Oracle® Database

SQL Developer User's Guide

Release 1.1

B31695-04

September 2007

Provides conceptual and usage information about Oracle SQL Developer, a graphical tool that enables you to browse, create, edit, and delete (drop) database objects; run SQL statements and scripts; edit and debug PL/SQL code; manipulate and export data; view metadata and data in third-party databases; and view and create reports.

Oracle Database SQL Developer User's Guide, Release 1.1

B31695-04

Copyright © 2006, 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Primary Author:  Chuck Murray

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Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

Preface

- Audience

- Documentation Accessibility

- Related Documents

- Conventions

- Third-Party License Information

1 SQL Developer Concepts and Usage

- 1.1 Installing and Getting Started with SQL Developer

- 1.2 SQL Developer User Interface

- 1.2.1 Menus for SQL Developer

- 1.3 Database Objects

- 1.3.1 Database Links (Public and Private)

- 1.3.2 Directories

- 1.3.3 Functions

- 1.3.4 Indexes

- 1.3.5 Materialized Views

- 1.3.6 Materialized View Logs

- 1.3.7 Packages

- 1.3.8 Procedures

- 1.3.9 Recycle Bin

- 1.3.10 Sequences

- 1.3.11 Synonyms (Public and Private)

- 1.3.12 Tables

- 1.3.13 Triggers

- 1.3.14 Types

- 1.3.15 Users (Other Users)

- 1.3.16 Views

- 1.3.17 XML Schemas

- 1.4 Database Connections

- 1.5 Entering and Modifying Data

- 1.6 Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures

- 1.6.1 Remote Debugging

- 1.7 Using the SQL Worksheet

- 1.7.1 SQL*Plus Statements Supported and Not Supported in SQL Worksheet

- 1.7.2 Script Runner

- 1.7.3 Execution Plan

- 1.7.4 Autotrace Pane

- 1.7.5 DBMS Output Pane

- 1.7.6 OWA Output Pane

- 1.8 Using SQL*Plus

- 1.9 Using Snippets to Insert Code Fragments

- 1.9.1 User-Defined Snippets

- 1.10 Using DB Object Search to Find Database Objects

- 1.11 Reports

- 1.11.1 About Your Database reports

- 1.11.2 Database Administration reports

- 1.11.3 Table reports

- 1.11.4 PL/SQL reports

- 1.11.5 Security reports

- 1.11.6 XML reports

- 1.11.7 Jobs reports

- 1.11.8 Streams reports

- 1.11.9 All Objects reports

- 1.11.10 Data Dictionary reports

- 1.11.11 User Defined reports

- 1.11.11.1 User-Defined Report Example: Chart

- 1.11.11.2 User-Defined Report Example: Dynamic HTML

- 1.12 SQL Developer Preferences

- 1.12.1 Environment

- 1.12.2 Accelerators (Keyboard Shortcuts)

- 1.12.3 Code Editor

- 1.12.4 Database

- 1.12.5 Debugger

- 1.12.6 Documentation

- 1.12.7 Extensions

- 1.12.8 File Types

- 1.12.9 Migration

- 1.12.10 PL/SQL Compiler

- 1.12.11 PL/SQL Debugger

- 1.12.12 SQL*Plus

- 1.12.13 SQL Formatter

- 1.12.14 Web Browser and Proxy

- 1.13 Location of User-Related Information

- 1.14 Using the Help

- 1.15 For More Information

2 Migrating Third-Party Databases

- 2.1 Migration Quick Start

- 2.2 Overview of Migration

- 2.2.1 How Migration Works

- 2.2.2 Migration Implemented as SQL Developer Extensions

- 2.3 Preparing a Migration Plan

- 2.3.1 Task 1: Determining the Requirements of the Migration Project

- 2.3.2 Task 2: Estimating Workload

- 2.3.3 Task 3: Analyzing Operational Requirements

- 2.3.4 Task 4: Analyzing the Application

- 2.3.5 Task 5: Planning the Migration Project

- 2.4 Before You Start Migrating: General Information

- 2.4.1 Creating a Database User for the Migration Repository

- 2.4.2 Requirements for Creating the Destination Oracle Objects

- 2.4.3 Using Nonstandard Character Encoding on Windows Systems

- 2.5 Before You Start Migrating: Source-Specific Information

- 2.5.1 Before Migrating From Microsoft SQL Server

- 2.5.2 Before Migrating From Microsoft Access

- 2.5.2.1 Creating Microsoft Access XML Files

- 2.5.3 Before Migrating From MySQL

- 2.6 Capturing the Source Database

- 2.7 Creating and Customizing the Converted Model

- 2.7.1 Correcting Errors in the Converted Model

- 2.7.2 Customizing the Converted Model

- 2.7.2.1 Modifying the Properties of a Schema Object

- 2.7.2.2 Working with Tablespaces

- 2.7.2.3 Changing the Default User Password

- 2.8 Generating the DDL for the Oracle Schema Objects

- 2.9 Migrating the Data

- 2.9.1 Transferring the Data Offline

- 2.9.1.1 Creating Data Files From Microsoft SQL Server or Sybase Adaptive Server

- 2.9.1.2 Creating Data Files From Microsoft Access

- 2.9.1.3 Creating Data Files From MySQL

- 2.9.1.4 Populating the Destination Database Using the Data Files

- 2.10 Testing the Oracle Database

- 2.10.1 Testing Methodology

- 2.10.2 Testing the Oracle Database

- 2.10.2.1 Guidelines for Creating Tests

- 2.10.2.2 Example of a Unit Test Case

- 2.11 Deploying the Oracle Database

- 2.11.1 Choosing a Rollout Strategy

- 2.11.1.1 Phased Approach

- 2.11.1.2 Big Bang Approach

- 2.11.1.3 Parallel Approach

- 2.11.2 Deploying the Destination Database

- 2.12 Using Migration Reports

- 2.13 SQL Developer User Interface for Migration

- 2.13.1 Migration Menu

- 2.13.2 Other Menus: Migration Items

- 2.13.3 Migration Preferences

- 2.13.4 Migration Log Panes

- 2.13.5 Using the Translation Scratch Editor

3 Tutorial: Creating Objects for a Small Database

- 3.1 Creating a Table (BOOKS)

- 3.2 Creating a Table (PATRONS)

- 3.3 Creating a Table (TRANSACTIONS)

- 3.4 Creating a Sequence

- 3.5 Creating a View

- 3.6 Creating a PL/SQL Procedure

- 3.7 Debugging a PL/SQL Procedure

- 3.8 Using the SQL Worksheet for Queries

- 3.9 Script for Creating and Using the Library Tutorial Objects

4 Dialog Boxes for Creating/Editing Objects

- 4.1 Add Extension

- 4.2 Check for Updates

- 4.3 Choose Directory

- 4.4 Create/Edit New Object

- 4.5 Create/Edit/Select Database Connection

- 4.6 Select Connection

- 4.7 Connection Information

- 4.8 No Connection Found

- 4.9 Connection Rename Error

- 4.10 Select Library

- 4.11 Create Library

- 4.12 Excel Import Data

- 4.13 Export/Import Connection Descriptors

- 4.14 Create/Edit Database Link

- 4.15 Create/Edit Index

- 4.16 Create/Edit Materialized View Log

- 4.17 Create PL/SQL Package

- 4.18 Create PL/SQL Subprogram (Function or Procedure)

- 4.19 Create/Edit Sequence

- 4.20 Create SQL File

- 4.21 Create/Edit Synonym

- 4.22 Create Table (quick creation)

- 4.23 Create/Edit Table (with advanced options)

- 4.24 Create Trigger

- 4.25 Create Type (User-Defined)

- 4.26 Create/Edit User

- 4.27 Create/Edit User Defined Report

- 4.28 Create/Edit User Defined Report Folder

- 4.29 Create/Edit View

- 4.30 Create XML Schema

- 4.31 Configure File Type Associations

- 4.32 DDL Panel for Creating or Editing an Object

- 4.33 Debugger - Attach to JPDA

- 4.34 Describe Object Window

- 4.35 Edit Value (Table Column Data)

- 4.36 Enter Bind Values

- 4.37 Export (Selected Objects or Types of Objects)

- 4.38 Export: Advanced Data Filter

- 4.39 Export Error

- 4.40 Export Table Data

- 4.41 External Tools

- 4.42 Create/Edit External Tool

- 4.43 Filter

- 4.44 Insert Macro

- 4.45 Externally Modified Files

- 4.46 Filter Object Types

- 4.47 Filter Schemas

- 4.48 Find/Replace Text

- 4.49 Generate Oracle DDL

- 4.50 Generate Offline Data Move Files

- 4.51 Go to Line Number

- 4.52 Go to Line Number: Error

- 4.53 Load Preset Key Mappings

- 4.54 Modify Value

- 4.55 Data Move Details

- 4.56 Open File

- 4.57 Query Builder

- 4.58 Recent Files

- 4.59 Create Repository

- 4.60 Delete or Truncate Repository

- 4.61 Capture Microsoft Access Exporter XML

- 4.62 Select Current Repository

- 4.63 Run/Debug PL/SQL

- 4.64 Create/Edit Breakpoint

- 4.65 Save/Save As

- 4.66 Save Files

- 4.67 Unable to Save Files

- 4.68 Save Style Settings

- 4.69 Schema Differences

- 4.70 Schema Differences Source or Destination Error

- 4.71 Set Data Mapping

- 4.72 Add/Edit Rule

- 4.73 Set Pause Continue

- 4.74 Sign In (checking for updates)

- 4.75 Single Record View

- 4.76 Save Snippet (User-Defined)

- 4.77 Edit Snippets (User-Defined)

- 4.78 SQL History List

- 4.79 SQL*Plus Location

- 4.80 Unable to Open File

Index

List of Figures

- 1-1 SQL Developer Main Window

- 2-1 SQL Developer Migration Architecture

- 2-2 V-model with a Database Migration

- 2-3 Main Window for a Database Migration

List of Tables

- 1-1 Default Locations for User-Related Information

- 2-1 Complex and Simple Scenarios

Preface

This guide provides conceptual and usage information about Oracle SQL Developer, a graphical tool that enables you to browse, create, edit, and delete (drop) database objects; run SQL statements and scripts; edit and debug PL/SQL code; manipulate and export data; and view and create reports.

Audience

This guide is intended for those using the Oracle SQL Developer tool.

Documentation Accessibility

Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation accessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, our documentation includes features that make information available to users of assistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains markup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Accessibility standards will continue to evolve over time, and Oracle is actively engaged with other market-leading technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be accessible to all of our customers. For more information, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program Web site at http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/.

Accessibility of Code Examples in Documentation

Screen readers may not always correctly read the code examples in this document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces should appear on an otherwise empty line; however, some screen readers may not always read a line of text that consists solely of a bracket or brace.

Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in Documentation

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Related Documents

For information about installing Oracle SQL Developer, see the Oracle Database SQL Developer Installation Guide.

Oracle error message documentation is only available in HTML. If you only have access to the Oracle Documentation CD, you can browse the error messages by range. Once you find the specific range, use your browser's "find in page" feature to locate the specific message. When connected to the Internet, you can search for a specific error message using the error message search feature of the Oracle online documentation.

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Conventions

The following text conventions are used in this document:

Convention

Meaning

boldface

Boldface type indicates graphical user interface elements associated with an action, or terms defined in text or the glossary.

italic

Italic type indicates book titles, emphasis, or placeholder variables for which you supply particular values.

monospace

Monospace type indicates commands within a paragraph, URLs, code in examples, text that appears on the screen, or text that you enter.

Third-Party License Information

Oracle SQL Developer contains third-party code. Oracle is required to provide the following notices. Note, however, that the Oracle program license that accompanied this product determines your right to use the Oracle program, including the third-party software, and the terms contained in the following notices do not change those rights.

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OracleAS TopLink uses Antlr for EJB QL parsing. Antlr (ANother Tool for Language Recognition), is a language tool that provides a framework for constructing recognizers, compilers, and translators from grammatical descriptions containing C++ or Java actions. The ANTLR parser and translator generator is fully in the public domain.

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Copyright © 2003 JGoodies Karsten Lentzsch. All rights reserved.

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1 SQL Developer Concepts and Usage

Oracle SQL Developer is a graphical version of SQL*Plus that gives database developers a convenient way to perform basic tasks. You can browse, create, edit, and delete (drop) database objects; run SQL statements and scripts; edit and debug PL/SQL code; manipulate and export data; and view and create reports.

You can connect to any target Oracle database schema using standard Oracle database authentication. Once connected, you can perform operations on objects in the database.

You can also connect to schemas for selected third-party (non-Oracle) databases, such as MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft Access, and you can view metadata and data in these databases.

This chapter contains the following major sections:

Section 1.1, "Installing and Getting Started with SQL Developer"

Section 1.2, "SQL Developer User Interface"

Section 1.3, "Database Objects"

Section 1.4, "Database Connections"

Section 1.5, "Entering and Modifying Data"

Section 1.6, "Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures"

Section 1.7, "Using the SQL Worksheet"

Section 1.8, "Using SQL*Plus"

Section 1.9, "Using Snippets to Insert Code Fragments"

Section 1.10, "Using DB Object Search to Find Database Objects"

Section 1.11, "Reports"

Section 1.12, "SQL Developer Preferences"

Section 1.13, "Location of User-Related Information"

Section 1.14, "Using the Help"

Section 1.15, "For More Information"

Chapter 2, "Migrating Third-Party Databases" (if you are using a SQL Developer version that supports migration)

Chapter 3, "Tutorial: Creating Objects for a Small Database"

1.1 Installing and Getting Started with SQL Developer

To install and start SQL Developer, you simply download a ZIP file and unzip it into a desired parent directory or folder, and then type a command or double-click a file name. You should read the Oracle Database SQL Developer Installation Guide before you perform the installation. After you have read the installation guide, the basic steps are:

1. Unzip the SQL Developer kit into a directory (folder) of your choice. This directory location will be referred to as <sqldeveloper_install>.
Unzipping the SQL Developer kit causes a directory named sqldeveloper to be created under the <sqldeveloper_install> directory. It also causes many files and folders to be placed in and under that directory.

2. To start SQL Developer, go to the sqldeveloper directory under the <sqldeveloper_install> directory, and do one of the following:
On Linux and Mac OS X systems, run sh sqldeveloper.sh.

On Windows systems, double-click sqldeveloper.exe.

If you are asked to enter the full pathname for java.exe, click Browse and find java.exe. For example, on a Windows system the path might have a name similar to C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_06\bin\java.exe.

3. If you want to become familiar with SQL Developer concepts before using the interface, read the rest of this chapter before proceeding to the next step.

4. Create at least one database connection (or import some previously exported connections), so that you can view and work with database objects, use the SQL Worksheet, and use other features.
To create a new database connection, right-click the Connections node in the Connections navigator, select New Database Connection, and complete the required entries in the dialog box.

5. If you want to get started quickly with SQL Developer, do the short tutorial in Chapter 3, "Tutorial: Creating Objects for a Small Database", or work with your existing database objects.

1.2 SQL Developer User Interface

The SQL Developer window generally uses the left side for navigation to find and select objects, and the right side to display information about selected objects.

Figure 1-1 shows the main window.

Figure 1-1 SQL Developer Main Window

Note:

This text explains the default interface. However, you can customize many aspects of the appearance and behavior of SQL Developer by setting preferences (see Section 1.12).

Note:

If you are using a version of SQL Developer that supports migration of third-party databases to Oracle, see also Section 2.13, "SQL Developer User Interface for Migration".

The menus at the top contain standard entries, plus entries for features specific to SQL Developer (see Section 1.2.1, "Menus for SQL Developer"), as shown in the following figure.

You can use shortcut keys to access menus and menu items: for example Alt+F for the File menu and Alt+E for the Edit menu; or Alt+H, then Alt+S for Help, then Full Text Search. You can also display the File menu by pressing the F10 key.

Icons under the menus perform the following actions:

- New creates a new a new database object (see Section 4.4, "Create/Edit New Object").

- Open opens a file (see Section 4.56, "Open File").

- Save saves any changes to the currently selected object.

- Save All saves any changes to all open objects.

- Open SQL Worksheet opens the SQL Worksheet (see Using the SQL Worksheet). If you do not use the drop-down arrow to specify the database connection to use, you are asked to select a connection.

- Back moves to the pane that you most recently visited. (Or use the drop-down arrow to specify a tab view.)

- Forward moves to the pane after the current one in the list of visited panes. (Or use the drop-down arrow to specify a tab view.)

The left side of the SQL Developer window has tabs and panes for the Connections and Reports navigators, icons for performing actions, and a hierarchical tree display for the currently selected navigator, as shown in the following figure.

The Connections navigator lists database connections that have been created. To create a new database connection, import an XML file with connection definitions, or export or edit current connections, right-click the Connections node and select the appropriate menu item. (For more information, see Section 1.4, "Database Connections".)

The Reports navigator lists informative reports provided by SQL Developer, such as a list of tables without primary keys for each database connection, as well as any user-defined reports. (For more information, see Section 1.11, "Reports".)

