SQL Developer: User Manual
SQL Developer: User Manual
User Manual
Version 2.1.0
Copyright Jan Borchers 2000-2005
All rights reserved.
Table Of Contents
1 Preface .................................................................................................................................4
2 Getting Started ....................................................................................................................5
2.1 License Registration.......................................................................................................5
2.2 Configure Database Drivers ...........................................................................................5
2.3 Establishing Connections ...............................................................................................6
3 Desktop ................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Main Menu......................................................................................................................8
3.1.1 File...........................................................................................................................8
3.1.2 Edit ..........................................................................................................................9
3.1.3 Extras ....................................................................................................................10
3.1.4 Window..................................................................................................................10
3.1.5 Help .......................................................................................................................10
3.2 Tool Bar........................................................................................................................11
3.3 MDI Window Area ........................................................................................................11
3.4 Output Window.............................................................................................................11
4 Database Navigator...........................................................................................................12
4.1 Objects .........................................................................................................................13
4.2 Commands ...................................................................................................................14
4.2.1 Quick Browse ........................................................................................................15
4.2.2 Extended Quick Browse ........................................................................................15
5 Connection Dialog.............................................................................................................16
5.1 Basic Connector ...........................................................................................................17
5.2 Oracle Connector .........................................................................................................18
5.3 IBM DB2 Connector .....................................................................................................18
5.4 Microsoft SQL Server Connector .................................................................................18
5.5 Firebird Connector........................................................................................................19
5.6 ODBC Connector .........................................................................................................19
6 SQL Editors........................................................................................................................20
6.1 Statement Editor...........................................................................................................21
6.1.1 BLOB Viewer .........................................................................................................21
6.1.2 CLOB Viewer.........................................................................................................22
6.1.3 Commands (Editor) ...............................................................................................22
6.1.4 Commands (Result Set) ........................................................................................23
6.2 Script Editor..................................................................................................................24
6.2.1 Commands ............................................................................................................24
6.3 Stored Program Editor..................................................................................................26
6.3.1 Commands ............................................................................................................26
7 Bookmarks.........................................................................................................................27
7.1.1 Commands ............................................................................................................27
8 Diagram Editor...................................................................................................................29
8.1 Components .................................................................................................................29
8.1.1 Object list...............................................................................................................29
8.1.2 Overview................................................................................................................29
8.1.3 Diagram view.........................................................................................................29
8.2 Commands ...................................................................................................................30
8.2.1 Import objects ........................................................................................................31
9 Database Info.....................................................................................................................32
10 Settings ............................................................................................................................33
10.1 General.......................................................................................................................33
10.1.1 Connection ..........................................................................................................33
10.1.2 Misc .....................................................................................................................33
10.2 Display........................................................................................................................33
2/43
3/43
1 Preface
SQL Developer is a powerful SQL client for querying and administration of databases. The
application has been completely implemented in Java and therefore runs on any platform
supporting a Java Runtime Environment (Version 1.4 or higher).
In principal SQL Developer supports any database providing a JDBC driver. With the JDBCODBC-bridge driver from Sun you are can also connect to data sources via the ODBC driver.
SQL Developer homepage
http://sqldeveloper.solyp.com/
Windows und Windows NT are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Sun, Sun Microsystems, Java,
JDK and Solaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All other trademarks or registered
trademarks are property of their respective owners.
4/43
2 Getting Started
This chapter describes how to get started with SQL Developer and what you should do
before the first use.
5/43
6/43
3 Desktop
The desktop of the application consists of the following components:
1. Main menu and tool bar
2. Database Navigator
3. Output window and Bookmarks
4. MDI (Multiple Document Interface) window area
5. Context menus
Some components (Database Navigator, output window and bookmarks) can be individually
positioned on the desktop by the user. Click on the tab of the component to move and drag
the component to its new target position.
7/43
3.1.1 File
Open connection...
Reopen connection
Close connection
Recently opened
connections
Open...
Save
Save as...
New diagram
Open diagram...
Save diagram
Print...
Exit
8/43
3.1.2 Edit
SQL Statement
SQL Script
Find...
Replace...
Go to line...
Toggle comment
Enclose in quotes
Char map
Encoding
9/43
3.1.3 Extras
Database info...
Catalog/Schema
Comparison...
Dissolve dependencies...
<Extensions>
Settings...
extension
for
Dissolving
3.1.4 Window
Cascade
Tile vertical
Tile horizontal
Close all
<Windows>
3.1.5 Help
Tip of the day...
