# Describe command

#### Syntax

    DESCRIBE { table-Name | view-Name }

#### Description

Provides a decription of the specified table or view. For a list of tables in the current schema, use the Show Tables command. For a list of views in the current schema, use the Show Views command. For a list of available schemas, use the Show Schemas command.

If the table or view is in a particular schema, qualify it with the schema name. If the table or view name is case-sensitive, enclose it in single quotes. You can display all the columns from all the tables and views in a single schema in a single display by using the wildcard character '*'. See the examples below.

#### Examples

    ij> describe airlines;
    COLUMN_NAME         |TYPE_NAME|DEC&|NUM&|COLUM&|COLUMN_DEF|CHAR_OCTE&|IS_NULL&
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    AIRLINE             |CHAR     |NULL|NULL|2     |NULL      |4         |NO
    AIRLINE_FULL        |VARCHAR  |NULL|NULL|24    |NULL      |48        |YES
    BASIC_RATE          |DOUBLE   |NULL|2   |52    |NULL      |NULL      |YES
    DISTANCE_DISCOUNT   |DOUBLE   |NULL|2   |52    |NULL      |NULL      |YES
    BUSINESS_LEVEL_FACT&|DOUBLE   |NULL|2   |52    |NULL      |NULL      |YES
    FIRSTCLASS_LEVEL_FA&|DOUBLE   |NULL|2   |52    |NULL      |NULL      |YES
    ECONOMY_SEATS       |INTEGER  |0   |10  |10    |NULL      |NULL      |YES
    BUSINESS_SEATS      |INTEGER  |0   |10  |10    |NULL      |NULL      |YES
    FIRSTCLASS_SEATS    |INTEGER  |0   |10  |10    |NULL      |NULL      |YES

        -- describe a table in another schema:
        describe user2.flights;
        -- describe a table whose name is in mixed-case:
        describe 'EmployeeTable';
        -- describe a table in a different schema, with a case-sensitive name:
        describe 'MyUser.Orders';
        -- describe all the columns from all the tables and views in APP schema:
        describe 'APP.*';
        -- describe all the columns in the current schema:
        describe '*';

Parent topic: ij commands and errors reference
Related concepts
ij commands
ij errors
Related reference
Absolute command
After Last command
Async command
Autocommit command
Before First command
Close command
Commit command
Connect command
Disconnect command
Driver command
Elapsedtime command
Execute command
Exit command
First command
Get Cursor command
Get Scroll Insensitive Cursor command
Help command
Last command
LocalizedDisplay command
MaximumDisplayWidth command
Next command
Prepare command
Previous command
Protocol command
Readonly command
Relative command
Remove command
Rollback command
Run command
Set Connection command
Show command
Wait For command
Syntax for comments in ij commands
Syntax for identifiers in ij commands
Syntax for strings in ij commands