Icons under the Connections tab (above the metadata tree) perform the following actions on the currently selected object:

- Refresh queries the database for the current details about the selected object (for example, a connection or just a table).

- Apply Filter restricts the display of objects using a filter that you specify. For example, you can right-click the Tables node and specify a filter of EM% to see only tables that start with EM and to have the Tables node label be changed to Tables (EM%). To remove the effects of applying a filter, right-click the node and select Clear Filter.

The metadata tree in the Connections pane displays all the objects (categorized by object type) accessible to the defined connections. To select an object, expand the appropriate tree node or nodes, then click the object.

The right side of the SQL Developer window has tabs and panes for objects that you select or open, as shown in the following figure, which displays information about a table named BOOKS. (If you hold the mouse pointer over the tab label -- BOOKS in this figure -- a tooltip displays the object's owner and the database connection.)

For objects other than subprograms, icons provide the following options:

- Freeze View (the pin) keeps that object's tab and information in the window when you click another object in the Connections navigator; a separate tab and display are created for that other object. If you click the pin again, the object's display is available for reuse.

- Edit displays a dialog box for editing the object.

- Refresh updates the display by querying the database for the latest information.

- Actions displays a menu with actions appropriate for the object. The actions are the same as when you right-click an object of that type in the Connections navigator, except the Actions menu does not include Edit.

To switch among objects, click the desired tabs; to close a tab, click the X in the tab. If you make changes to an object and click the X, you are asked if you want to save the changes.

For tables and views, this information is grouped under tabs, which are labeled near the top. For example, for tables the tabs are Columns, Data (for seeing and modifying the data itself), Indexes, Constraints, and so on; and you can click a column heading under a tab to sort the grid rows by the values in that column. For most objects, the tabs include SQL, which displays the SQL statement for creating the object.

You can export data from a detail pane or from the results of a SQL Worksheet operation or a report by using the right-click menu and selecting Export.

The Messages - Log area is used for feedback information as appropriate (for example, results of an action, or error or warning messages). If this area is not already visible, you can display is by clicking View and then Log.

The Compiler - Log area is used for any messages displayed as a result of a Compile or Compile for Debug operation.

1.2.1 Menus for SQL Developer

This topic explains menu items that are specific to SQL Developer.

View menu

Contains options that affect what is displayed in the SQL Developer interface.

Options: New View creates a new tab on the left side showing the hierarchy for only the selected connection; Freeze View keeps the tab and information in the window when you click another object in the Connections navigator; a separate tab and display are created for that other object.

Connections: Moves the focus to the Connections navigator.

Log: Displays the Messages - Log pane, which can contain errors, warnings, and informational messages.

Debugger: Displays panes related to debugging (see Section 1.6, "Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures").

Run Manager: Displays the Run Manager pane, which contains entries for any active debugging sessions.

Status Bar: Controls the display of the status bar at the bottom of the SQL Developer window.

Toolbars: Controls the display of the main toolbar (under the SQL Developer menus) and the Connections navigator toolbar.

Refresh: Updates the current display for any open connections using the current objects in the affected database or databases.

Reports: Displays the Reports navigator (see Section 1.11, "Reports").

DB Object Search: Displays the DB Object Search pane (see Section 1.10, "Using DB Object Search to Find Database Objects").

Snippets: Displays snippets (see Section 1.9, "Using Snippets to Insert Code Fragments").

Navigate menu

Contains options for navigating to panes and in the execution of subprograms.

Back: Moves to the pane that you most recently visited.

Forward: Moves to the pane after the current one in the list of visited panes.

Go to Line: Goes to the specified line number and highlights the line in the editing window for the selected function or procedure.

Go to Last Edit: Goes to the last line that was edited in the editing window for a function or procedure.

Go to Recent Files: Displays the Recent Files dialog box, in which you can specify a function or procedure to go to.

Run menu

Contains options relevant when a function or procedure is selected.

Run [name]: Starts execution of the specified function or procedure.

Execution Profile: Displays the execution profile for the selected function or procedure.

Debug menu

Contains options relevant when a function or procedure is selected.

Debug [name]: Starts execution of the specified function or procedure in debug mode.

The remaining items on the Debug menu match commands on the debugging toolbar, which is described in Section 1.6, "Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures".

Source menu

Contains options for use when editing functions and procedures.

Completion Insight, Smart Completion Insight, and Parameter Insight: Display pop-up windows that list item as you type and from which you can select an item for autocompletion. See also the code insight and completion (autocomplete) options for Code Editor under Section 1.12, "SQL Developer Preferences".

Toggle Line Comments: Inserts and removes comment indicators at the start of selected code lines.

Indent Block: Moves the selected statements to the right.

Unindent Block: Moves the selected statements to the left.

Tools menu

Invokes SQL Developer tools.

SQL*Plus: Displays a command-line window for entering SQL and SQL*Plus statements (see Section 1.8, "Using SQL*Plus"). If the location of the SQL*Plus executable is not stored in your SQL Developer preferences, you are asked to specify its location.

External Tools: Displays the External Tools dialog box, with information about user-defined external tools that are integrated with the SQL Developer interface. From this dialog box can add external tools (see Section 4.42, "Create/Edit External Tool"). The Tools menu also contains items for any user-defined external tools.

Preferences: Enables you to customize the behavior of SQL Developer (see Section 1.12, "SQL Developer Preferences").

Export DDL (and Data): Enables you to export some or all objects of one or more object types for a database connection to a file containing SQL statements to create these objects and optionally to export table data (see the Export (Selected Objects or Types of Objects) dialog box).

Schema Diff: Enables you to compare two schemas to find differences between objects of the same type and name (for example, tables named CUSTOMERS) in two different schemas, and optionally to update the objects in the destination schema to reflect differences in the source schema (see the Schema Differences dialog box).

SQL Worksheet: Displays a worksheet in which you can enter and execute SQL and PL/SQL statements using a specified connection (see Section 1.7, "Using the SQL Worksheet").

Help menu

Displays help about SQL Developer and enables you to check for SQL Developer updates.

Table of Contents: Displays the table of contents for the help.

Full Text Search: Displays a pane for typing character strings or words to search the help.

Index: Displays a pane for using index keywords to search the help.

Check for Updates: Checks for any updates to the selected optional SQL Developer extensions, as well as any mandatory SQL Developer extensions. (If the system you are using is behind a firewall, see the SQL Developer user preferences for Web Browser and Proxy.)

About: Displays version-related information about SQL Developer and its components.

1.3 Database Objects

You can create, edit, and delete (drop) most types of objects in an Oracle database by using the right-click menu in the Connections navigator or by clicking the Actions button in the detail pane display. For some objects, you can do other operations, as appropriate for the object type.

Note:

The actions available from right-click menus and Actions buttons depend on the Oracle Database release number for the specified database connection. If an action mentioned in the text is not available with a connection, it may be that the feature was not available in that release of Oracle Database.

You can search for specific objects associated with an Oracle database connection by clicking View, then DB Object Search. For more information, see Section 1.10, "Using DB Object Search to Find Database Objects".

If you have connected to any third-party (non-Oracle) databases, such as MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, or Microsoft Access, you can view their objects using the Connections navigator. (For information about connecting to third-party databases, see the SQL Developer user preferences for Database: Third Party JDBC Drivers.)

1.3.1 Database Links (Public and Private)

A database link is a database object in one database that enables you to access objects on another database. The other database need not be an Oracle Database system; however, to access non-Oracle systems you must use Oracle Heterogeneous Services. After you have created a database link, you can use it to refer to tables and views in the other database. The Connections navigator has a Database Links node for all database links (public and private) owned by the user associated with the specified connection, and a Public Database Links node for all public database links on the database associated with the connection. For help with specific options in creating a database link, see Section 4.14, "Create/Edit Database Link".

You can perform the following operations on a database link by right-clicking the database link name in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- Test: Validates the database link.

- Drop: Deletes the database link.

1.3.2 Directories

A directory object specifies an alias for a directory (called a folder on Windows systems) on the server file system where external binary file LOBs (BFILEs) and external table data are located. To create a directory (that is, a directory object), you can use SQL Developer or the SQL statement CREATE DIRECTORY.

You can use directory names when referring to BFILEs in your PL/SQL code and OCI calls, rather than hard coding the operating system path name, for management flexibility. All directories are created in a single namespace and are not owned by an individual schema. You can secure access to the BFILEs stored within the directory structure by granting object privileges on the directories to specific users.

1.3.3 Functions

A function is a type of PL/SQL subprogram, which is a programming object that can be stored and executed in the database server, and called from other programming objects or applications. (Functions return a value; procedures do not return a value.) For help with specific options in creating a PL/SQL subprogram, see Section 4.18, "Create PL/SQL Subprogram (Function or Procedure)".

You can perform the following operations on a function by right-clicking the function name in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- Open: Displays the function text so that you can view and edit it.

- Compile: Performs a PL/SQL compilation of the function.

- Compile with Debug: Performs a PL/SQL compilation of the procedure, with PL/SQL library units compiled for debugging.

- Run: Displays the Run/Debug PL/SQL dialog box, and then executes the function in normal (not debug) mode.

- Debug: Displays the Run/Debug PL/SQL dialog box, and then executes the function in debug mode.

- Execution Profile: Displays the execution profile for the procedure.

- Rename: Renames the function.

- Drop: Deletes the function.

1.3.4 Indexes

An index is a database object that contains an entry for each value that appears in the indexed column(s) of the table or cluster and provides direct, fast access to rows. Indexes are automatically created on primary key columns; however, you must create indexes on other columns to gain the benefits of indexing. For help with specific options in creating an index, see Section 4.15, "Create/Edit Index".

You can perform the following operations on an index by right-clicking the index name in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- Drop: Deletes the index.

- Rebuild Index: Re-creates the index or one of its partitions or subpartitions. If the index is unusable, a successful rebuild operation makes the index usable. For a function-based index, rebuilding also enables the index; however, if the function on which the index is based does not exist, the rebuild operation fails.

- Rename Index: Changes the name of the index.

- Unusable Index: Prevents the index from being used by Oracle in executing queries. An unusable index must be rebuilt, or dropped and re-created, before it can be used again.

- Coalesce Index: Merges the contents of index blocks, where possible, to free blocks for reuse.

1.3.5 Materialized Views

A materialized view is a database object that contains the results of a query. The FROM clause of the query can name tables, views, and other materialized views. Collectively these objects are called master tables (a replication term) or detail tables (a data warehousing term). This reference uses "master tables" for consistency. The databases containing the master tables are called the master databases. For help with specific options in creating a materialized view, see Section 4.29, "Create/Edit View", especially the View Information or Materialized View Properties pane.

1.3.6 Materialized View Logs

A materialized view log is a table associated with the master table of a materialized view. When DML changes are made to master table data, Oracle Database stores rows describing those changes in the materialized view log and then uses the materialized view log to refresh materialized views based on the master table. This process is called incremental or fast refresh. Without a materialized view log, Oracle Database must reexecute the materialized view query to refresh the materialized view. This process is called a complete refresh. Usually, a fast refresh takes less time than a complete refresh.

1.3.7 Packages

A package is an object that contains subprograms, which are programming objects that can be stored and executed in the database server, and called from other programming objects or applications. A package can contain functions or procedures, or both. For help with specific options in creating a package, see Section 4.17, "Create PL/SQL Package".

You can perform the following operations on a package by right-clicking the package name in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- New Package Body: Displays a pane in which you can enter text for the package body.

- Drop: Deletes the package.

1.3.8 Procedures

A procedure is a type of PL/SQL subprogram, which is a programming object that can be stored and executed in the database server, and called from other programming objects or applications. (Procedures do not return a value; functions return a value.) For help with specific options in creating a PL/SQL subprogram, see Section 4.18, "Create PL/SQL Subprogram (Function or Procedure)".

You can perform the following operations on a procedure by right-clicking the procedure name in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- Open: Displays the procedure text so that you can view and edit it.

- Compile: Performs a PL/SQL compilation of the procedure.

- Compile with Debug: Performs a PL/SQL compilation of the procedure, with PL/SQL library units compiled for debugging.

- Run: Displays the Run/Debug PL/SQL dialog box, and then executes the procedure in normal (not debug) mode.

- Debug: Displays the Run/Debug PL/SQL dialog box, and then executes the procedure in debug mode.

- Execution Profile: Displays the execution profile for the procedure.

- Drop: Deletes the procedure.

- Compile Dependants: Performs a PL/SQL compilation of the procedure and any relevant dependent subprograms (see the Dependencies tab).

1.3.9 Recycle Bin

The Recycle bin (applicable only to Oracle Database Release 10g) holds objects that have been dropped (deleted). The objects are not actually deleted until a commit operation is performed. Before the objects are actually deleted, you can "undelete" them by selecting them in the Recycle bin and selecting Undrop from the right-click menu.

You can perform the following operations on an object in the Recycle bin by right-clicking the object name in the Recycle bin in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- Purge: Removes the object from the Recycle bin and deletes it.

- Flashback to Before Drop: Moves the object from the Recycle bin back to its appropriate place in the Connections navigator display.

1.3.10 Sequences

Sequences are used to generate unique integers. You can use sequences to automatically generate primary key values. For help with specific options in creating and editing a sequence, see Section 4.19, "Create/Edit Sequence".

1.3.11 Synonyms (Public and Private)

Synonyms provide alternative names for tables, views, sequences, procedures, stored functions, packages, materialized views, Java class database objects, user-defined object types, or other synonyms. The Connections navigator has a Synonyms node for all synonyms (public and private) owned by the user associated with the specified connection, and a Public Synonyms node for all public synonyms on the database associated with the connection. For help with specific options in creating and editing a synonym, see Section 4.21, "Create/Edit Synonym".

1.3.12 Tables

Tables are used to hold data. Each table typically has multiple columns that describe attributes of the database entity associated with the table, and each column has an associated data type. You can choose from many table creation options and table organizations (such as partitioned tables, index-organized tables, and external tables), to meet a variety of enterprise needs. To create a table, you can do either of the following:

- Create the table quickly by adding columns and specifying frequently used features. To do this, do not check the Advanced box in the Create Table dialog box. For help with options for creating a table using this quick approach, see Create Table (quick creation).

- Create the table by adding columns and selecting from a larger set of features. To do this, check the Advanced box in the Create Table dialog box. For help with options for creating a table with advanced features, see Create/Edit Table (with advanced options).

You can perform the following operations on a table by right-clicking the table name in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- Edit: Displays the Create Table (quick creation) dialog box.

- Table: Table actions include Rename, Copy (create a copy using a different name), Drop (delete the table), Truncate (delete existing data without affecting the table definition), Lock (set the table lock mode: row share, exclusive, and so on), Comment (descriptive comment explaining the use or purpose of the table), Parallel (change the default degree of parallelism for queries and DML on the table), No Parallel (specify serial execution), and Count Rows (return the number of rows).

- Column: Column actions include Comment (descriptive comment about a column), Add, Drop, and Normalize.

- Constraint: Includes options for adding, dropping, enabling, and disabling constraints.

- Index: Options include Create (create an index on specified columns), Create Text (create an Oracle Text index on a column), Create Text (create a function-based index on a column), and Drop.

- Constraint: Options include Enable or Disable Single, Drop (delete a constraint), Add Check (add a check constraint), Add Foreign Key, and Add Unique.

- Privileges: If you are connected as a database user with sufficient privileges, you can Grant or Revoke privileges on the table to other users.

- Statistics: Options include Gather Statistics (compute exact table and column statistics and store them in the data dictionary) and Validate Structure (verifies the integrity of each data block and row, and for an index-organized table also generates the optimal prefix compression count for the primary key index on the table). Statistics are used by the Oracle Database optimizer to choose the execution plan for SQL statements that access analyzed objects.

- Storage: Options include Shrink Table (shrink space in a table, for segments in tablespaces with automatic segment management) and Move Table (to another tablespace). The Shrink Table options include Compact (only defragments the segment space and compacts the table rows for subsequent release, but does not readjust the high water mark and does not release the space immediately) and Cascade (performs the same operations on all dependent objects of the table, including secondary indexes on index-organized tables).

- Trigger: Options include Create, Create PK from Sequence (create a before-insert trigger to populate the primary key using values from a specified sequence), Enable or Disable All, Enable or Disable Single, and Drop (delete the trigger).

- Import Data: Enables you to import data from a Microsoft Excel worksheet.

- Export Data: Enables you to export some or all of the table data to a file or to the system clipboard, in any of the following formats: XML (XML tags and data), CSV (comma-separated values including a header row for column identifiers), SQL Insert (INSERT statements), or SQL Loader (SQL*Loader control file). After you select a format, the Export Table Data dialog box is displayed.

You can perform the following operations on a column in a table by right-clicking the column name in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- Rename: Renames the column.

- Drop: Deletes the column (including all data in that column) from the table.

- Comment: Adds a descriptive comment about the column.

- Encrypt (for Oracle Database Release 10.2 and higher, and only if the Transparent Data Encryption feature is enabled for the database): Displays a dialog box in which you specify a supported encryption algorithm to be used for encrypting all data in the column. Current data and subsequently inserted data are encrypted.