License...
SQL Developer
Homepage...
10/43
Within the tool bar you find a dropdown list showing all open database connections. You can
switch to another connection than the current simply by selecting an entry from the list. The
list automatically switches if a connection is selected indirectly by the database navigator or
an editor window. Opening a new editor window always connects to the database shown as
the current connection in the list.
The component can be moved within the desktop by using the tab on the upper border.
Use the tool bar or the context menu (right mouse button) to clear the protocol or to save it to
a file.
11/43
4 Database Navigator
The database navigator shows all connected databases in
a tree view and provides access to single database objects
like tables, views and users. Grouping tree nodes are
rendered bold (Tables, Views etc.). Which database
objects are available in detail depends on the connected
database.
The component can be moved within the desktop by using
the tab on the upper border.
Use the tool bar of the window to call often used functions
for the database navigator. You can access the complete
set of functions via the context menu (right mouse button).
At the bottom border a status bar shows the currently
selected path in the tree.
12/43
4.1 Objects
The following objects are a part of the database objects supported by SQL Developer. The
actual number of objects depends on the connected database.
Databases (Root)
Schema
Catalog
User
User group
Table
Temporary table
View
Materialized view / Snapshot
Table / View column
Table column with primary key
Table column with foreign key
Table column with primary and foreign key
Index
Index column
Function
Procedure
Synonym
Constraint
Primary key constraint
Foreign key constraint
Unique key constraint
Check constraint
Trigger
Sequence / Generator
Library
Tablespace
Package / Module
Type
Role
Invalid object
Privilege
Dependencies
13/43
4.2 Commands
Open connection...
Reopen connection
Close connection
SQL Statement
SQL Script
Quick browse
New...
Edit...
Rename...
Remove
<Extensions>
Extract DDL...
Copy identifier
Copy text
Collapse subtree
Refresh node
14/43
The tree view on the left side shows the foreign key relations between the tables. The root
node represents the initially selected table. The children of a node are those tables joined to
the parent node by foreign key relations.
Subsidiary table entries are displayed with their table name followed by the foreign key name
joining the table with the parent node. A symbol with a yellow key indicates that a foreign key
is defined by the parent node, referencing the primary key of the child node (parent:child =
n:1). A red key indicates that a foreign key is defined by the child node table and references
the primary key of the parent node (parent:child = 1:n).
All checked tables are included in the SELECT clause of the statement to create. You can
determine the table columns to be included on the right side. By default all columns of a
checked table are selected.
When you confirm with OK, a new editor window for SQL statements is opened and the text
input area is initialized with the generated SELECT statement.
15/43
5 Connection Dialog
The connection dialog is accessible through the File
menu and the Open connection command.
For each new connection SQL Developer creates a
profile that is displayed in the dropdown list in the
upper part of the dialog. When the user selects a
stored profile the connector described by the profile
gets selected and its fields are preset.
To create a new connection select a suitable
connector first. All available connectors are displayed
as tabs. Except for the Basic connector the required
drivers for a connector are predefined.
Press the Info button to show the information about
the driver (name, driver class, vendor, URL and status). If a required driver for the selected
connector is not available this is shown by the status field.
You can add missing drivers directly from the connection dialog. Use the Driver Settings
button to add a new driver. The opening dialog shows the Drivers tab of the des Settings
dialog.
After you have specified the parameters for the selected connector you can create a new
connection by pressing the OK button.
16/43
17/43
18/43
19/43
6 SQL Editors
SQL Developer supports three kinds of SQL editors. Statement, script and procedure editors.
Each editor window has its own connection, its own transaction and can perform Commit and
Rollback commands.
An editor window always uses the current adapter shown in the dropdown list in the tool bar
to create its connection. After opening the editor you can use the Open menu item to load the
content of a file into the editor. The filename is automatically used for the editor's window
title.
There are two ways to save the content of an editor window:
If the content has been loaded from a file or has already been saved to a file, use the
Save command from the File menu.
Select the Save as command from the File menu if you have created a new content
from the scratch or if you want to store the content with a new filename.
Above the input area of each editor window you find a tool bar providing all commands for
that editor. You can also use the context menu (right mouse button) to access these
commands.
Note: When closing an editor window a rollback is performed automatically on the
connection. All uncommitted changes will be discarded.
Each editor supports an undo and a redo function. The undo function can be accessed by
pressing Ctrl + Z, press Ctrl + Y to redo text changes.
