Hot backup DB script understanding

Question

I'm currently learning what hot backup is on an ORACLE guide which present a generic script for hot backup. I dont understand some point of this script :

PROMPT Path to destination directory:
ACCEPT repertory
PROMPT Path for first file
ACCEPT file
PROMPT Path for second file
ACCEPT spool
SPOOL &file
PROMPT spool &spool  ;;
PROMPT archive log list ;;

I dont get what the first and seconde file are,and what does spool mean ? I assume this is some hot backup vocabluary however I didn't find any explanation. Any clue would be appreciated. Thanks

EDIT: Source : http://oracle.developpez.com/guide/sauvegarde/generalites/#L3.2

Answer 1

The backup script you've quoted is very old, and uses old techniques -- techniques that were old even for Oracle 9i. Even in that version, RMAN (Recovery Manager) was available and the use of RMAN is to be preferred in all cases.

See Tim Hall's excellent site for an overview of how to use this: http://www.oracle-base.com/articles/9i/recovery-manager-9i.php

Oracle's RMAN Backup Concepts guide is here: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/B28359_01/backup.111/b28270/rcmcncpt.htm

Even easier, if you have dbconsole installed, you can configure backups via a webgui.