- Decrypt (for Oracle Database Release 10.2 and higher, and only if the Transparent Data Encryption feature is enabled for the database): Decrypts data in the column that had been encrypted, and causes data that is subsequently inserted not to be encrypted.

- Normalize: Creates a new table using the distinct values in the specified column. You must specify names for the new table and its primary key column, as well as a sequence name and trigger name.

1.3.13 Triggers

Triggers are stored PL/SQL blocks associated with a table, a schema, or the database, or anonymous PL/SQL blocks or calls to a procedure implemented in PL/SQL or Java. Oracle Database automatically executes a trigger when specified conditions occur. For help with specific options in creating a trigger, see Section 4.24, "Create Trigger".

1.3.14 Types

A data type associates a fixed set of properties with the values that can be used in a column of a table or in an argument of a procedure or function. These properties cause Oracle Database to treat values of one data type differently from values of another data type. Most data types are supplied by Oracle, although users can create data types.

For help with specific options in creating a user-defined type, see Section 4.25, "Create Type (User-Defined)".

1.3.15 Users (Other Users)

Database users are accounts through which you can log in to the database. In the Connections navigator, you can see the Other Users in the database associated with a connection, but the database objects that you are allowed to see for each user are determined by the privileges of the database user associated with the current database connection.

If you are connected as a user with the DBA role, you can create a database user by right-clicking Other Users and selecting Create User, and you can edit an existing database user by right-clicking the user under Other Users and selecting Edit User. For help on options in creating and editing users, see Create/Edit User.

1.3.16 Views

Views are virtual tables (analogous to queries in some database products) that select data from one or more underlying tables. Oracle Database provides many view creation options and specialized types of views (such as materialized views, described in Section 1.3.5, "Materialized Views"), to meet a variety of enterprise needs. For help with specific options in creating and editing a view, see Create/Edit View.

You can perform the following operations on a view by right-clicking the view name in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

- Edit: Displays the Create/Edit View dialog box.

- Drop: Deletes the view.

- Compile: Recompiles the view, to enable you to locate possible errors before run time. You may want to recompile a view after altering one of its base tables to ensure that the change does not affect the view or other objects that depend on it.

1.3.17 XML Schemas

XML schemas are schema definitions, written in XML, that describe the structure and various other semantics of conforming instance XML documents. For conceptual and usage information about XML schemas, see Oracle XML DB Developer's Guide in the Oracle Database documentation library.

You can edit an XML schema by right-clicking the XML schema name in the Connections navigator and selecting Edit from the menu.

1.4 Database Connections

A connection is a SQL Developer object that specifies the necessary information for connecting to a specific database as a specific user of that database. You must have at least one database connection (existing, created, or imported) to use SQL Developer.

You can connect to any target Oracle database schema using standard Oracle database authentication. Once connected, you can perform operations on objects in the database. You can also connect to schemas for selected third-party (non-Oracle) databases, such as MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft Access, and view metadata and data.

When you start SQL Developer and whenever you display the database connections dialog box, SQL Developer automatically imports any connections defined in the tnsnames.ora file on your system, if that file exists. By default, tnsnames.ora is located in the $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin directory, but it can also be in the directory specified by the TNS_ADMIN environment variable or registry value or (on Linux systems) the global configuration directory. On Windows systems, if the tnsnames.ora file exists but its connections are not being used by SQL Developer, define TNS_ADMIN as a system environment variable. For information about the tnsnames.ora file, see the "Local Naming Parameters (tnsnames.ora)" chapter in Oracle Database Net Services Reference.

You can create additional connections (for example, to connect to the same database but as different users, or to connect to different databases). Each database connection is listed in the Connections navigator hierarchy.

To create a new database connection, right-click the Connections node and select New Database Connection. Use the dialog box to specify information about the connection (see Section 4.5, "Create/Edit/Select Database Connection").

To edit the information about an existing database connection, right-click the connection name in the Connections navigator display and select Properties. Use the dialog box to modify information about the connection (see Section 4.5, "Create/Edit/Select Database Connection").

To export information about the existing database connections into an XML file that you can later use for importing connections, right-click Connections in the Connections navigator display and select Export Connections. Use the dialog box to specify the connections to be exported (see Section 4.13, "Export/Import Connection Descriptors").

To import connections that had previously been exported (adding them to any connections that may already exist in SQL Developer), right-click Connections in the Connections navigator display and select Import Connections. Use the dialog box to specify the connections to be imported (see Section 4.13, "Export/Import Connection Descriptors").

To perform remote debugging if you are using the Sun Microsystem's Java Platform Debugger Architecture (JPDA) and you would like the debugger to listen so that a debuggee can attach to the debugger, right-click the connection name in the Connections navigator display and select Remote Debug. Use the dialog box to specify remote debugging information (see Section 4.33, "Debugger - Attach to JPDA").

To estimate or compute statistics for objects in a database schema, right-click the connection name in the Connections navigator display and select Gather Schema Statistics. Statistics are used to optimize SQL execution.

To have the PL/Scope tool collect data for all identifiers in PL/SQL source programs, including identifiers in package bodies, right-click the connection name in the Connections navigator display and select Toggle PL/Scope Identifier Collection. This toggles the setting between IDENTIFIERS:ALL (affects only the PL/SQL code compiled after you specify it) and IDENTIFIERS:NONE. PL/Scope is a compiler-driven tool that collects and organizes data about user-defined identifiers from PL/SQL source code. For information about using PL/Scope, see Oracle Database Advanced Application Developer's Guide.

To delete a connection (that is, delete it from SQL Developer, not merely disconnect from the current connection), right-click the connection name in the Connections navigator display and select Delete. Deleting a connection does not delete the user associated with that connection.

To connect using an existing connection, expand its node in the Connections navigator, or right-click its name and select Connect. A SQL Worksheet window is also opened for the connection (see Section 1.7, "Using the SQL Worksheet").

To disconnect from the current connection, right-click its name in the Connections navigator and select Disconnect.

Sharing of Connections

By default, each connection in SQL Developer is shared when possible. For example, if you open a table in the Connections navigator and two SQL Worksheets using the same connection, all three panes use one shared connection to the database. In this example, a commit operation in one SQL Worksheet commits across all three panes. If you want a dedicated session, you must duplicate your connection and give it another name. Sessions are shared by name, not connection information, so this new connection will be kept separate from the original.

Advanced Security for JDBC Connection to the Database

You are encouraged to use Oracle Advanced Security to secure a JDBC connection to the database. Both the JDBC OCI and the JDBC Thin drivers support at least some of the Oracle Advanced Security features. If you are using the OCI driver, you can set relevant parameters in the same way that you would in any Oracle client setting. The JDBC Thin driver supports the Oracle Advanced Security features through a set of Java classes included with the JDBC classes in a Java Archive (JAR) file and supports security parameter settings through Java properties objects.

For more information about using Oracle Advanced Security, see Oracle Database JDBC Developer's Guide and Reference.

1.5 Entering and Modifying Data

You can use SQL Developer to enter data into tables and to edit and delete existing table data. To do any of these operations, select the table in the Connections navigator, then click the Data tab in the table detail display. The following figure shows the Data pane for a table named BOOKS, with a filter applied to show only books whose rating is 10, and after the user has clicked in the Title cell for the first book.

Icons and other controls under the Data tab provide the following options:

- Freeze View (the pin) keeps that object's tab and information in the window when you click another object in the Connections navigator; a separate tab and display are created for that other object. If you click the pin again, the object's display is available for reuse.

- Refresh queries the database to update the data display. If a filter is specified, the refresh operation uses the filter.

- Insert Row adds an empty row after the selected row, for you to enter new data.

- Delete Selected Row(s) marks the selected rows for deletion. The actual deletion does not occur until you commit changes.

- Commit Changes ends the current transaction and makes permanent all changes performed in the transaction.

- Rollback Changes undoes any work done in the current transaction.

- Sort displays a dialog box for selecting columns to sort by. For each column, you can specify ascending or descending order, and you can specify that null values be displayed first.

- Filter enables you to enter a SQL predicate (WHERE clause text without the WHERE keyword) for limiting the display of data. For example, to show only rows where the RATING column value is equal to 10, specify: rating = 10

- Actions displays a menu with actions relevant to the table.

When you enter a cell in the grid, you can directly edit the data for many data types, and for all data types you can click the ellipsis (...) button to edit the data. For binary data you cannot edit the data in the cell, but must use the ellipsis button.

In the Data pane for a table or view, you can split the display vertically or horizontally to see two (or more) parts independently by using the split box (thin blue rectangle), located to the right of the bottom scroll bar and above the right scroll bar.

In the Data pane, the acceptable format or formats for entering dates may be different from the date format required by SQL*Plus.

1.6 Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures

You can use SQL Developer to run and debug PL/SQL functions and procedures.

- To run a function or procedure, click its name in the Connections navigator; then either right-click and select Run, or click the Edit icon and then click the Run icon above its source listing.

- To debug a function or procedure, click its name in the Connections navigator. If the procedure in its current form has not already been compiled for debug, right-click and select Compile for Debug. Then click the Edit icon and click the Debug icon above its source listing.

In both cases, a code editing window is displayed. The following figure shows the code editing window being used to debug a procedure named LIST_A_RATING2, which is used for tutorial purposes in Section 3.7, "Debugging a PL/SQL Procedure".

The code editing window has the following tabs:

- The Source tab displays a toolbar and the text of the function or procedure, which you can edit. You can set and unset breakpoints for debugging by clicking to the left of the thin vertical line beside each statement with which you want to associate a breakpoint. (When a breakpoint is set, a red circle is displayed.)

- The Privileges tab displays, for each privilege associated with the function or procedure, the grantor and grantee, the object name, and whether the grantee can grant the privilege to other users.

- The Dependencies tab shows any objects that this function or procedure references, and any objects that reference this function or procedure.

The Source tab toolbar has the icons shown in the following figure.

- Run starts normal execution of the function or procedure, and displays the results in the Running - Log tab.

- Debug starts execution of the function or procedure in debug mode, and displays the Debugging - Log tab, which includes the debugging toolbar for controlling the execution.

- Compile performs a PL/SQL compilation of the function or procedure.

- Compile for Debug performs a PL/SQL compilation of the function or procedure so that it can be debugged.

The Debugging - Log tab under the code text area contains the debugging toolbar and informational messages. The debugging toolbar has the icons shown in the following figure.

- Find Execution Point goes to the next execution point.

- Resume continues execution.

- Step Over bypasses the next method and goes to the next statement after the method.

- Step Into goes to the first statement in the next method.

- Step Out leaves the current method and goes to the next statement.

- Step to End of Method goes to the last statement of the current method.

- Pause halts execution but does not exit, thus allowing you to resume execution.

- Terminate halts and exits the execution. You cannot resume execution from this point; instead, to start running or debugging from the beginning of the function or procedure, click the Run or Debug icon in the Source tab toolbar.

- Garbage Collection removes invalid objects from the cache in favor of more frequently accessed and more valid objects.

The Breakpoints tab under the code text area displays breakpoints, both system-defined and user-defined.

The Smart Data tab under the code text area displays information about variables associated with breakpoints.

The Data tab under the code text area displays information about all variables.

The Watches tab under the code text area displays information about watchpoints.

If the function or procedure to be debugged is on a remote system, see also Section 1.6.1, "Remote Debugging".

1.6.1 Remote Debugging

To debug a procedure or function for a connection where the database is on a different host than the one on which you are running SQL Developer, you can perform remote debugging. Remote debugging involves many of the steps as for local debugging; however, do the following before you start the remote debugging:

1. Use an Oracle client such as SQL*Plus to issue the debugger connection command. Whatever client you use, make sure that the session which issues the debugger connection commands is the same session which executes your PL/SQL program containing the breakpoints. For example, if the name of the remote system is remote1, use the following SQL*Plus command to open a TCP/IP connection to that system and the port for the JDWP session:

EXEC DBMS_DEBUG_JDWP.CONNECT_TCP('remote1', '4000');

The first parameter is the IP address or host name of the remote system, and the second parameter is the port number on that remote system on which the debugger is listening.

2. Right-click the connection for the remote database, select Remote Debug, and complete the information in the Debugger - Attach to JPDA dialog box.

Then, follow the steps that you would for local debugging (for example, see Section 3.7, "Debugging a PL/SQL Procedure").

1.7 Using the SQL Worksheet

You can use the SQL Worksheet to enter and execute SQL, PL/SQL, and SQL*Plus statements. You can specify any actions that can be processed by the database connection associated with the worksheet, such as creating a table, inserting data, creating and editing a trigger, selecting data from a table, and saving that data to a file.

You can display a SQL Worksheet by right-clicking a connection in the Connections navigator and selecting Open SQL Worksheet, by selecting Tools and then SQL Worksheet, or by clicking the Use SQL Worksheet icon under the menu bar. In the Select Connection dialog box, select the database connection to use for your work with the worksheet. You can also use that dialog box to create and edit database connections. (You have a SQL Worksheet window open automatically when you open a database connection by enabling the appropriate SQL Developer user preference under Database Connections.)

The SQL Worksheet has the user interface shown in the following figure:

SQL Worksheet toolbar (under the SQL Worksheet tab): Contains icons for the following operations:

- Execute Statement executes the statement at the mouse pointer in the Enter SQL Statement box. The SQL statements can include bind variables and substitution variables of type VARCHAR2 (although in most cases, VARCHAR2 is automatically converted internally to NUMBER if necessary); a pop-up box is displayed for entering variable values.

- Run Script executes all statements in the Enter SQL Statement box using the Script Runner. The SQL statements can include substitution variables (but not bind variables) of type VARCHAR2 (although in most cases, VARCHAR2 is automatically converted internally to NUMBER if necessary); a pop-up box is displayed for entering substitution variable values.

- Commit writes any changes to the database, and ends the transaction; also clears any output in the Results and Script Output panes.

- Rollback discards any changes without writing them to the database, and ends the transaction; also clears any output in the Results and Script Output panes.

- Cancel stops the execution of any statements currently being executed.

- SQL History displays a dialog box with information about SQL statements that you have executed. You can save statements to a file, or append to or overwrite statements on the worksheet (see Section 4.78, "SQL History List").

- Execute Explain Plan generates the execution plan for the statement (internally executing the EXPLAIN PLAN statement). To see the execution plan, click the Explain tab. For more information, see Section 1.7.3, "Execution Plan".

- Autotrace generates trace information for the statement. To see the execution plan, click the Autotrace tab. For more information, see Section 1.7.3, "Execution Plan".

- Clear erases the statement or statements in the Enter SQL Statement box.

- To the right of these icons is a drop-down list for changing the database connection to use with the worksheet.

The right-click menu includes the preceding SQL Worksheet toolbar operations, plus the following operations:

- Open File opens a selected SQL script file in the Enter SQL Statement box.

- Save File saves the contents of the Enter SQL Statement box to a file.

- Print File prints the contents of the Enter SQL Statement box.

- Cut, Copy, Paste, and Select All have the same meanings as for normal text editing operations.

- Query Builder opens the Query Builder dialog box, where you can create a SELECT statement by dragging and dropping table and view names and by graphically specifying columns and other elements of the query.

- Format SQL formats the SQL statement (capitalizing the names of statements, clauses, keywords, and so on).

- Describe, if the name of a database object is completely selected, displays a window with tabs and information appropriate for that type of object (see Section 4.34, "Describe Object Window").

- Save Snippet opens the Save Snippet (User-Defined) dialog box with the selected text as the snippet text.

Enter SQL Statement: The statement or statements that you intend to execute. For multiple statements, each non-PL/SQL statement must be terminated with either a semicolon or (on a new line) a slash (/), and each PL/SQL statement must be terminated with a slash (/) on a new line. SQL keywords are automatically highlighted. To format the statement, right-click in the statement area and select Format SQL.

You can drag some kinds of objects from the Connections navigator and drop them into the Enter SQL Statement box:

- If you drag and drop a table or view, a SELECT statement is constructed with all columns in the table or view. You can then edit the statement, for example, modifying the column list or adding a WHERE clause.

- If you drag and drop a function or procedure, a snippet-like text block is constructed for you to edit when including that object in a statement.

Tabs display panes with the following information:

- Results: Displays the results of the most recent Execute Statement operation.

- Explain: Displays the output if you clicked the Explain Execution Plan icon (see Section 1.7.3, "Execution Plan").

- Script Output: Displays the output if you clicked the Run Script icon (see Section 1.7.2, "Script Runner").

- DBMS Output: Displays the output of DBMS_OUTPUT package statements (see Section 1.7.5, "DBMS Output Pane").

- OWA Output: Displays Oracle Web Agent (MOD_PLSQL) output (see Section 1.7.6, "OWA Output Pane").

1.7.1 SQL*Plus Statements Supported and Not Supported in SQL Worksheet

The SQL Worksheet supports some SQL*Plus statements. SQL*Plus statements must be interpreted by the SQL Worksheet before being passed to the database; any SQL*Plus that are not supported by the SQL Worksheet are ignored and not passed to the database.

