The parameter acts as a switch to log the DDLs in the Capture logs for DDLs (the *ocap* *ddl* log but not *ocap* log).
For example, out of these two type of Capture logs we have, the parameter will only influence the second one which is about DDL logging and not the first one which logs other Capture activity:
[ORA11GR2@alvsupl14]/home/paul/p92137-11g/var/log> ls –ltr *ocap*
total 984
-rw-rw-r-- 1 paul dba 26059 Feb 21 16:40 o.ORA11GR2_ocap01.log
-rw-rw-r-- 1 paul dba 79777 Feb 21 16:42 o.ORA11GR2_ocap_ddl_01.log
The parameter can be turned off for logging of DDL for replicated and non-replicated objects which is not the default setting. By default, all DDLs are logged depending on whether they are replicated or not by virtue of the DDL settings prevailing on that SharePlex instance.
Turning this parameter off will in no way affect the DDL replication for replicated or non-replicated objects that is governed by the Capture parameters SP_OCT_REPLICATE_DDL and SP_OCT_REPLICATE_ALL_DDL respectively. It only affects the logging of DDLs in the Capture logs.
One important use of this parameter is to disable DDL replication when there are numerous DDLs performed during application or database upgrade and in case of former we do not want the replication to slow down, nor do we have an interest in logging the DDLs. One of the reason can be, we are already aware of the DDLs incurred during such upgrade and we do not want to slow down replication due to this logging.
When the parameter SP_OCT_DDL_LOGGING is set to 1, only the DDL for replicated objects are logged and other DDLs which include the ones for non-replicated objects are not logged. There is no setting for this parameter which will allow logging of DDLs for no-replicated objects while excluding logging of DDLs for replicated objects. See Additional Information section for various settings associated with this parameter.
When the DDL replication is disabled for replicated or non-replicated objects, SharePlex still logs the former DDLs (though not the latter) in the *ocap* *ddl* log. If wishing to not log such DDLs, the parameter comes handy.
