So you say not exp/imp, does this mean that you are using Data Pump export and import?  If you use Data Pump, (expdp/impdp) then you can use impdp to analyze your dumpfile.  You simply add:

sqlfile=my_objects.sql

to your import command and then you can edit my_object.sql to see what objects are going to be imported.  It will not show you anything about data.

I don't know of anything that will repair the dumpfile.  Maybe if you tell us what you are seeing for errors, there may be a solution already out there for you.  Also, please verify what type of oracle dump file you are looking at.

Thanks

Dean

I do not think that a tool like that is available. The dmp file format is proprietary/undocumented. The best I have found is a tool by "Intelligent Converters" (https://www.convert-in.com/oracle-dump.htm) which claims to be able to read dump files. Still, it does not mention the ability to repair or check those files and it is not free. Your best bet IMHO is to try to import the "may be corrupted" dmp file into a newly created database and see what happens.

Andris

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BACKUP COPY OF THE FILE.

Use a HEX editor. vi is one way, filtering through xxd:

vi -b thedumpfile.dmp
:%!xxd

(If you don't currently have vi on your OS then: https://www.vim.org/)

notepad++ is another way. It has a HEX Editor plugin available for it.

Examine the dmp using DBMS_DATAPUMP.GET_DUMPFILE_INFO()

Header reader example using dbms_datapump.get_dump_info():

https://databaseinternalmechanism.com/2016/09/13/how-to-read-datapump-dumpfile-header/

SPA09 wrote:

Hi,

 

that is all written in Note 462488.1 Get header Info but only from data pump.

 

For Export files it does not work.

 

regards

c:\Temp>exp userid=gaz/gaz@xe owner=gaz log=exp_gaz.log file=exp_gaz.dmp statistics=estimate
...

...then using dbms_datapump.

SQL> set serverout on
SQL> exec show_dumpfile_info('DIR_TEMP', 'exp_gaz.dmp');
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Purpose..: Obtain details about export dumpfile.        Version: 19-MAR-2015
Required.: RDBMS version: 10.2.0.1.0 or higher
.          Export dumpfile version: 7.3.4.0.0 or higher
.          Export Data Pump dumpfile version: 10.1.0.1.0 or higher
Usage....: execute show_dumfile_info('DIRECTORY', 'DUMPFILE');
Example..: exec show_dumfile_info('MY_DIR', 'expdp_s.dmp')
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Filename.: exp_gaz.dmp
Directory: DIR_TEMP
Disk Path: C:\Temp
Filetype.: 2 (Original Export dumpfile)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...Characterset ID.: 178 (WE8MSWIN1252)
...Direct Path.....: 0 (Conventional Path)
...Export Version..: EXPORT:V12.02.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

SQL>

Note line 14.

Before you say something doesn't work, you should really try it first or at least analyze the code to see if it is capable of what you are being advised.

...and don't forget, not everyone has access to support.oracle.com to view notes. If it really does mention vi, that's cool.

Back to the original question: How does extracting header information from a dmp file help analyzing or repairing it?

Sifting through a dmp file with a hex editor, how will I see a corruption if I don't even know how a "normal" dmp file has to look like?

I guess my initial recommendation still stands: Try importing the data and see what happens.

SPA09, would you mind telling us more about the use case?