The following SQL*Plus statements are supported by the SQL Worksheet:

@
@@
acc[ept]
conn[ect]
cl[ear]
def[ine]
desc[ribe]
doc[ument]
exec[ute]
exit (Stops execution and reinstates the specified connection)
ho[st]
pau[se]
pro[mpt]
quit (Stops execution and reinstates the specified connection)
rem[ark]
set pau[se] {ON | OFF}
sta[rt]
timi[ng]
undef[ine]
whenever
xquery

The following SQL*Plus statements are not supported by the SQL Worksheet:

a[ppend]
archive
attr[ibute]
bre[ak]
bti[tle]
c[hange]
col[ulmn]
comp[ute]
copy
del
disc[onnect]
ed[it]
get
help
i[nput]
l[ist]
newpage
oradebug
passw[ord]
print
r[un]
recover
repf[ooter]
reph[eader]
sav[e]
sho[w]
shu[tdown]
spo[ol]
startup
store
tti[tle]
var[iable]

1.7.2 Script Runner

The script runner emulates a limited set of SQL*Plus features. If you do not have SQL*Plus on your system, you can often enter SQL and SQL*Plus statements and execute them by clicking the Run Script icon. The Script Output pane displays the output.

The SQL*Plus features available in the script runner include @, @@, CONNECT, EXIT, QUIT, UNDEFINE, WHENEVER, and substitution variables. For example, to run a script named c:\myscripts\mytest.sql, type @c:\myscripts\mytest in the Enter SQL Statement box, and click the drop-down next to the Execute Statement icon and select Run Script.

The following considerations apply to using the SQL Developer script runner:

- You cannot use bind variables. (The Execute SQL Statement feature does let you use bind variables of type VARCHAR2, NUMBER, and DATE.)

- For substitution variables, the syntax &&variable assigns a permanent variable value, and the syntax &variable assigns a temporary (not stored) variable value.

- For EXIT and QUIT, commit is the default behavior, but you can specify rollback. In either case, the context is reset: for example, WHENEVER command information and substitution variable values are cleared.

- DESCRIBE works for most, but not all, object types for which it is supported in SQL*Plus.

- For SQL*Plus commands that are not supported, a warning message is displayed.

- SQL*Plus comments are ignored.

If you have SQL*Plus available on your system, you may want to use it instead of the script runner. To start SQL*Plus from SQL Developer, click Tools and then SQL*Plus. For information about SQL*Plus, see Section 1.8, "Using SQL*Plus".

1.7.3 Execution Plan

The Execute Explain Plan icon generates the execution plan, which you can see by clicking the Explain tab. The execution plan is the sequence of operations that will be performed to execute the statement. An execution plan shows a row source tree with the hierarchy of operations that make up the statement. For each operation, it shows the ordering of the tables referenced by the statement, access method for each table mentioned in the statement, join method for tables affected by join operations in the statement, and data operations such as filter, sort, or aggregation.

In addition to the row source tree, the plan table displays information about optimization (such as the cost and cardinality of each operation), partitioning (such as the set of accessed partitions), and parallel execution (such as the distribution method of join inputs). For more information, see the chapter about using EXPLAIN PLAN in Oracle Database Performance Tuning Guide.

1.7.4 Autotrace Pane

The Autotrace pane displays trace-related information when you execute the SQL statement by clicking the Autotrace icon. Most of the specific information displayed is determined by the SQL Developer Preferences for Database: Autotrace Parameters. If you cancel a long-running statement, partial execution statistics are displayed.

This information can help you to identify SQL statements that will benefit from tuning. For example, you may be able to optimize predicate handling by transitively adding predicates, rewriting predicates using Boolean algebra principles, moving predicates around in the execution plan, and so on. For more information about tracing and autotrace, see the chapter about tuning in SQL*Plus User's Guide and Reference.

To use the autotrace feature, the database user for the connection must have the SELECT_CATALOG_ROLE privilege.

1.7.5 DBMS Output Pane

The PL/SQL DBMS_OUTPUT package enables you to send messages from stored procedures, packages, and triggers. The PUT and PUT_LINE procedures in this package enable you to place information in a buffer that can be read by another trigger, procedure, or package. In a separate PL/SQL procedure or anonymous block, you can display the buffered information by calling the GET_LINE procedure. The DBMS Output pane is used to display the output of that buffer. This pane contains icons and other controls for the following operations:

- Enable/Disable DBMS Output: Toggles the SET SERVEROUTPUT setting between ON and OFF. Setting server output ON checks for any output that is placed in the DBMS_OUTPUT buffer, and any output is displayed in the pane.

- Clear: Erases the contents of the pane.

- Save: Saves the contents of the pane to a file that you specify.

- Print: Prints the contents of the pane.

- Buffer Size: For databases before Oracle Database 10.2, limits the amount of data that can be stored in the DBMS_OUTPUT buffer. The buffer size can be between 1 and 1000000 (1 million).

- Poll: The interval (in seconds) at which SQL Developer checks the DBMS_OUTPUT buffer to see if there is data to print. The poll rate can be between 1 and 15.

1.7.6 OWA Output Pane

OWA (Oracle Web Agent) or MOD_PLSQL is an Apache (Web Server) extension module that enables you to create dynamic Web pages from PL/SQL packages and stored procedures. The OWA Output pane enables you to see the HTML output of MOD_PLSQL actions that have been executed in the SQL Worksheet. This pane contains icons for the following operations:

- Enable/Disable OWA Output: Enables and disables the checking of the OWA output buffer and the display of OWA output to the pane.

- Clear: Erases the contents of the pane.

- Save: Saves the contents of the pane to a file that you specify.

- Print: Prints the contents of the pane.

1.8 Using SQL*Plus

You can use the SQL*Plus command-line interface to enter SQL and PL/SQL statements accessing the database associated with a specified connection. To display the SQL*Plus command window, from the Tools menu, select SQL*Plus.

To use this feature, the system on which you are using SQL Developer must have an Oracle home directory or folder, with a SQL*Plus executable under that location. If the location of the SQL*Plus executable is not already stored in your SQL Developer preferences, you are asked to specify its location (see Section 4.79, "SQL*Plus Location").

If you do not have a SQL*Plus executable on your system, you can execute some SQL*Plus statements using the SQL Worksheet (see Section 1.7.1, "SQL*Plus Statements Supported and Not Supported in SQL Worksheet"), and you can also use the SQL Developer script runner feature to emulate a limited set of SQL*Plus features (see Section 1.7.2, "Script Runner").

1.9 Using Snippets to Insert Code Fragments

Snippets are code fragments, such as SQL functions, Optimizer hints, and miscellaneous PL/SQL programming techniques. Some snippets are just syntax, and others are examples. You can insert and edit snippets when you are using the SQL Worksheet or creating or editing a PL/SQL function or procedure.

To display snippets, from the View menu, select Snippets. In the snippets window (on the right side), use the drop-down to select a group (such as Aggregate Functions or Character Functions). In most cases, the fragments in each group do not represent all available objects in that logical grouping, or all formats and options of each fragment shown. For complete and detailed information, see the Oracle Database documentation.

A Snippets button is placed in the right window margin, so that you can display the snippets window if it becomes hidden.

To insert a snippet into your code in a SQL Worksheet or in a PL/SQL function or procedure, drag the snippet from the snippets window and drop it into the desired place in your code; then edit the syntax so that the SQL function is valid in the current context. To see a brief description of a SQL function in a tooltip, hold the pointer over the function name.

For example, you could type SELECT and then drag CONCAT(char1, char2) from the Character Functions group. Then, edit the CONCAT function syntax and type the rest of the statement, such as in the following:

SELECT CONCAT(title, ' is a book in the library.') FROM books;

1.9.1 User-Defined Snippets

You can create and edit snippets. User-defined snippets are intended mainly to enable you to supplement the Oracle-supplied snippets, although you are also permitted to replace an Oracle-supplied snippet with your own version.

When you create a user-defined snippet, you can add it to one of the Oracle-supplied snippet categories (such as Aggregate Functions) or to a category that you create. If you add a snippet to an Oracle-supplied category and if your snippet has the same name as an existing snippet, your snippet definition replaces the existing one. (If you later upgrade to a new version of SQL Developer and if you choose to preserve your old settings, your old user-defined snippets will replace any Oracle-supplied snippets of the same name in the new version of SQL Developer.)

To create a snippet, do any of the following:

- Open the Snippets window and click the Add User Snippets icon.

- Select text for the snippet in the SQL Worksheet window, right-click, and select Save Snippet.

- Click the Add User Snippet icon in the Edit Snippets (User-Defined) dialog box.

To edit an existing user-defined snippet, click the Edit User Snippets icon in the Snippets window.

Information about user-defined snippets is stored in a file named UserSnippets.xml under the directory for user-specific information. For information about the location of this information, see Section 1.13, "Location of User-Related Information".

1.10 Using DB Object Search to Find Database Objects

You can use the DB Object Search pane to find database objects associated with an Oracle database connection and to open editing panes to work with those objects. To move to the Db Object Search pane or to display it if it is not visible, from the View menu, select DB Object Search.

The following figure shows the DB Object Search pane with results from a search for all objects associated with a connection named stacd05_hr that start with EMPLOYEE. (The pane may be displayed on the right side of the SQL Developer window or at the bottom.)

To find objects for an Oracle connection, click Search, select the connection name, enter an object name or a string containing one or more wildcard characters, and press the Enter key. To view or edit one of the objects, double-click its name in the DB Object Search pane.

You can detach, move, and dock the DB Object Search pane by clicking and holding the tab, and dragging and positioning the pane.

1.11 Reports

SQL Developer provides many reports about the database and its objects. You can also create your own user-defined reports. To display reports, click the Reports tab on the left side of the window (see SQL Developer User Interface). If this tab is not visible, select View and then Reports.

Individual reports are displayed in tabbed panes on the right side of the window; and for each report, you can select (in a drop-down control) the database connection for which to display the report. For reports about objects, the objects shown are only those visible to the database user associated with the selected database connection, and the rows are usually ordered by Owner. The detail display pane for a report includes the following icons at the top:

- Freeze View (the pin) keeps that report in the SQL Developer window when you click another report in the Reports navigator; a separate tab and detail view pane are created for that other report. If you click the pin again, the report's detail view pane is available for reuse.

- Run Report updates the detail view pane display by querying the database for the latest information.

- Run Report in SQL Worksheet displays the SQL statement used to retrieve the information for a report in a SQL Worksheet pane, where you can view, edit, and run the statement (see Section 1.7, "Using the SQL Worksheet").

The time required to display specific reports will vary, and may be affected by the number and complexity of objects involved, and by the speed of the network connection to the database.

For most reports that contain names of database objects, you can double-click the object name in the report display pane (or right-click the object name and select Go To) to display that object in a detail view pane, just as if you had selected that object using the Connections navigator.

To export a report into an XML file that can be imported later, right-click the report name in the Reports navigator display and select Export. To import a report that had previously been exported, select the name of the report folder name (such as a user-defined folder) in which to store the imported report, right-click, and select Import.

You can create a shared report from an exported report by clicking Tools, then Preferences, and using the Database: User-Defined Extensions pane to add a row with Type as REPORT and Location specifying the exported XML file. The next time you restart SQL Developer, the Reports navigator will have a Shared Reports folder containing that report.

To import connections that had previously been exported (adding them to any connections that may already exist in SQL Developer), right-click Connections in the Connections navigator display and select Import Connections. Use the dialog box to specify the connections to be imported (see Section 4.13, "Export/Import Connection Descriptors").

Bind Variables for Reports

For some reports, you are prompted for bind variables before the report is generated. These bind variables enable you to further restrict the output. The default value for all bind variables is null, which implies no further restrictions. To specify a bind variable, select the variable name and type an entry in the Value field. Any bind variable values that you enter are case insensitive, all matches are returned where the value string appears anywhere in the name of the relevant object type.

Related Topics

SQL Developer Concepts and Usage

SQL Developer User Interface

Using the SQL Worksheet

SQL Developer Concepts and Usage

1.11.1 About Your Database reports

The About Your Database reports list release information about the database associated with the selected connection. The reports include Version Banner (database settings) and National Language Support Parameters (NLS_xxx parameter values for globalization support).

1.11.2 Database Administration reports

Database Administration reports list usage information about system resources. This information can help you to manage storage, user accounts, and sessions efficiently. (The user for the database connection must have the DBA role to see most Database Administration reports.)

Database Parameters: Provide information about all database parameters or only those parameters that are not set to their default values.

Storage: Provide usage and allocation information for tablespaces and data files.

Sessions: Provide information about sessions, selected and ordered by various criteria.

Cursors: Provide information about cursors, including cursors by session (including open cursors and cursor details.

All Tables: Contains the reports that are also grouped under Table reports, including Quality Assurance reports.

Top SQL: Provide information about SQL statements, selected and ordered by various criteria. This information might help you to identify SQL statements that are being executed more often than expected or that are taking more time than expected.

Users: Provide information about database users, selected and ordered by various criteria. For example, you can find out which users were created most recently, which user accounts have expired, and which users use object types and how many objects each owns.

1.11.3 Table reports

Table reports list information about tables owned by the user associated with the specified connection. This information is not specifically designed to identify problem areas; however, depending on your resources and requirements, some of the information might indicate things that you should monitor or address.

For table reports, the owner is the user associated with the database connection.

User Tables: Displays information about either all tables or those tables containing the string that you specify in the Enter Bind Variables dialog box (uncheck Null in that box to enter a string).

Columns: For each table, lists each column, its data type, and whether it can contain a null value.

Datatype Occurrences: For each table owner, lists each data type and how many times it is used.

Comments for tables and columns: For each table and for each column in each table, lists the descriptive comments (if any) associated with it. Also includes a report of tables without comments. If database developers use the COMMENT statement when creating or modifying tables, this report can provide useful information about the purposes of tables and columns

Constraints: For each table, lists each associated constraint, including its type (unique constraint, check constraint, primary key, foreign key) and status (enabled or disabled).

Enabled Constraints and Disabled Constraints: For each constraint with a status of enabled or disabled, lists the table name, constraint name, constraint type (unique constraint, check constraint, primary key, foreign key), and status. A disabled constraint is not enforced when rows are added or modified; to have a disabled constraint enforced, you must edit the table and set the status of the constraint to Enabled (see the appropriate tabs for the Create/Edit Table (with advanced options) dialog box).

Primary Key Constraints: For primary key constraint, lists information that includes the owner, the table name, the constraint name, the constraint status (enabled or disabled), and the column name.

Unique Constraints: For each unique constraint, lists information that includes the owner, the table name, the constraint name, the constraint status (enabled or disabled), and the column name.

Foreign Key Constraints: For each foreign key constraint, lists information that includes the owner, the table name, the constraint name, the column that the constraint is against, the table that the constraint references, and the constraint in the table that is referenced.

Check Constraints: For each check constraint, lists information that includes the owner, the table name, the constraint name, the constraint status (enabled or disabled), and the constraint specification.

Statistics: For each table, lists statistical information, including when it was last analyzed, the total number of rows, the average row length, and the table type. In addition, specialized reports order the results by most rows and largest average row length.

Storage - Tables by Tablespace: For each tablespace, lists the number of tables and the total number of megabytes currently allocated for the tables.

Storage - Tablespaces: For each table, lists the tablespace for the table and the number of megabytes currently allocated for the table.

Organization: Specialized reports list information about partitioned tables, clustered tables, and index-organized tables.

Quality Assurance reports

Quality assurance reports are table reports that identify conditions that are not technically errors, but that usually indicate flaws in the database design. These flaws can result in various problems, such as logic errors and the need for additional application coding to work around the errors, as well as poor performance with queries at run time.

Tables without Primary Keys: Lists tables that do not have a primary key defined. A primary key is a column (or set of columns) that uniquely identifies each row in the table. Although tables are not required to have a primary key, it is strongly recommended that you create or designate a primary key for each table. Primary key columns are indexed, which enhances performance with queries, and they are required to be unique and not null, providing some "automatic" validation of input data. Primary keys can also be used with foreign keys to provide referential integrity.

Tables without Indexes: Lists tables that do not have any indexes. If a column in a table has an index defined on it, queries that use the column are usually much faster and more efficient than if there is no index on the column, especially if there are many rows in the table and many different data values in the column.

Tables with Unindexed Foreign Keys: Lists any foreign keys that do not have an associated index. A foreign key is a column (or set of columns) that references a primary key: that is, each value in the foreign key must match a value in its associated primary key. Foreign key columns are often joined in queries, and an index usually improves performance significantly for queries that use a column. If an unindexed foreign key is used in queries, you may be able to improve run-time performance by creating an index on that foreign key.

1.11.4 PL/SQL reports

PL/SQL reports list information about PL/SQL packages, function, and procedures, and about types defined in them.

Program Unit Arguments: For each argument (parameter) in a program unit, lists the program unit name, the argument position (1, 2, 3, and so on), the argument name, and whether the argument is input-only (In), output-only (Out), or both input and output (In/Out).