20/43
The result is visualized as a table in the lower part of the editor window. Each table cell
displays a single value from the result set. Because of their size, LOBs (Large OBjects) are
displayed partially or as a link. CLOBs (Character LOBs) and BLOBs (Binary LOBs) are
shown with their type name and size only. To view the content of such an object select its
table cell an click the arrow symbol shown within the cell.
21/43
Commit
Rollback
Fetch all
COUNT(*)
Export data
22/43
23/43
Using the keyword GO. Place the keyword at the beginning of a new line.
The semicolon (;). The terminator must be placed after a statement at the end of a
line. Note: The processing of this symbol must be activated in the tool bar. The
processing is turned off by default.
The slash (/). The terminator must be placed at the beginning of a new line. Note:
The processing of this symbol must be activated in the tool bar. The processing is
turned on by default.
6.2.1 Commands
Skip to start
Skip back
Execute
Single step
Skip next
Skip to end
Commit
Rollback
25/43
6.3.1 Commands
Compile
26/43
7 Bookmarks
With the bookmarks component you easily manage
frequently used queries and statements.
The component can be moved within the desktop by using
the tab on the upper border.
The component is divided into the tree view with all
existing bookmarks and the detail view for a single
bookmark.
Underneath the favorites folder you can manage your own
bookmarks and folders.
The history folder always shows the latest executed
queries and statements. With the copy and paste functions
you can move bookmarks from the history to your
favorites.
Select a bookmark to show all its information in the detail
view:
The name is also used for displaying the bookmark in the tree. For this reason the name
should be as precise and short as possible to identify the bookmark. The description is
optional. The modification date is managed automatically by the application and is only
displayed underneath the history. In the lower part of the detail view you see the actual SQL
statement of the bookmark.
Except for the modification date you can modify all fields in the detail view. To apply your
changes press the button at the bottom.
To execute the SQL statement of a bookmark copy the statement from the detail view to the
clipboard and paste it into an opened SQL editor. Alternatively you can directly drag the
bookmark from the tree view into a SQL editor.
7.1.1 Commands
New bookmark
New folder
Rename
Cut
Copy
Paste
Delete
Move up
Move down
Arranges the tree view in the upper and the detail view in
the lower half.
Arranges the tree view in the left and the detail view in
the right half.
Hides the detail view and shows the tree view only.
28/43
8 Diagram Editor
With the diagram editor you can visualize database catalogs and schemas. Predominantly
the diagram editor is intended to support reverse engineering of existing databases.
Use the File menu to create a new diagram or to open or save an existing.
8.1 Components
8.1.1 Object list
The object list shows all diagram objects in ascending alphabetically order. For easy
recognition of an object its background color is displayed on the left of each list entry.
References between the diagram objects are not shown by this list.
Select one or more objects from the list to perform a function on them. The list selection is
always synchronized with the selection of the diagram view.
8.1.2 Overview
The overview displays the diagram from the bird's view and shows the visible region of the
diagram view with a marker frame. You can use the mouse to modify the frame's size and
position to control the zoom factor an the visible region of the diagram.
8.2 Commands
Import objects...
Delete
Select all
Invert selection
Grid on/off
Snap to grid
Preferred size
Automatic layout
To front
To back
Foreground color
Line color
Background color
Zoom in
Zoom out
Fit to window
Changes the zoom factor that all objects fit into the visible
region of the view.
Zoom 1:1
Export as SVG
31/43
9 Database Info
The Database Info dialog shows information about the currently selected database
connection like connection parameters, structure, keywords etc.
32/43
10 Settings
With the settings dialog you can configure all important application parameters. The dialog is
accessible through the Extras menu and the Settings command.
10.1 General
10.1.1 Connection
Here you can specify a global time limit used by a driver when connecting to a database or
executing queries. Whenever a value is set to zero the defaults of the driver are used for the
respective parameter.
Note: The settings of the time limit parameters are supported by a few drivers only.
10.1.2 Misc
Use the option execution of selected text range in SQL statement editor to control whether a
selected text range can be executed (provided that a selection exists) instead of the whole
text. If this option is deactivated, statements are always executed completely, no matter
whether a selection exists or not.
Select the Show the tip of the day option to display the tip of the day window on application
start.
