Question: How do I reduce the size of my Oracle data file sizes?

I want to shrink the size of my

data files to reclaim un-used space. How do I reduce the file sizes?
Answer: (by John Weeg) You can start reducing the size of your Oracle database files by setting
Free Your Space
Conventional database wisdom dictates that we should treat disk space as though it were free,
unfettered space waiting to be filled with data. It's a liberating idea, but not entirely practical. Not
surprisingly, it's also rife with potential problems. Get too comfortable with the idea of space
being "free" and you may suddenly find yourself scrounging around for it.
When setting up a database, for example, a database administrator usually takes educated
guesses at the company's space needs, large or small. It's important to point out, however, that
those guesses tend to be conservative. The reason? By overestimating the amount of space
needed, the administrator is less likely to wind up stuck when he or she first loads all the data.
Once the instance runs for a while, it's possible to see just how far off the original estimate of
space requirements was. Moreover, the administrator can give back some of that space.
Over-allocation of space at the file level affects the backup/recovery window, file checking times
and, most painfully, limits the potential allocation of space to a tablespace that needs the extra
room. A simpler solution would be to review the evolution of the script, which lets the
administrator know which files can and cannot be resized to create more space.
Alter Database
It's possible to release space from data files but only down to the first block of data. This is done
with the 'alter database' command. Rather than go through the tedious process of manually
figuring out the command every time it's used, it makes more sense to write a script that will
generate this command as needed.
The basic syntax for this command is:
Alter database name datafile 'file_name' resize size;

Where name is the name of the database, file_name is the name of the file and size is the new
size to make this file. We can see this size change in the dba_data_files table as well as from
the server.
First, pull in the database name:
Select 'alter database '||a.name
From v$database a;

Once that has been done, it's time to add in data files:
select 'alter database '||a.name||' datafile '''||b.file_name||''''
from v$database a
,dba_data_files b;

While this is closer to the ultimate solution, it's not quite there yet. The question remains:
Which data files do you want to alter? At this point, you can use a generally accepted
standard, which allows tablespaces to be 70 percent to 90 percent full. If a tablespace is below
the 70 percent mark, one way to bring the number up is to de-allocate some of the space.
So how do you achieve percent full? While there are a number of different ways, simple is
usually ideal. Here's how it works.
Amount of data file space used:
Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_full
From dba_extents
Group by tablespace_name;

Total available data file space:

Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_total
From dba_data_files
Group by tablespace_name;

So if we add this with our original statement, we can select on pct_used (less than 70 percent):
select 'alter database '||a.name||' datafile '''||b.file_name||''''
from v$database a
,dba_data_files b
,(Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_full
From dba_extents
Group by tablespace_name) c
,(Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_total
From dba_data_files
Group by tablespace_name) d
Where b.tablespace_name = c.tablespace_name
And b.tablespace_name = d.tablespace_name
And bytes_full/bytes_total < .7
;

According to the command, a selection has been made based on tablespace. What if you want
to resize based on file? It's crucial to remember that multiple files can exist in any tablespace.
Plus, only space that is after the last data block can be de-allocated. So the next step should be
to find the last data block:
select tablespace_name,file_id,max(block_id) max_data_block_id
from dba_extents
group by tablespace_name,file_id;

Now that the command to find the last data block has been inserted, it is time to find the free
space in each file above that last data block:
Select a.tablespace_name,a.file_id,b.bytes bytes_free
From (select tablespace_name,file_id,max(block_id) max_data_block_id
from dba_extents
group by tablespace_name,file_id) a
,dba_free_space b
where a.tablespace_name = b.tablespace_name
and a.file_id = b.file_id
and b.block_id > a.max_data_block_id;

So far, so good. How is it possible, then, to combine commands to ensure the correct amount
will be resized? In fact, it's fairly easy.
select 'alter database '||a.name||' datafile '''||b.file_name||'''' ||
' resize '||(bytes_total-bytes_free)
from v$database a
,dba_data_files b
,(Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_full
From dba_extents
Group by tablespace_name) c
,(Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_total
From dba_data_files
Group by tablespace_name) d
,(Select a.tablespace_name,a.file_id,b.bytes bytes_free
From (select tablespace_name,file_id
,max(block_id) max_data_block_id
from dba_extents
group by tablespace_name,file_id) a
,dba_free_space b
where a.tablespace_name = b.tablespace_name
and a.file_id = b.file_id
and b.block_id > a.max_data_block_id) e
Where b.tablespace_name = c.tablespace_name
And b.tablespace_name = d.tablespace_name

Double Checking the Data file shrink

Now, the thing to do is ensure that the right amount of space - not too much, not too little - has
been de-allocated. The rule of thumb to follow: Do not go above 70 percent of the tablespace
being used. If you have already pulled out how much is used from dba_extents, you can
simply add a check to your statement:
select 'alter database '||a.name||' datafile '''||b.file_name||'''' ||
' resize '||greatest(trunc(bytes_full/.7)
,(bytes_total-bytes_free))
from v$database a
,dba_data_files b
,(Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_full
From dba_extents
Group by tablespace_name) c
,(Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_total
From dba_data_files
Group by tablespace_name) d
,(Select a.tablespace_name,a.file_id,b.bytes bytes_free
From (select tablespace_name,file_id
,max(block_id) max_data_block_id
from dba_extents
group by tablespace_name,file_id) a
,dba_free_space b
where a.tablespace_name = b.tablespace_name
and a.file_id = b.file_id
and b.block_id > a.max_data_block_id) e
Where b.tablespace_name = c.tablespace_name
And b.tablespace_name = d.tablespace_name
And bytes_full/bytes_total < .7
And b.tablespace_name = e.tablespace_name
And b.file_id = e.file_id

;
One last thing to do: Add a statement to indicate what is being changed.
select 'alter database '||a.name||' datafile '''||b.file_name||'''' ||
' resize '||greatest(trunc(bytes_full/.7)

,(bytes_total-bytes_free))||chr(10)||
'--tablespace was '||trunc(bytes_full*100/bytes_total)||
'% full now '||
trunc(bytes_full*100/greatest(trunc(bytes_full/.7)
,(bytes_total-bytes_free)))||'%'
from v$database a
,dba_data_files b
,(Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_full
From dba_extents
Group by tablespace_name) c
,(Select tablespace_name,sum(bytes) bytes_total
From dba_data_files
Group by tablespace_name) d
,(Select a.tablespace_name,a.file_id,b.bytes bytes_free
From (select tablespace_name,file_id
,max(block_id) max_data_block_id
from dba_extents
group by tablespace_name,file_id) a
,dba_free_space b
where a.tablespace_name = b.tablespace_name
and a.file_id = b.file_id
and b.block_id > a.max_data_block_id) e
Where b.tablespace_name = c.tablespace_name
And b.tablespace_name = d.tablespace_name
And bytes_full/bytes_total < .7
And b.tablespace_name = e.tablespace_name
And b.file_id = e.file_id
;

At last, here's a script that will create the script. Even so, it's important to pay careful attention
when applying the created script. Why? Because Rollback, System and Temporary tablespaces
are vastly different creatures, and each should not necessarily be held to the 70 percent rule. By
the same token, there might be a very good reason for a tablespace to be over allocated -- like the
giant load that will triple the volume tonight.

A word of caution, too: Be sure that extents can still be allocated in each tablespace. There may
be enough free space, but it may be too fragmented to be useful. That problem will be the focus
of another article.