Unit Line Counts: For each PL/SQL object, lists the number of source code lines. This information can help you to identify complex objects (for example, to identify code that may need to be simplified or divided into several objects).

Search Source Code: For each PL/SQL object, lists the source code for each line, and allows the source to be searched for occurrences of the specified variable.

1.11.5 Security reports

Security reports list information about users that have been granted privileges, and in some cases about the users that granted the privileges. This information can help you (or the database administrator if you are not a DBA) to understand possible security issues and vulnerabilities, and to decide on the appropriate action to take (for example, revoking certain privileges from users that do not need those privileges).

Object Grants: For each privilege granted on a specific table, lists the user that granted the privilege, the user to which the privilege was granted, the table, the privilege, and whether the user to which the privilege was granted can grant that privilege to other users.

Column Privileges: For each privilege granted on a specific column in a specific table, lists the user that granted the privilege, the user to which the privilege was granted, the table, the privilege, and whether the user to which the privilege was granted can grant that privilege to other users.

Role Privileges: For each granted role, lists the user to which the role was granted, the role, whether the role was granted with the ADMIN option, and whether the role is designated as a default role for the user.

System Privileges: For each privilege granted to the user associated with the database connection, lists the privilege and whether it was granted with the ADMIN option.

Auditing: Lists information about audit policies.

Encryption: Lists information about encrypted columns.

Policies: Lists information about policies.

1.11.6 XML reports

XML reports list information about XML objects.

XML Schemas: For each user that owns any XML objects, lists information about each object, including the schema URL of the XSD file containing the schema definition.

1.11.7 Jobs reports

Jobs reports list information about jobs running on the database.

Your Jobs: Lists information about each job for which the user associated with the database connection is the log user, privilege user, or schema user. The information includes the start time of its last run, current run, and next scheduled run.

All Jobs: Lists information about all jobs running on the database. The information includes the start time of its last run, current run, and next scheduled run.

1.11.8 Streams reports

Streams reports list information about stream rules.

Your Stream Rules: Lists information about each stream rule for which the user associated with the database connection is the rule owner or rule set owner. The information includes stream type and name, rule set owner and name, rule owner and name, rule set type, streams rule type, and subsetting operation.

All Stream Rules: Lists information about all stream rules. The information includes stream type and name, rule set owner and name, rule owner and name, rule set type, streams rule type, and subsetting operation.

1.11.9 All Objects reports

All Objects reports list information about objects visible to the user associated with the database connection.

All Objects: For each object, lists the owner, name, type (table, view, index, and so on), status (valid or invalid), the date it was created, and the date when the last data definition language (DDL) operation was performed on it. The Last DDL date can help you to find if any changes to the object definitions have been made on or after a specific time.

Invalid Objects: Lists all objects that have a status of invalid.

Object Count by Type: For each type of object associated with a specific owner, lists the number of objects. This report might help you to identify users that have created an especially large number of objects, particularly objects of a specific type.

Collection Types: Lists information about for each collection type. The information includes the type owner, element type name and owner, and type-dependent specific information.

Dependencies: For each object with references to it, lists information about references to (uses of) that object.

1.11.10 Data Dictionary reports

Data Dictionary reports list information about the data dictionary views that are accessible in the database. Examples of data dictionary views are ALL_OBJECTS and USER_TABLES.

Dictionary Views: Lists each Oracle data dictionary view and (in most cases) a comment describing its contents or purpose.

Dictionary View Columns: For each Oracle data dictionary view, lists information about the columns in the view.

1.11.11 User Defined reports

User Defined reports are any reports that are created by SQL Developer users. To create a user-defined report, right-click the User Defined node under Reports and select Add Report. A dialog box is displayed in which you specify the report name and the SQL query to retrieve information for the report (see Section 4.27, "Create/Edit User Defined Report").

You can organize user-defined reports in folders, and you can create a hierarchy of folders and subfolders. To create a folder for user-defined reports, right-click the User Defined node or any folder name under that node and select Add Folder (see Section 4.28, "Create/Edit User Defined Report Folder").

Information about user-defined reports, including any folders for these reports, is stored in a file named UserReports.xml under the directory for user-specific information. For information about the location of this information, see Section 1.13, "Location of User-Related Information".

For examples of creating user-defined reports, see:

- Section 1.11.11.1, "User-Defined Report Example: Chart"

- Section 1.11.11.2, "User-Defined Report Example: Dynamic HTML"

1.11.11.1 User-Defined Report Example: Chart

This example creates a report displayed as a chart. It uses the definition of the EMPLOYEES table from the HR schema, which is a supplied sample schema.

Right-click on User Defined Reports and select Add Report. In the Add Report dialog box, specify a report name; for Style, select Chart; and for SQL, enter the following:

select m.department_id, e.last_name, e.salary
from employees m, employees e
where e.employee_id = m.employee_id
order by 1

The preceding query lists the last name and salary of each employee in each department, grouping the results by department ID (10, 20, 30, ... 110).

Click the Chart Details tab near the bottom of the box; for Chart Type, select BAR_VERT_STACK (bar chart, stacked vertically); and click Apply.

Use the Reports navigator to view the newly created user-defined report. For Connection, specify one that connects to the HR sample schema.

The report is displayed as a chart, part of which is shown in the following illustration. For example, as you can see, department 50 has mainly employees with the lowest salaries, and department 90 consists of the three highest-paid employees.

1.11.11.2 User-Defined Report Example: Dynamic HTML

This example creates a report using one or more PL/SQL DBMS_OUTPUT statements, so that the report is displayed as dynamic HTML.

Right-click on User Defined Reports and select Add Report. In the Add Report dialog box, specify a report name; for Style, select plsql-dbms_output; and for SQL, enter the following:

begin
dbms_output.put_line ('<H1> This is Level-1 Heading </H1>');
dbms_output.put_line ('<H2> This is a Level-2 Heading </H2>');
dbms_output.put_line ('<p> This is regular paragraph text. </p>');
end;

Click Apply.

Use the Reports navigator to view the newly created user-defined report. For Connection, specify any from the list. (This report does not depend on a specific connection of table.).

The report is displayed as formatted HTML output.

1.12 SQL Developer Preferences

You can customize many aspects of the SQL Developer interface and environment by modifying SQL Developer preferences according to your preferences and needs. To modify SQL Developer preferences, select Tools, then Preferences.

Information about SQL Developer preferences is stored under the directory for user-specific information. For information about the location of this information, see Section 1.13, "Location of User-Related Information".

Most preferences are self-explanatory, and this topic explains only those whose meaning and implications are not obvious. Some preferences involve performance or system resource trade-offs (for example, enabling a feature that adds execution time), and other preferences involve only personal aesthetic taste. The preferences are grouped in the following categories.

1.12.1 Environment

The Environment pane contains options that affect the startup and overall behavior and appearance of SQL Developer. You can specify that certain operations be performed automatically at specified times, with the trade-off usually being the extra time for the operation as opposed to the possibility of problems if the operation is not performed automatically (for example, if you forget to perform it when you should).

The undo level (number of previous operations that can be undone) and navigation level (number of open files) values involve slight increases or decreases system resource usage for higher or lower values.

Automatically Reload Externally Modified Files: If this option is checked, any files open in SQL Developer that have been modified by an external application are updated when you switch back to SQL Developer, overwriting any changes that you might have made. If this option is not checked, changes that you make in SQL Developer overwrite any changes that might have been made by external applications.

Silently Reload When File Is Unmodified: If this option is checked, you are not asked if you want to reload files that have been modified externally but not in SQL Developer. If this option is not checked, you are asked if you want to reload each file that has been modified externally, regardless of whether it has been modified in SQL Developer,

Environment: Dockable Windows

The Dockable Windows pane configures the behavior of dockable windows and the shapes of the four docking areas of SQL Developer: top, bottom, left, and right.

Dockable Windows Always on Top: If this option is checked, dockable windows always remain visible in front of other windows.

Windows Layout: Click the corner arrows to lengthen or shorten the shape of each docking area.

Environment: Local History

The Local History pane controls whether information about editing operations on files opened within SQL Developer is kept. If local history is enabled, you can specify how long information is retained and the maximum number of revisions for each file.

Environment: Log

The Log pane configures the colors of certain types of log messages and the saving of log messages to log files.

Save Logs to File: If this option is checked, all output to the Messages - Log window is saved to log files, where the file name reflects the operation and a timestamp. You are also asked to specify a Log Directory; and if the specified directory does not already exist, it is created. Note that if you save log information to files, the number of these files can become large.

Maximum Log Lines: The maximum number of lines to store in each log file.

1.12.2 Accelerators (Keyboard Shortcuts)

The Accelerators pane enables you to view and customize the accelerator key mappings (keyboard shortcuts) for SQL Developer.

Category: Select All or a specific category (Code Editor, Database, Debug, Edit, and so on), to control which actions are displayed.

Actions: The actions for the selected category. When you select an action, any existing accelerator key mappings are displayed.

Accelerators: Any existing key mappings for the selected action. To remove an existing key mapping, select it and click Remove.

New Accelerator: The new accelerator key to be associated with the action. Press and hold the desired modifier key, then press the other key. For example, to associate Ctrl+J with an action, press and hold the Ctrl key, then press the j key. If any actions are currently associated with that accelerator key, they are listed in the Current Assignment box.

Current Assignment: A read-only display of the current action, if any, that is mapped to the accelerator key that you specified in the New Accelerator box.

Load Preset: Enables you to load a set of predefined key mappings for certain systems and external editing applications. If you load any preset key mappings that conflict with changes that you have made, your changes are overwritten.

1.12.3 Code Editor

The Code Editor pane contains general options that affect the appearance and behavior of SQL Developer when you edit functions, procedures, and packages.

Code Editor: Bookmarks

The Bookmarks pane contains options that determine the persistence and search behavior for bookmarks that you create when using the code editor.

Code Editor: Caret Behavior

The Caret Behavior pane contains options that determine the shape, color, and blinking characteristics of the caret (cursor) in the code editor.

Code Editor: Code Insight

The Code Insight pane contains options for the logical completion (autocomplete options) of keywords and names while you are coding in the SQL Worksheet.

When you press Ctrl+Space, code insight provides a context-sensitive popup window that can help you select parameter names. Completion insight provides you with a list of possible completions at the insertion point that you can use to auto-complete code you are editing. This list is based on the code context at the insertion point. To exit code insight at any time, press Esc.

You can enable or disable both completion and parameter insight, as well as set the time delay for the popup windows.

Code Editor: Code Insight: Completion

The Code Insight: Completion pane contains options for refining the behavior when matching items are found. For more information, see the explanation for Code Editor: Code Insight.

Code Editor: Display

The Display pane contains general options for the appearance and behavior of the code editor.

Text Anti-Aliasing allows smooth-edged characters where possible.

Code Folding Margin allows program blocks in procedures and functions to be expanded and collapsed in the display.

Visible Right Margin renders a right margin that you can set to control the length of lines of code.

Automatic Brace Matching controls the highlighting of opening parentheses and brackets and of blocks when a closing parenthesis or bracket is typed.

Code Editor: Find Options

The Find Options pane determines which options are used by default at SQL Developer startup for find or find and replace operations. You can choose whether to use the options in effect from the last SQL Developer session or to use specified options.

Code Editor: Fonts

The Fonts pane specifies text font options for the code editor.

Display Only Fixed-Width Fonts: If this option is checked, the display of available font names is restricted to fonts where all characters have the same width. (Fixed-width fonts are contrasted with proportional-width fonts.)

Code Editor: Line Gutter

The Line Gutter pane specifies options for the line gutter (left margin of the code editor).

Show Line Numbers: If this option is checked, lines are numbered.

Enable Line Selection by Click-Dragging: If this option is checked, you can select consecutive lines in the editor by clicking in the gutter and dragging the cursor without releasing the mouse button.

Code Editor: Printing

The Printing pane specifies options for printing the contents of the code editor. The Preview pane sample display changes as you select and deselect options.

Code Editor: Printing HTML

The Printing HTML pane specifies options for printing HTML files from the code editor.

Code Editor: Syntax Colors

The Syntax Colors pane specifies colors for different kinds of syntax elements.

Code Editor: Undo Behavior

The Undo Behavior pane specifies options for the behavior of undo operations (Ctrl+Z, or Edit, then Undo). Only consecutive edits of the same type are considered; for example, inserting characters and deleting characters are two different types of operation.

Allow Navigation-Only Changes to be Undoable: If this option is checked, navigation actions with the keyboard or mouse can be undone. If this option is not checked, navigation actions cannot be undone, and only actual changes to the text can be undone.

1.12.4 Database

The Database pane sets properties for the database connection.

Validate date and time default values: If this option is checked, date and time validation is used when you open tables.

SQL*Plus Executable: The Windows path or Linux xterm command for the SQL*Plus executable. If there is no $ORACLE_HOME on your system, there is no SQL*Plus executable, and you cannot use SQL*Plus with SQL Developer; however, you can still use many SQL*Plus commands in the SQL Worksheet (see Section 1.7, "Using the SQL Worksheet", and especially SQL*Plus Statements Supported and Not Supported in SQL Worksheet).

Default path for storing export: Default path of the directory or folder under which to store output files when you perform an export operation. To see the current default for your system, click the Browse button next to this field.

Database: Advanced Parameters

The Advanced Parameters pane specifies options such as the SQL array fetch size and display options for null values.

Database: Autotrace Parameters

The Autotrace Parameters pane specifies information to be displayed on the Autotrace pane in the SQL Worksheet.

Database: NLS Parameters

The NLS Parameters pane specifies values for globalization support parameters, such as the language, territory, sort preference, and date format. These parameter values are used for SQL Developer session operations, such as for statements executed using the SQL Worksheet and for the National Language Support Parameters report. Specifying values in this preferences pane does not apply those values to the underlying database itself. To change the database settings, you must change the appropriate initialization parameters and restart the database.

Note that SQL Developer does not use default values from the current system for globalization support parameters; instead, SQL Developer, when initially installed, by default uses parameter values that include the following:

NLS_LANG,"AMERICAN"
NLS_TERR,"AMERICA"
NLS_CHAR,"AL32UTF8"
NLS_SORT,"BINARY"
NLS_CAL,"GREGORIAN"
NLS_DATE_LANG,"AMERICAN"
NLS_DATE_FORM,"DD-MON-RR"

Database: ObjectViewer Parameters

The ObjectViewer Parameters pane specifies whether to freeze object viewer windows, and display options for the output. The display options will affect the generated DDL on the SQL tab.

Database: Third Party JDBC Drivers

The Third Party JDBC Drivers pane specifies drivers to be used for connections to third-party (non-Oracle) databases, such as MySQL or Microsoft SQL Server. (You do not need to add a driver for connections to Microsoft Access databases.) To add a driver, click Add Entry and select the path for the driver (for example, C:\Program Files\MySQL\mysql-connector-java-5.0.4\mysql-connector-java-5.0.4-bin.jar).

To find a specific third-party JDBC driver, see the Web site for the vendor (for example, http://www.mysql.com for the MySQL driver).

You must specify a third-party JDBC driver before you can create a database connection to a third-party database of that associated type. (See the tabs for creating connections to third-party databases in the Create/Edit/Select Database Connection dialog box.)

Database: User-Defined Extensions

The User-Defined Extensions pane specifies user-defined extensions that have been added. You can use this pane to add extensions that are not available through the Check for Updates feature. (For more information about extensions and checking for updates, see Section 1.12.7, "Extensions".)

One use of the Database: User-Defined Extensions pane is to create a Shared Reports folder and to include an exported report under that folder: click Add Row, specify Type as REPORT, and for Location specify the XML file containing the exported report. The next time you restart SQL Developer, the Reports navigator will have a Shared Reports folder containing that report

Database: Worksheet Parameters

Autocommit in SQL Worksheet: If this option is checked, a commit operation is automatically performed after each INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement executed using the SQL Worksheet. If this option is not checked, a commit operation is not performed until you execute a COMMIT statement.

Open a worksheet on connect: If this option is checked, a SQL Worksheet window for the connection is automatically opened when you open a database connection. If this option is not checked, you must use the Open SQL Worksheet right-click command or toolbar icon to open a SQL Worksheet.

Max rows to print in a script: Limits the number of rows displayed.

Default path to look for scripts: The default directory where SQL Developer looks when you run a script (using @).

Save bind variables to disk on exit: If this option is checked, bind variables that you enter when running a script are saved on disk for reuse. If you do not want bind variable values stored on disk (for security or other reasons), be sure not to check this option.

Database: Worksheet Parameters: General Export Parameters

Custom Export Delimiter: The character to be used as the delimiter when you export table data in CSV format. This option enables you to use a character other than the default comma (,) as the CSV delimiter.

1.12.5 Debugger

The Debugger pane contains general options for the SQL Developer debugger. Other panes contain additional specific kinds of debugger options.

Debugger: Breakpoints

The Breakpoints pane sets the columns to appear in the Breakpoints pane and the scope of each breakpoint.

