Moving/Adding Control file when using SPFile

Adding controlfile or moving to new location is tricky when your database was started with server parameter file (spfile). It is because You cannot edit spfile when database is not running.
Method 1 – preferred by me:

1. alter system parameter to point to new (planed) location of controlfiles

   alter system set control_files
   = '/dir1/CONTROL01.CTL'
   , '/dir2/CONTROL02.CTL'
   , '/dir3/CONTROL03.CTL'
   scope=spfile;

2. shutdown database,
3. copy one of controlfile to new locations,
4. startup database.

Method 2:

1. shutdown database,
2. copy one of controlfile to new locations,
3. copy spfile to pfile:

   create pfile from spfile;

4. manually edit pfile,
5. copy pfile back to spfile:

   create spfile from pfile;

6. startup database.

Cheers, Paweł