10.2 Display
10.2.1 Desktop
Use this component to configure the desktop. The visibility of the windows bar (below the tool
bar) can be controlled with the show windows bar option. Changes applied to this setting only
take effect after a restart of SQL Developer. The show window contents while dragging
option determines whether a window within the application's desktop is drawn continuously
when being dragged. Use the scrollable desktop option to show horizontal and vertical scroll
bars at the right and bottom border of the desktop whenever a child window exceeds the
bounds of the desktop.
33/43
10.3 Appearance
10.3.1 Look and Feel
The Look and Feel denotes the look and the
behavior of the user interface. Here you can select
the look and feel SQL Developer should use. The
System Look and Feel looks like the actual user
interface of your operating system and is used by
default.
Some Look and Feels also support to decorate title
bars and borders of windows with the look and
feel's style (e.g. the Metal Look and Feel).
10.3.2 Preview
The preview provides a collection of controls that
are changing their look according to the currently
selected Look and Feel.
10.4 Editor
10.4.1 Font
Here you can configure the family name and size of
the font to be used in editor windows.
10.4.2 Caret
You can select between three different shapes for
the text caret (insertion mark in text editors):
Vertical line, horizontal line or hollow.
10.4.3 Options
When the automatic indent option is selected the
text caret is placed with the same indent as the line
before after performing a carriage return. To insert
blank characters instead of a tab character, activate
the insert tab as spaces option.
10.4.4 Display
An example statement shows the current color scheme used for syntax highlighting in editor
windows. Select a syntax element from the dropdown list and press the attached button to
change the color for a certain element.
34/43
10.5 Drivers
The Drivers tab shows a tree with all registered
driver libraries SQL Developer can use for
establishing connections to a database. Each entry
on the first tree level shows a library name and its
file path. The child entries on the second level show
information about the driver classes provided by the
library.
When establishing a connection the tree is
searched from top down for the required driver. You
can modify the loading priority of a driver by
moving its entry using the Up and Down buttons.
If a driver library can not be accessed (e.g.
because the file has been removed) the library icon
is marked with a little red symbol.
Note: If you replace a driver library with a new
version there can occur problems loading the new
driver. In this case you should restart SQL Developer to ensure that the new driver will be
loaded instead of the old one.
10.6 Plugins
The Plugins tab shows all currently loaded auxiliary
modules from the plugins folder in the SQL
Developer installation directory.
35/43
36/43
12 Extensions
SQL Developer comes with various extensions providing general functions and vendor
specific functions. The extensions are accessible through the Extras menu.
37/43
38/43
12.2.2 Processes
This extension shows all processes running on the database for the currently selected
adapter.
Use the Details button to show the last executed SQL command for the selected process.
With the Kill process button you can
terminate the selected processes. The
Refresh button re-reads all information
of all processes.
Use the Filter field to select a filter
criterion and specify a filter pattern in
the like field. The filter works case
insensitive and supports the wildcard
character %. Press the Enter key or the
Refresh button to activate the filter.
You can sort the table according to the
values of a column by clicking the
column's header with the mouse.
Another click on the same column
header reverses the order.
39/43
12.2.3 Monitor
The Monitor extension provides a graphical
user interface for the internal SQL Server
monitor function.
Press the Refresh button to update the
statistics.
The extension uses the SQL Server function
sp_monitor. Members of the server role
sysadmin have the permission to execute
this function by default.
40/43
41/43
12.4.2 Sessions
This extension shows all sessions running on the database for the currently selected
adapter.
Use the Details button to show the last executed SQL command for the selected session.
With the Kill session button you can
terminate the selected sessions. The
Refresh button re-reads all information
of all sessions.
Use the Filter field to select a filter
criterion and specify a filter pattern in
the like field. The filter works case
insensitive and supports the wildcard
character %. Press the Enter key or the
Refresh button to activate the filter.
You can sort the table according to the
values of a column by clicking the
column's header with the mouse.
Another click on the same column
header reverses the order.
42/43
12.4.3 Jobs
The Jobs extension shows all jobs of the current user. If your user account has appropriate
permissions you can also show all All Jobs of the database instance.
Press the Run button to run the selected
job directly. Use the Activate and
Deactivate buttons to start and stop a
selected job. With the Extract DDL
button you can generate a creation
script for the selected jobs. The Refresh
button re-reads all information of all
jobs.
Use the Filter field to select a filter
criterion and specify a filter pattern in
the like field. The filter works case
insensitive and supports the wildcard
character %. Press the Enter key or the
Refresh button to activate the filter.
You can sort the table according to the
values of a column by clicking the column's header with the mouse. Another click on the
same column header reverses the order.
re-reads
all
43/43