Debugger: Breakpoints: Default Actions

The Breakpoints: Default Actions pane sets defaults for actions to occur at breakpoints. These actions are the same as on the Actions tab in the Create/Edit Breakpoint dialog box.

Debugger: Data

The Data pane enables you to control the columns to appear in the debugger Data pane and aspects of how the data is displayed.

Debugger: Inspector

The Inspector pane enables you to control the columns to appear in the debugger Inspector pane and aspects of how the data is displayed.

Debugger: Smart Data

The Smart Data pane enables you to control the columns to appear in the debugger Smart Data pane and aspects of how the data is displayed.

Debugger: Stack

The Stack pane enables you to control the columns to appear in the debugger Stack pane and other options.

Debugger: Watches

The Watches pane enables you to control the columns to appear in the debugger Watches pane and aspects of how the data is displayed.

1.12.6 Documentation

The Documentation pane provides options for the display of SQL Developer online help.

Display in Window: If this option is checked, help is displayed in a separate window. If this option is not checked, help is displayed in a pane in the SQL Developer User Interface.

Show Tabs: Controls which tabs appear in the Help Center pane (Table of Contents, Index, Full Text Search).

1.12.7 Extensions

The Extensions pane determines which optional extensions SQL Developer uses when it starts. (SQL Developer also uses some mandatory extensions, which users cannot remove or disable.) If you change any settings, you must exit SQL Developer and restart it for the new settings to take effect.

Extensions to Use: Controls the specific optional SQL Developer extensions to use at startup.

Check for Updates: Checks for any updates to the selected optional SQL Developer extensions, as well as any mandatory extensions. (If the system you are using is behind a firewall, see the SQL Developer user preferences for Web Browser and Proxy.)

Automatically Check for Updates: If this option is checked, SQL Developer automatically checks for any updates to the selected optional SQL Developer extensions and any mandatory extensions at startup.

1.12.8 File Types

The File Types pane determines which file types and extensions will be opened by default by SQL Developer. The display shows each file extension, the associated file type, and a check mark if files with that extension are to be opened by SQL Developer be default, such as when a user double-clicks the file name.

Details area at bottom: You can modify the file type, content type (text or binary), and whether to open files with this extension automatically by SQL Developer.

To have files with a specific extension be opened by default by SQL Developer, click the file extension in the list, then check Open with SQL Developer in the Details area. This overrides any previous application association that may have been in effect for that file extension.

To add a file extension, click Add and specify the file extension (including the period). After adding the extension, you can modify its associated information by selecting it and using the Details area.

1.12.9 Migration

Note:

Migration applies only if you are using a version of SQL Developer that supports migration of third-party databases to Oracle. Migration support is currently planned for SQL Developer release 1.2.

The Migration pane contains options that affect the behavior of SQL Developer when you migrate schema objects and data from third-party databases to an Oracle database.

Default Repository: Migration repository to be used for storing the captured models and converted models. For information about migrating third-party databases to Oracle, including how to create a migration repository, see Chapter 2.

Migration: Data Move Options

The Data Move Options pane contains options that affect the behavior when you migrate data from third-party databases to Oracle Database tables generated by the migration.

Number of Parallel Data Move Streams: The number of internal connections created for simultaneous movement of data from the source database to the Oracle tables. Higher values may shorten the total time required, but will use more database resources during that time.

Number of Rows to Commit After: During the data move operation, Oracle pauses to perform an automatic internal commit operation after each number of rows that you specify are moved from the source database to Oracle tables.

Lower values will cause a successful move operation to take more time; but if a failure occurs, it is likely that more source records will exist in the Oracle tables and that if the move operation is resumed, fewer source records will need to be moved. Higher values will cause a successful move operation to take less time; but if a failure occurs, it is likely that fewer source records will exist in the Oracle tables and that is the move operation is resumed, more source records will need to be moved.

Offline: The offline data move options determine the results of files created when you click Migration, then Generate Scripts, then Generate Data Move Scripts.

Offline Data Script Directory: Default location for scripts for offline data move operations.

End of Column Delimiter: String to indicate end of column.

End of Row Delimiter: String to indicate end of row.

Migration: Generation Options

The Generation Options pane contains options that determine the results of files created when you click Migration, then Generate Scripts, then Generate Oracle DDL.

One single file, A file per object, or A file per database: Determines how many files are created and their relative sizes. Having more files created might be less convenient, but may allow more flexibility with complex migration scenarios. (See also the Maximum Number of Lines option.)

Output Directory: Default location in which the files will be created.

Implement 'CREATE' as 'CREATE OR REPLACE': Causes CREATE statements in source database objects to be implemented using CREATE OR REPLACE when the Oracle syntax allows this.

Generate Comments: Generates comments in the Oracle SQL statements.

Generate Controlling Script: Generates a "master" script for running all the required files.

Maximum Number of Lines: Sets a maximum number of lines for each file; you then specify the number.

Migration: Translation Options

The Translation Options pane contains options that relate to conversion of stored procedures and functions from their source database format to Oracle format.

Default Source Date Format: Default data format mask for dates in the source data.

Translation Diff Viewer: Several options affect the display when you use the translation differences viewer feature.

Colors of Levels:

Levels 0 - 3:

Migration: Plugin Preferences: Microsoft SQL Server

The Plugin Preferences: Microsoft SQL Server pane contains options that relate to conversion of Microsoft SQL Server objects to Oracle.

1.12.10 PL/SQL Compiler

The PL/SQL Compiler pane specifies options for compilation of PL/SQL subprograms.

Generate PL/SQL Debug Information: If this option is checked, PL/SQL debug information is included in the compiled code; if this option is not checked, this debug information is not included. The ability to stop on individual code lines and debugger access to variables are allowed only in code compiled with debug information generated.

Types of messages: You can control the display of informational, severe, and performance-related messages. (The ALL type overrides any individual specifications for the other types of messages.) For each type of message, you can specify any of the following:

- No entry (blank): Use any value specified for ALL; and if none is specified, use the Oracle default.

- Enable: Enable the display of all messages of this category.

- Disable: Disable the display of all messages of this category.

- Error: Enable the display of only error messages of this category.

1.12.11 PL/SQL Debugger

The PL/SQL Debugger pane controls whether the Probe debugger (developed using the Oracle Probe API) is used to debug PL/SQL.

You should check this option only if you are using a firewall that prevents the database from connecting to the client, or if the database is on a Java virtual machine where a recent version of the Java Debug Wire Protocol (JDWP) is not implemented on the server. Otherwise, leave this option unchecked to use the default debugger.

1.12.12 SQL*Plus

The SQL*Plus pane controls behavior related to SQL*Plus.

SQL*Plus Executable: The Windows path or Linux xterm command for the SQL*Plus executable. If there is no $ORACLE_HOME on your system, there is no SQL*Plus executable, and you cannot use SQL*Plus with SQL Developer; however, you can still use many SQL*Plus commands in the SQL Worksheet (see Section 1.7, "Using the SQL Worksheet", and especially SQL*Plus Statements Supported and Not Supported in SQL Worksheet).

1.12.13 SQL Formatter

The SQL Formatter pane controls how statements in the SQL Worksheet are formatted when you click Format SQL. The options include whether to insert space characters or tab characters when you press the Tab key (and how many characters), uppercase or lowercase for keywords and identifiers, whether to preserve or eliminate empty lines, and whether comparable items should be placed or the same line (if there is room) or on separate lines.

1.12.14 Web Browser and Proxy

The Web Browser and Proxy pane settings are relevant only when you use the Check for Updates feature (click Help, then Check for Updates), and only if your system is behind a firewall.

Browser Command Line: To specify a Web browser other than your default browser, specify the executable file to start that browser. To use your default browser, leave this field blank.

Use HTTP Proxy Server: Check your Web browser options or preferences for the appropriate values for these fields.

1.13 Location of User-Related Information

SQL Developer stores user-related information in several places, with the specific location depending on the operating system and certain environment specifications. User-related information includes user-defined reports, user-defined snippets, SQL Worksheet history, and SQL Developer user preferences.

In most cases, your user-related information is stored outside the SQL Developer installation directory hierarchy, so that it is preserved if you delete that directory and install a new version. The exception to this is on Windows systems, where SQL Developer user preferences are stored under the installation directory. To preserve preferences on Windows systems, use the Check for Updates feature (click Help, then Check for Updates) to upgrade your system.

The user-related information is stored in or under the following location:

- On Windows systems: the HOME environment variable location, if defined; otherwise the SQLDEVELOPER_USER_DIR location, if defined; otherwise as indicated in the following table

- On Linux and Mac OS X systems: the SQLDEVELOPER_USER_DIR location, if defined; otherwise as indicated in the following table

The following table shows the typical default locations (under a directory or in a file) for specific types of resources on different operating systems. (Note the period in the name of any directory or folder named .sqldeveloper.)

Table 1-1 Default Locations for User-Related Information

Resource Type

Windows Systems

Linux or Mac OS X Systems

User-defined reports

C:\Documents and Settings\<user-name>\.sqldeveloper\UserReports.xml

~/.sqldeveloper/UserReports.xml

User-defined snippets

C:\Documents and Settings\<user-name>\.sqldeveloper\UserSnippets.xml

~/.sqldeveloper/UserSnippets.xml

SQL history

C:\Documents and Settings\<user-name>\.sqldeveloper\SqlHistory.xml

~/.sqldeveloper/system/

SQL Worksheet archive filesFoot 1

C:\Documents and Settings\<user-name>\.sqldeveloper\tmp\

~/.sqldeveloper/tmp/

SQL Developer user preferences

<sqldeveloper_install>\sqldeveloper\sqldeveloper\system\

~/.sqldeveloper/system/

Footnote 1 SQL Worksheet archive files contain SQL statements that you have entered. These files begin with sqldev and then have a random number (for example, sqldev14356.sql). If you close SQL Developer with a SQL Worksheet open that contains statements, you will be prompted to save these files.

To specify a nondefault SQLDEVELOPER_USER_DIR location, do either of the following:

- Set the SQLDEVELOPER_USER_DIR environment variable to specify another directory path.

- Edit the <sqldeveloper_install>\sqldeveloper\sqldeveloper\bin\sqldeveloper.conf file and substitute the desired directory path for SQLDEVELOPER_USER_DIR in the following line:

SetUserHomeVariable SQLDEVELOPER_USER_DIR

If you want to prevent other users from accessing your user-specific SQL Developer information, you must ensure that the appropriate permissions are set on the directory where that information is stored or on a directory above it in the path hierarchy. For example, on a Windows system you may want to ensure that the sqldeveloper folder and the <user-name>\.sqldeveloper folder under Documents and Settings are not shareable; and on a Linux or Mac OS X system you may want to ensure that the ~/.sqldeveloper directory is not world-readable.

1.14 Using the Help

SQL Developer provides a Help menu and context-sensitive help (click the Help button or press the F1 key in certain contexts).

By default, help from the Help menu is displayed on the right side of the window, with the Help Center area on the far right and containing tabs at the bottom. You can use the Contents, Index, and Search (full-text) tabs or their corresponding Help menu items. Context-sensitive help is displayed in a separate help window. (To change the default help behavior, set SQL Developer Documentation preferences.)

For help displayed in the SQL Developer window, you can close individual Help panes by clicking the X next to their tab names (just as with tabs for tables and other database objects).

To print a help topic, display it in a Help pane and click the Print icon at the top of the pane.

The best way to become familiar with the help, and with SQL Developer itself, is simply to experiment with the Help menu options and the Help button in some dialog boxes.

Tip:

You can download the online help as a single PDF file from:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/sql_developer/pdf/online_help.pdf

1.15 For More Information

For more information about SQL Developer and related topics, you may find the following resources helpful:

- SQL Developer home page (OTN), which includes links for downloads, a white papers, tutorials, blogs, a discussion forum, and other sources of information: http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/sql_developer/

- PL/SQL page on OTN: http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/pl_sql/

- Oracle Accessibility site: http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/

- Oracle Corporate site: http://www.oracle.com/

2 Migrating Third-Party Databases

Note:

The information about migration applies only if you are using a version of SQL Developer that supports migration of third-party databases to Oracle. Migration support is currently planned for SQL Developer release 1.2.

Migration is the process of copying the schema objects and data from a source third-party (non-Oracle) database, such as MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, or Microsoft Access, to an Oracle database. You can perform the migration in an efficient, largely automated way: the source schema objects are implemented as Oracle schema objects, and any related objects (such as sequences and triggers) that are required for the implementation are automatically created.

Thus, you have two options for working with third-party databases in SQL Developer:

- Creating database connections so that you can view schema objects and data in these databases

- Migrating these databases to Oracle, to take advantage of the full range of Oracle Database features and capabilities

This chapter contains the following major sections:

Section 2.1, "Migration Quick Start"

Section 2.2, "Overview of Migration"

Section 2.3, "Preparing a Migration Plan"

Section 2.4, "Before You Start Migrating: General Information"

Section 2.5, "Before You Start Migrating: Source-Specific Information"

Section 2.6, "Capturing the Source Database"

Section 2.7, "Creating and Customizing the Converted Model"

Section 2.8, "Generating the DDL for the Oracle Schema Objects"

Section 2.9, "Migrating the Data"

Section 2.10, "Testing the Oracle Database"

Section 2.11, "Deploying the Oracle Database"

Section 2.12, "Using Migration Reports"

Section 2.13, "SQL Developer User Interface for Migration"

2.1 Migration Quick Start

To migrate a third-party database to Oracle, the basic actions are: prepare for the migration, create or select a migration repository, capture the source database, convert the captured database, generate and run DDL for the new Oracle schema objects, and optionally move data from the source database to the new database. (Some steps after step 1 can be performed in a different order.)

1. Prepare for the migration by reading the appropriate related topics in Chapter 2, "Migrating Third-Party Databases".

2. Create a migration repository in a new or existing Oracle connection. You may find it simple and convenient to create separate Oracle database user and connection for migration work. Then, select the connection and create the repository. For example:

1. Create an Oracle user named MIGRATIONS with default tablespace USER and temporary tablespace TEMP; and grant it at least RESOURCE, CREATE SESSION, and CREATE VIEW privileges.

2. Create a database connection named Migration_Repository that connects to the MIGRATIONS user.

3. Right-click the Migration_Repository connection, select Manage Migration Repository, and create the repository.

3. Create an Oracle user whose schema is to be used as the destination for the objects to be migrated, or use an existing Oracle user and schema. Grant sufficient privileges to this user.
For example, if you plan to migrate a Microsoft Access database named sales.mdb, you might create an Oracle user named SALES, in whose schema the Oracle database objects will be generated.

4. Create and open an Oracle connection for the schema that you created or selected in the preceding step.
For example, create an Oracle connection named Sales_Migrated to the schema associated with user SALES, and connect to it.

5. Create and open a database connection for the third-party database.
For example, create a database connection named Sales_Access to the Microsoft Access database named sales.mdb, and connect to it.

6. Capture the source schema objects to be migrated. The specific steps depend on whether you are migrating a Microsoft Access database or another type of database:

- For Microsoft Access migrations, run the exporter tool: click Migration, then Microsoft Access Exporter, then the item for your version of Microsoft Access. Follow the steps for the exporter tool, which has its own online help. Then, in SQL Developer click Migration, then Capture Exporter XML, and specify the XML file that you created using the exporter tool.

- For other third-party database migrations, right-click the connection name in the Connections navigator, and select Capture product-name (for example, Capture MySQL or Capture Microsoft SQL Server).

After the capture, the Captured Objects navigator displays an expandable node for the captured objects (for example, sales (Access) for the captured sales.mdb objects, as shown in the figure in Section 2.13, "SQL Developer User Interface for Migration").

7. Convert the captured objects to Oracle-format objects: right-click the appropriate node in the Captured Objects navigator and select Convert to Oracle, and specify or accept the defaults for data mappings.
After the conversion, the Converted Models navigator displays an expandable node for the converted objects (for example, Converted sales (Access)).

8. Generate a SQL*Plus script that creates the DDL statements to create the Oracle database objects that correspond to the source database objects: right-click the appropriate node in the Captured Models navigator and select Generate. A SQL Worksheet window opens containing the SQL*Plus statements.

9. In the SQL Worksheet window that was just opened, select (in the drop-down list on the right) an Oracle database connection in which to run the script (next step).
Examine the generated SQL*Plus statements, and optionally make any changes. For example, if the database user to own the generated objects already exists (as it will if you are following these quick-step instructions), delete or modify the CREATE USER and related statements.

10. Click the Run Script button in the SQL Worksheet window to run the script.

11. Disconnect from the connection to the Oracle user for the generated objects (for example, Sales_Migrated), then reconnect to it. In the Connections navigator, you should now see the new database objects corresponding to the objects in the third-party database that you migrated.

12. If you want, you can migrate (move) any existing data from the source database to the Oracle database. You have two options for data migration: online (move the data now) or offline (move the data later).

- Online data move: Click Migration, then Migrate Data. In the dialog box, specify the Source Connection, the Target Connection, and the Converted Model.

- Offline data move: Click Migration, then Script Generation, then Generate Data Move Scripts; specify the converted model and a directory into which to generate the files that you will use for unloading the data from the source database and for importing into Oracle using SQL*Loader.

