%DSpecifies the current day of the month from the Gregorian calendar in format DD.
%eSpecifies the archived log sequence number.
%fSpecifies the absolute file number (see Example 3-22).
%FCombines the DBID, day, month, year, and sequence into a unique and repeatable generated name. This variable translates into c-IIIIIIIIII-YYYYMMDD-QQ, where:
  • IIIIIIIIII stands for the DBID. The DBID is printed in decimal so that it can be easily associated with the target database.
  • YYYYMMDD is a time stamp in the Gregorian calendar of the day the backup is generated
  • QQ is the sequence in hexadecimal number that starts with 00 and has a maximum of 'FF' (256)
%hSpecifies the archived redo log thread number.
%ISpecifies the DBID.
%MSpecifies the month in the Gregorian calendar in format MM.
%NSpecifies the tablespace name. This substitution variable is only valid when backing up datafiles as p_w_picpath copies.
%nSpecifies the name of the database, padded on the right with x characters to a total length of eight characters. For example, if prod1 is the database name, then the padded name is prod1xxx.
%pSpecifies the piece number within the backup set. This value starts at 1 for each backup set and is incremented by 1 as each backup piece is created.
Note: If you specify PROXY, then the %p variable must be included in the FORMAT string either explicitly or implicitly within %U.
%sSpecifies the backup set number. This number is a counter in the control file that is incremented for each backup set. The counter value starts at 1 and is unique for the lifetime of the control file. If you restore a backup control file, then duplicate values can result. Also, CREATE CONTROLFILE initializes the counter back to 1.
%tSpecifies the backup set time stamp, which is a 4-byte value derived as the number of seconds elapsed since a fixed reference time. The combination of %s and %t can be used to form a unique name for the backup set.
%TSpecifies the year, month, and day in the Gregorian calendar in this format: YYYYMMDD.
%uSpecifies an 8-character name constituted by compressed representations of the backup set or p_w_picpath copy number and the time the backup set or p_w_picpath copy was created.
%USpecifies a system-generated unique filename (default).
The meaning of %U is different for p_w_picpath copies and backup pieces. For a backup piece, %U specifies a convenient shorthand for %u_%p_%c that guarantees uniqueness in generated backup filenames. For an p_w_picpath copy of a datafile, %U means the following:
data-D-%d_id-%I_TS-%N_FNO-%f_%u
For an p_w_picpath copy of an archived redo log, %U means the following:
arch-D_%d-id-%I_S-%e_T-%h_A-%a_%u
For an p_w_picpath copy of a control file, %U means the following:
cf-D_%d-id-%I_%u
%YSpecifies the year in this format: YYYY.
%%Specifies the percent (%) character. For example, %%Y translates to the string %Y.