2.2 Overview of Migration

An Oracle database provides you with better scalability, reliability, increased performance, and better security than third-party databases. For this reason, organizations migrate from their current database, such as Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Access, to an Oracle database. Although database migration can be complicated, SQL Developer enables you to simplify the process of migrating a third-party database to an Oracle database.

SQL Developer captures information from the source database and displays it in the captured model, which is a representation of the structure of the source database. This representation is stored in a migration repository, which is a collection of schema objects that SQL Developer uses to store migration information.

The information in the repository is used to generate the converted model, which is a representation of the structure of the destination database as it will be implemented in the Oracle database. You can then use the information in the captured model and the converted model to compare database objects, identify conflicts with Oracle reserved words, and manage the migration progress. When you are ready to migrate, you generate the Oracle schema objects, and then migrate the data.

SQL Developer contains logic to extract data from the data dictionary of the source database, create the captured model, and convert the captured model to the converted model.

Using SQL Developer to migrate a third-party database to an Oracle database provides the following benefits:

- Reduces the effort and risks involved in a migration project

- Enables you to migrate an entire third-party database, including triggers and stored procedures

- Enables you to see and compare the captured model and converted model and to customize each if you wish, so that you can control how much automation there is in the migration process

- Provides feedback about the migration through reports

2.2.1 How Migration Works

The components of SQL Developer work together to migrate a third-party database to an Oracle database. Figure 2-1, "SQL Developer Migration Architecture" shows how SQL Developer reads the information from the source database and creates the Oracle database schema objects. SQL Developer uses the information stored in the migration repository to migrate to the Oracle schema. You can make changes to the captured model or the converted model, or both, before migrating. The information in the converted model is used to complete the migration, that is, to generate the database objects in the destination Oracle schema.

Figure 2-1 SQL Developer Migration Architecture

2.2.2 Migration Implemented as SQL Developer Extensions

Migration support is implemented in SQL Developer as a set of extensions: one for Oracle Migration Workbench, and one "plugin" for each supported third-party database. If you want, you can disable migration support or support for individual plugins.

To view the installed extensions, and to enable or disable individual extensions, click Tools, then Preferences, then Extensions.

2.3 Preparing a Migration Plan

This topic describes the process of how to create a migration project plan. It identifies the sections to include in the migration plan, describes how to determine what to include for each section, and explains how to avoid the risks involved in a migration project. This information includes:

- Task 1: Determining the Requirements of the Migration Project

- Task 2: Estimating Workload

- Task 3: Analyzing Operational Requirements

- Task 4: Analyzing the Application

- Task 5: Planning the Migration Project

2.3.1 Task 1: Determining the Requirements of the Migration Project

In this task, you identify which databases you want to migrate and applications that access that database. You also evaluate the business requirements and define testing criteria.

To determine the requirements of the migration project:

1. Define the scope of the project.
There are several choices you must make about the third-party database and applications that access that database in order to define the scope of the migration project. To obtain a list of migration issues and dependencies, you should consider the following

- What third-party databases are you migrating?

- What is the version of the third-party database?

- What is the character set of the third-party database?

- What source applications are affected by migrating the third-party database to an Oracle database?

- What is the third-party application language?

- What version of the application language are you using?

In the scope of the project, you should have identified the applications you must migrate. Ensure that you have included all the necessary applications that are affected by migrating the database

- What types of connectivity issues are involved in migrating to an Oracle database?

- Do you use connectivity software to connect the applications to the third-party database? Do you need to modify the connectivity software to connect the applications to the Oracle database?

- What version of the connectivity software do you use? Can you use this same version to connect to the Oracle database?

- Are you planning to rewrite the applications or modify the applications to work with an Oracle database?

2. Use Table 2-1 to determine whether you have a complex or simple source database environment. Identify the requirements based on the specific scenario.
If the migration project is a simple scenario, you may not have to complete all of the tasks listed in this guide. You make decisions based on your specific environment. For example, if you have a complex scenario, you may require extra testing based on the complexity of the application accessing the database.

Table 2-1 Complex and Simple Scenarios

Complex Scenario

Simple Scenario

More than one of the following:

- Large database (greater than 25 GB)

- Data warehouse

- Large applications (greater than 100 forms, reports, and batch jobs)

- Database is used by multiple lines of business

- Distributed deployment

- Large user base (greater than 100)

- High availability requirement (such as a 24 X 7 X 365 environment)

Contains the following:

- Small database (less than 25 GB)

- Simple online transaction processing (OLTP)

- Small application (less than 100 forms, reports, and batch jobs)

- Database is used by one department

- Centralized deployment

- Small user base (less than 100)

- Average availability (business hours)

3. Determine whether the destination database requires additional hardware and rewriting of backup schedules.

4. Define testing and acceptance criteria.
Define tests to measure the accuracy of the migration. You then use the acceptance criteria to determine whether the migration was successful. The tests that you develop from the requirements should also measure stability, evaluate performance, and test the applications. You must decide how much testing is necessary before you can deploy the Oracle database and applications into a production environment.

5. Create a requirements document with a list of requirements for the migration project.
The requirements document should have clearly defined tasks and number each specific requirement, breaking these into sub-requirements where necessary.

2.3.2 Task 2: Estimating Workload

In this task, you use SQL Developer to make calculated decisions on the amount of work that can be automated and how much is manual.

To estimate the workload:

1. Capture the captured model, create the converted model, and migrate to the destination database.
You can analyze the source database through the captured model and a preview of the destination database through the converted model. After you have captured the source database, analyze the captured data contained in the captured model and the converted model. Ensure the content and structure of the migration repository is correct and determine how much time the entire process takes.

2. Generate and use reports to evaluate the capture and migration process, categorize the total number of database objects, and identify the number of objects that can be converted and migrated automatically.
The Summary, Detailed, and Error and Warnings reports provide information about the actions that have occurred and record any warnings and errors. They identify the changes that have been made to the converted model so that you can evaluate if you should make changes to the applications that access the destination database.

3. Evaluate and categorize the issues that occurred. The reports can help by providing information about:

- Tables that did not load when you captured the source database

- Stored procedures, views, and triggers that did not parse when you created the converted model

- Syntax that requires manual intervention

- Database objects that were not created successfully when you migrated the destination database

- Data that did not migrate successfully when you migrated the destination database

4. For each error or warning in reports, evaluate the following:

- Number of times an issue occurred

- Time required to fix the issues, in man hours

- Number of resources required to fix the issue
After you have solved a complex problem, it should be easier and quicker to resolve the next time you have the same problem.

Use these reports to evaluate each error and determine how long it would take to rectify. The reports help identify the size of the database that was created.

2.3.3 Task 3: Analyzing Operational Requirements

In this task, you analyze the operational requirements, as follows:

1. Evaluate the operational considerations in migrating the source database to a destination database. Consider the following questions:

Note:

If the scope of the migration project is a complex scenario as defined in Table 2-1, Oracle recommends that you answer all of these questions. If you have a simple scenario, determine the answers to the most appropriate questions.

- What backup and recovery changes do you require?

- What downtime is required during the migration?

- Have you met the performance requirements?

- Are you changing the operational time window?

- What effect does the downtime have on the business?

- What training requirements or additional staff considerations are required?

- Is it necessary to have the third-party and the Oracle database running simultaneously?

2. For each task, determine the resources and time required to complete.

3. Create an initial project plan.
Use the information that you have gathered during the requirements and planning stage to develop an initial project plan.

2.3.4 Task 4: Analyzing the Application

In this task, you identify the users of the applications that run on the source database, what hardware it requires, what the application does, and how it interfaces with the source database. You also analyze the method the application uses to connect to the database and identify necessary modifications.

Note:

If the migration project is a complex scenario as defined in Table 2-1, Oracle recommends that you answer all of these questions. If you have a simple scenario, determine the answers to the most appropriate questions.

To analyze the application:

1. Determine whether changes to the application are required to make them run effectively on the destination database.

2. If changes are required to the application, determine whether it is more efficient to rewrite or modify the applications.
If you are rewriting the application to use the Oracle database, consider the following:

1. Create the necessary project documentation to rewrite the application. For example, you need a design specification and requirements documentation.

2. Rewrite the application according to the specification.

3. Test the application works against the Oracle database.

If you are modifying the application to use the Oracle database, consider the following:

1. Identify the number of connections to the database that are in the application and modify these connections to use the Oracle database.
You may need to change the connection information to use an ODBC or JDBC connection.

2. Identify the embedded SQL statements that you need to change in the application before you can test it against the Oracle database.

3. Test the application using the Oracle database.

3. Allocate time and resource to address each issue associated with rewriting or modifying the application.

4. Update the general requirements document for the project that you created in Task 1.

2.3.5 Task 5: Planning the Migration Project

In this task, you evaluate the unknown variables that the migration project may contain, such as the difference in the technologies of the source database and the destination database. During the planning stage, you:

- Estimate the budget constraints of the project

- Gather information to produce a migration plan

- Estimate how much time the migration project should take

- Calculate how many resources are required to complete and test the migration

To plan a migration project:

1. Define a list of tasks required to successfully complete the migration project requirements of Task 1.

2. Categorize the list of tasks required to complete the migration project.
You should group these tasks according to your business. This allows you to schedule and assign resources more accurately.

3. Update and finalize the migration project plan based on the information that you have obtained from Task 3 and Task 4.

4. Make sure the migration project plan meets the requirements of the migration project.
The migration plan should include a project description, resources allocated, training requirements, migration deliverable, general requirements, environment analysis, risk analysis, application evaluation, and project schedule.

2.4 Before You Start Migrating: General Information

You may need to perform certain tasks before you start migrating a third-party database to an Oracle database. See the following for more information:

- Section 2.4.1, "Creating a Database User for the Migration Repository"

- Section 2.4.2, "Requirements for Creating the Destination Oracle Objects"

- Section 2.4.3, "Using Nonstandard Character Encoding on Windows Systems"

See also any information specific to the source database that you will be migrating, as explained in Section 2.5.

Note:

Oracle recommends that you make a complete backup of the source database before starting the migration. For more information about backing up the source database, see the documentation for that type of database.

2.4.1 Creating a Database User for the Migration Repository

SQL Developer requires a migration repository to migrate a third-party database to an Oracle database. To use an Oracle database for the migration repository, you must have access to that database using a database user account. Oracle recommends that you use a specific user account for migrations, For example, you may want to create a user named MIGRATIONS, create a database connection to that user, and use that connection for the migration repository; and if you wish, you can later delete the MIGRATIONS user to remove all traces of the migration from the database.

When you create a user for migrations, specify the tablespace information as in the following example, instead of using the defaults for tablespaces:

CREATE USER migrations IDENTIFIED BY password
DEFAULT TABLESAPACE users TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp,

Do not use a standard account (for example, SYSTEM) for migration.

When SQL Developer creates a migration repository, it creates many schema objects that are intended only for its own use. For example, it creates tables, views, indexes, packages, and triggers, many with names starting with MD_ and MIGR. You should not directly modify these objects or any data stored in them.

2.4.2 Requirements for Creating the Destination Oracle Objects

The user associated with the Oracle database connection used to perform the migration (that is, to run the script containing the generated DDL statements) must have the following roles and privileges:

Note:

You must grant these privileges directly to a user account. Granting the privileges to a role, which is subsequently granted to a user account, does not suffice. You cannot migrate a database as the user SYS.

Roles

CONNECT WITH ADMIN OPTION
RESOURCE WITH ADMIN OPTION

Privileges

ALTER ANY ROLE
ALTER ANY SEQUENCE
ALTER ANY TABLE
ALTER TABLESPACE
ALTER ANY TRIGGER
COMMENT ANY TABLE
CREATE ANY SEQUENCE
CREATE ANY TABLE
CREATE ANY TRIGGER
CREATE VIEW WITH ADMIN OPTION
CREATE PUBLIC SYNONYM WITH ADMIN OPTION
CREATE ROLE
CREATE TABLESPACE
CREATE USER
DROP ANY SEQUENCE
DROP ANY TABLE
DROP ANY TRIGGER
DROP TABLESPACE
DROP USER
DROP ANY ROLE
GRANT ANY ROLE
INSERT ANY TABLE
SELECT ANY TABLE
UPDATE ANY TABLE

For example, you can create a user called migrations with the minimum required privileges required to migrate a database by using the following commands:

CREATE USER migrations IDENTIFIED BY password
DEFAULT TABLESAPACE users TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp;

GRANT CONNECT, RESOURCE, CREATE VIEW, CREATE PUBLIC SYNONYM TO
migrations WITH ADMIN OPTION;

GRANT  ALTER ANY ROLE, ALTER ANY SEQUENCE, ALTER ANY TABLE, ALTER TABLESPACE,
ALTER ANY TRIGGER, COMMENT ANY TABLE, CREATE ANY SEQUENCE, CREATE ANY TABLE,
CREATE ANY TRIGGER, CREATE ROLE, CREATE TABLESPACE, CREATE USER, DROP ANY
SEQUENCE, DROP ANY TABLE, DROP ANY TRIGGER, DROP TABLESPACE, DROP USER, DROP ANY
ROLE, GRANT ANY ROLE, INSERT ANY TABLE, SELECT ANY TABLE, UPDATE ANY TABLE TO
migrations;

2.4.3 Using Nonstandard Character Encoding on Windows Systems

If you need to configure SQL Developer to use nonstandard character encoding, such as for multibyte character sets, on Microsoft Windows systems, follow these steps:

1. Set the JRE file encoding property as follows:

1. Using a text editor, open the SQL Developer startup file by editing the omwb.bat file located in the OMWB_install_dir/Omwb/bin directory.

2. Add the following information to the start command, before -jar:

-Dfile.encoding="file_encoding"

In the previous line, file_encoding is the required file encoding. For multibyte Microsoft Access databases, the file encoding should be set to UTF-8, and the omwb.bat file should look similar to the following:

start ..\jre\bin\javaw -ms30m -mx256m -Dfile.encoding="UTF-8" -jar ..\lib\boot.jar oracle.mtg.migrationUI.MigrationApp

If you are migrating a multibyte Microsoft Access database (for example Japanese or Chinese), the character set on the target Oracle database instance should be set to UTF8.

3. Save the file, then exit.

2. Install the appropriate font.properties file for the required file encoding as follows:

1. Make a backup copy of your existing font.properties file in the OMWB_install_dir/Omwb/jre/lib directory.

2. Download the required Java font.properties file from the following Web site:

http://www.sun.com/

3. Rename the downloaded file to font.properties. For example, rename the Japanese font.properties file from font.properties.ja to font.properties.

4. Copy the new font.properties file into the OMWB_install_dir/Omwb/jre/lib directory.

3. If you are performing an offline capture, you must specify delimiter characters in the offline capture scripts as follows:

1. Using a text editor, open the omwb.properties file located in the OMWB_install_dir/Omwb/bin directory.

2. Edit or add the following fields:

OFFLINE_CAPTURE_COLUMN_DELIMITER="delimiter_column"
OFFLINE_CAPTURE_ROW_DELIMITER="delimiter_row"

In the previous lines, delimiter_column is your choice of column delimiter and delimiter_row is your choice of row delimiter.

Note:

These delimiter values must correspond to the delimiter values used in the offline capture scripts.

3. Save the file, then exit.
SQL Developer is now enabled to handle the new character encoding.

2.5 Before You Start Migrating: Source-Specific Information

Depending on the third-party database that you are migrating to an Oracle database, you may have to configure connection information and install drivers. For more information about specific third-party database requirements, see the following:

- Section 2.5.1, "Before Migrating From Microsoft SQL Server"

- Section 2.5.2, "Before Migrating From Microsoft Access"

- Section 2.5.3, "Before Migrating From MySQL"

2.5.1 Before Migrating From Microsoft SQL Server

To configure a Microsoft SQL Server database for migration:

1. Ensure that the source database is accessible by the Microsoft SQL Server user that is used by SQL Developer. This user must have DBA access to the Microsoft SQL Server database.

2. Ensure that you can connect to the Microsoft SQL Server database from the system where you have installed SQL Developer.

3. Install the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver release 3.70.06.23 or higher is installed on the same system as SQL Developer, as follows:
The Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver is shipped with the Microsoft SQL Server client software. Installation procedures depend on the version of Microsoft SQL Server. For more information about the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver, see the Microsoft SQL Server specific documentation.

4. Set the Oracle ODBC Data Source as follows:
The Oracle ODBC Data Source is used to set up Data Source Names (DSN). You can create a DSN at the user or system level.

1. From the Start option, select Settings, then select Control Panel.
The Control Panel window appears.

2. If you are using Microsoft Windows 2000, select the Administrative Tools icon.

3. Select the Data Source (ODBC) icon.
The ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog appears.

4. From the User DSN tab, click Add.

The Create New Data Source dialog appears.

5. Select SQL Server, then click Finish.
The Create a New Data Source to SQL Server dialog box appears.

6. Type a name for the data source in the Name field.

7. From the drop-down list, select the SQL Server database you want to connect to or type it in, then click Next.

8. Verify the authenticity of the login ID, then click Next.

9. Review the options, then click Next.

10. Click Next.

11. Click Finish.
The ODBC Microsoft SQL Server Setup page appears.

12. Click the Test Data Source option to ensure that you have set up the ODBC connection correctly, then click OK.
If the connection fails, return to Step d and modify the connection details.

13. Click OK.
The DSN connection is now created.

2.5.2 Before Migrating From Microsoft Access

To configure a Microsoft Access database for migration:

1. Make backup copies of the database file or files.

2. Ensure that the necessary software (Microsoft Access, Microsoft ODBC driver, Microsoft Data Access Objects, perhaps other components) is installed on the same system as SQL Developer.

3. If security is enabled, you should turn it off by copying the contents of the secured database into a new database, as follows:
SQL Developer does not support the migration of Microsoft Access databases that have security enabled. By default, SQL Developer uses the name of the Microsoft Access MDB file as the user name for the destination Oracle user. If you create an Oracle user in this way, the password is ORACLE.

1. From the File menu in Microsoft Access, select New Database.

2. Select the Blank Database icon, then click OK.

3. In the File New Database option, type a name for the database, then click Create.

4. From the File menu within the new database, select Get External Data, then select Import.

5. Select the secured Microsoft Access database that you want to import, then click Import.

6. From the Import Objects dialog, click Options.

7. Select the Relationships and Definition and Data options.

8. From the Tables tab, choose Select All.

9. Click OK.
All Microsoft Access objects are copied over to the new Microsoft Access database, except for the security settings.

4. If the application contains linked tables to other Microsoft Access databases, refresh these links by opening the application in Microsoft Access and performing the following:
From the Tools menu in Microsoft Access 97, select Add Ins, then select Linked Table Manager.

From the Tools menu in Microsoft Access 2000, select Database Utilities, then select Linked Table Manager.

Note:

SQL Developer supports linked tables to other Microsoft Access databases. SQL Developer automatically creates a user schema within the Oracle database for each Microsoft Access database migrated. However, Oracle recommends that you move all tables into a single Microsoft Access database to ensure that a single user schema is created in the destination database.

5. Ensure that the Microsoft Access database is not a replica database, but a master database.
When you use the Exporter for Microsoft Access to export, an error message is displayed if the database is a replica. SQL Developer does not support the migration of a replica database.

6. From the Tools menu within Microsoft Access, select Database, then select Compact Database to compact the Microsoft Access database files.

7. Ensure that the Microsoft Access MDB file is accessible from the system where you have installed SQL Developer.

8. Use the Oracle Universal Installer to verify that you have the Oracle ODBC driver installed. If you need to install the driver, it is available on the Oracle Database Server or Database Client CD. You can also download the Oracle ODBC driver from the Oracle Technology Network (OTN) Web site:

http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/tech/windows/odbc/

You install the Oracle ODBC driver to allow Microsoft Access forms and reports to work with the migrated data. Install the Oracle ODBC driver into an Oracle home directory that contains the Oracle Net Services. You can obtain the Oracle Net Services from the Oracle Client or Oracle Database CD. You install Oracle Net Services to obtain the Net Configuration Assistant and Net Manager. These allow you to create a net configuration in the tnsnames.ora file.

Note:

For more information about installing the networking products needed to connect to an Oracle database, see the installation guide for your Oracle Database release.

9. Set the Oracle ODBC Data Source in the ODBC Data Source Administrator, as follows:

1. From the Start option, select Settings, then select Control Panel.
The Control Panel window appears.

2. If you are using Microsoft Windows 2000, select the Administrative Tools icon.

3. Select the Data Source (ODBC) icon.
The ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog appears

4. From the User DSN tab, click Add.
The Create New Data Source dialog box appears.

Note:

If you want to use the data source name (DSN) for multiple users on the same system, you should create a System DSN instead of a User DSN.

5. Select the Oracle ODBC Driver from the list of ODBC drivers installed on the system, then click Finish.

6. In the Data Source Name field, type a name to the ODBC data source.
This data source name is the ODBC Data Source that you must specify in the Modify Microsoft Access Database dialog box of SQL Developer.

2.5.2.1 Creating Microsoft Access XML Files

To prepare for capturing a Microsoft Access database, you must use the Exporter for Microsoft Access tool. This tool is packaged as a Microsoft Access MDE file and it allows you to export the Microsoft Access MDB file to an XML file. If the Microsoft Access database you select uses linked tables, the schema information for the linked tables is also exported to the XML file.

To export the Microsoft Access database to an XML file:

1. Click Migration, then Microsoft Access Exporter, then the Run option for the Microsoft Access release that you are using.
The exporter tool interface is displayed.

2. Follow the instructions in the initial dialog box. For detailed information about using the exporter tool, click the Help button.

Note:

Do not modify any of the files created by the Exporter.

Each Microsoft Access database that you selected is exported to an XML file. The exporter tool currently does not support creating XML files from secured or replica databases.

2.5.3 Before Migrating From MySQL

To configure a MySQL database for migration:

1. Install MySQLConnector/J release 3.0 on the system where you have installed SQL Developer, as follows:

1. Download the MySQLConnector/J API from the MySQL Web site at:

http://www.mysql.com/

2. Extract the mysql-connector-java-3.x.xx-stable.zip file.

3. From the com subdirectory zip the extracted files.

Note:

Ensure that the zip file contains the path information beginning with the com path name.

4. Rename the zip file to the following:

mysql-connector-java.zip

5. Copy the mysql-connector-java.zip file to the following directory:
On Windows:, copy to:

OMWB_install_dir\Omwb\drivers

On UNIX, copy to:

OMWB_install_dir/Omwb/drivers

2. Ensure that the MySQL database is accessible by the root user. This user must have database administrative privileges.

2.6 Capturing the Source Database

Before migrating a third-party database, you must extract information from the database. This information is a representation of the structure of the source database, and it is called the captured model. The process of extracting the information from the database is called capturing the source database.

To capture the source database, do either of the following, depending on the source database type:

- For Microsoft Access migrations, run the exporter tool: click Migration, then Microsoft Access Exporter, then the item for your version of Microsoft Access. Follow the steps for the exporter tool, which has its own online help. Then, in SQL Developer click Migration, then Capture Exporter XML, and specify the XML file that you created using the exporter tool.

- For other third-party database migrations, right-click the connection name in the Connections navigator, and select Capture product-name (for example, Capture MySQL or Capture Microsoft SQL Server).

After capturing the source database, you can view the source database information in the captured model in SQL Developer. If necessary, you can modify the captured model and change data type mappings.

Note:

Oracle recommends that you do not change the default data type mappings unless you are an experienced Oracle database administrator.

2.7 Creating and Customizing the Converted Model

Before migrating a third-party database, you must create the converted model. The converted model is a representation of the structure of the destination database. SQL Developer creates the converted model using the information from the captured model.

To convert a captured model to a converted model, right-click the appropriate node in the Captured Objects navigator and select Convert to Oracle, and specify or accept the defaults for data mappings

To get the best results from the migrated database, you can customize the converted model to use specific features of Oracle databases, such as multiple tablespaces. However, if you are not an experienced Oracle database administrator, Oracle recommends that you proceed directly to migrating the database, as described in Section 2.8.

The following topics describe how to modify the converted model, if this becomes necessary:

- Section 2.7.1, "Correcting Errors in the Converted Model"

- Section 2.7.2, "Customizing the Converted Model"

2.7.1 Correcting Errors in the Converted Model

If error messages with the prefix Parse Exception are listed in the progress screen, the associated schema objects do not appear in the converted model. To complete the converted model:

1. Note the captured model schema object that caused the error.

2. Select that schema object in the captured model.

3. Inspect the properties on the schema object in the captured model for possible causes of the error.

4. Modify a property of the schema object in the captured model.
For example, you might comment out one line of a stored procedure.

5. From the Object menu, select Parse.

Note:

The Parse option is available only after creating the converted model.

SQL Developer attempts to create the converted model schema object from the captured model schema object.

A progress screen appears.

6. If the error appears again, repeat steps 2 to 5.
If necessary, comment out all the schema object's editable properties. This ensures that a schema object is created in the converted model, and therefore in the destination database. The migrated schema object will not function as expected, but acts as a placeholder so that you can create an equivalent Oracle schema object with the correct functionality.

2.7.2 Customizing the Converted Model

You can customize the converted model to take advantage of Oracle features identified during the planning phase. For example, you can make the following changes to the converted model:

- Modifying the Properties of a Schema Object

- Working with Tablespaces

- Changing the Default User Password

2.7.2.1 Modifying the Properties of a Schema Object

To modify properties of a schema object in the converted model, expand the display of the converted model in the Converted Objects navigator, select the object, and perform the desired edits using the interface and techniques for that object type (table, procedure, and so on).

2.7.2.2 Working with Tablespaces

An Oracle database consists of one or more logical storage units called tablespaces, which collectively store all of the database's data. For more information about tablespaces, see the Oracle Concepts guide.

If you are not satisfied with the default tablespace settings in SQL Developer, you may want to create or rename a tablespace or reassign objects to existing tablespaces.

SQL Developer automatically creates a tablespace when it creates the converted model. To prevent this functionality, deselect the Automatically Create Tablespaces During converted model Creation option on the General page of the Options dialog box.

2.7.2.3 Changing the Default User Password

All users in the converted model are allocated the password oracle because SQL Developer cannot decrypt passwords from source databases. If you do not change this password, the password for all users in the destination database will also be oracle. If you want to change the password for a user, select that user in the converted model and change the password to the value you require, using the User property sheet.

2.8 Generating the DDL for the Oracle Schema Objects

To generate the DDL statements to create the Oracle schema objects, you must already have captured the captured model and created the converted model. After you generate the DDL, you run the DDL statements to cause the objects to be created in the Oracle database. At this point, the database schema is migrated to Oracle.

After you generate and run the DDL statements to migrate the schema objects, you can migrate the data from the original source database, as explained in Section 2.9.

2.9 Migrating the Data

After you have generated and run DDL statements to create the Oracle schema objects for the migrated database, you can migrate (move) any existing data from the source database to the Oracle database. You have two options for data migration: online (move the data now) or offline (move the data later).

- Online data move: Click Migration, then Migrate Data. In the dialog box, specify the Source Connection and Captured Model, and the Target Connection and Converted Model.

- Offline data move: Click Migration, then Generate Offline Data Move Scripts; specify the converted model and a directory into which to generate the files that you will use for unloading the data from the source database and for importing into Oracle using SQL*Loader.

2.9.1 Transferring the Data Offline

To transfer the data offline, you generate and use scripts to copy data from the source database to the destination database. During this process you must:

- Use SQL Developer to generate the data unload scripts for the source database and corresponding data load scripts for the destination database.

- Run the data unload scripts to create data files from the source database using the appropriate procedure for your source database:

- Creating Data Files From Microsoft SQL Server or Sybase Adaptive Server

- Creating Data Files From Microsoft Access

- Creating Data Files From MySQL

- Run the data load scripts using SQL*Loader to populate the destination database with the data from these data files as described in Section 2.9.1.4.

2.9.1.1 Creating Data Files From Microsoft SQL Server or Sybase Adaptive Server

To create data files from a Microsoft SQL Server or Sybase Adaptive Server database:

Note:

The default delimiters for Sybase Adaptive Server for Linux x86 do not work using the UTF-8 encoding file. Therefore, if your LANG variable is set to en_US.UTF-8, you must set the LANG variable to en_US to default to ISO-8859-1.

1. Copy the contents of the directory where SQL Developer generated the data unload scripts onto the computer where the source database is installed.

2. Edit the BCP extract script to include the name of the source database server.

- On Windows, edit the bcp_extract.bat script to alter the isql lines to include the appropriate variables

- On UNIX, edit the bcp_extract.sh script to alter the isql lines to include the appropriate variables, then add the following command:

chmod 755 bcp_extract.sh

The following shows some lines from a sample bcp_extract.bat script:

isql -Usa -P -S<SERVER NAME> -iCreate_View.sql
bcp pubs.dbo].[authors out AUTHORS.dat -c -t "<ec>" -r "<er>" -Usa -P -S<SERVER NAME>
isql -Usa -P -S<SERVER NAME> -iDrop_View.sql

On Windows and Unix, edit each line to include the correct value for SERVER NAME. Do not include the angle brackets in the edited version of this file.

3. Run the BCP extract script.

- On Windows, enter:

prompt> bcp_extract.bat

- On UNIX, enter:

./bcp_extract.sh

This script creates the data files in the current directory.

4. Copy the data files to the oracle subdirectory of the directory where SQL Developer generated the data unload scripts.

2.9.1.2 Creating Data Files From Microsoft Access

To create data files from a Microsoft Access database, use the Exporter for Microsoft Access tool.

Note:

For information about how to create data files from a Microsoft Access database, see online help for the exporter tool.

2.9.1.3 Creating Data Files From MySQL

To create data files from a MySQL database:

1. Copy the contents of the directory where SQL Developer generated the data unload scripts onto the computer where the source database is installed.

2. Edit the Dump Extract script to include the correct host, user name, password, and destination directory for the data files.

- On Windows, edit the dump_extract.bat script

- On UNIX, edit the dump_extract.sh script

The following shows a line from a sample dump_extract.bat script:

mysqldump -h <HOST> -u <USERNAME> -p<PASSWORD> -T <DESTINATION_PATH>  --fields-terminated-by="<ec>" --lines-terminated-by="<er>" CarrierDb CarrierPlanTb

Edit this line to include the correct values for HOST, USERNAME, PASSWORD, and DESTINATION PATH. Do not include the angle brackets in the edited version of this file.

3. Run the Dump Extract script.

- On Windows, enter:

prompt> dump_extract.bat

- On UNIX, enter:

prompt> chmod 755 dump_extract.sh

This script creates the data files in the current directory.

4. Copy the data files to the oracle subdirectory of the directory where SQL Developer generated the data unload scripts.

2.9.1.4 Populating the Destination Database Using the Data Files

To populate the destination database using the data files, you run the data load scripts using SQL*Loader:

1. Navigate to the directory where you created the data unload scripts.

2. Copy the contents of the oracle subdirectory to a directory on the computer where the destination database is installed.

3. Log on to the computer that runs the destination database.

4. Run the SQL Load script.

- On Windows, enter:

prompt> sql_load_script.bat

- On UNIX, enter:

prompt> ./sql_load_script.sh

2.10 Testing the Oracle Database

During the testing phase, you test the application and Oracle database to make sure that the:

- Migrated data is complete and accurate

- Applications function in the same way as the source database

- Oracle database producing the same results as the source database

- Applications and Oracle database meet the operational and performance requirements

You may already have a collection of unit tests and system tests from the original application that you can use to test the Oracle database. You should run these tests in the same way that you ran tests against the source database. However, regardless of added features, you should ensure that the application connects to the Oracle database and that the SQL statements it issues produces the correct results.

Note:

The tests that you run against the application vary depending on the scope of the application. Oracle recommends that you thoroughly test each SQL statement that is changed in the application. You should also test the system to make sure that the application functions the same way as in the third-party database.

See also the following related topics:

- Section 2.10.1, "Testing Methodology"

- Section 2.10.2, "Testing the Oracle Database"

2.10.1 Testing Methodology

Many constraints shape the style and amount of testing that you perform on a database. Testing can contain one or all of the following:

- Simple data validation

- Full life cycle of testing addressing individual unit tests

- System and acceptance testing

You should follow a strategy for testing that suits your organization and circumstances. Your strategy should define the process by which you test the migrated application and Oracle database. A typical test method is the V-model, which is a staged approach where each feature of the database creation is mirrored with a testing phase.

Figure 2-2, "V-model with a Database Migration" shows an example of the V-model with a database migration scenario:

Figure 2-2 V-model with a Database Migration

There are several types of tests that you use during the migration process. During the testing stage, you go through several cycles of testing to enhance the quality of the database. The test cases you use should make sure that any issues encountered in a previous version of the Oracle database are not introduced again.

For example, if you have to make changes to the migrated schema based on test results, you may need to create a new version of the Oracle database schema. In practice, you use SQL Developer to create a base-line Oracle schema at the start of testing, and then edit this schema as you progress with testing.

Note:

Oracle recommends that you track issues that you find during a testing cycle in an issue tracking system. Track these issues against the version of the database or application that you are testing.

2.10.2 Testing the Oracle Database

Use the test cases to verify that the Oracle database provides the same business logic results as the source database.

Note:

Oracle recommends that you define completion criteria so that you can determine the success of the migration.

This procedure explains one way of testing the migrated database. Other methods are available and may be more appropriate to your business requirements.

To test the Oracle database:

1. Create a controlled version of the migrated database.

Oracle recommends that you keep the database migration scripts in a source control system.

2. Design a set of test cases that you can use to test the Oracle database from unit to system level. The test cases should:

1. Ensure the following:

- All the users in the source database have migrated successfully

- Privileges and grants for users are correct

- Tables have the correct structure, defaults are functioning correctly, and errors did not occur during mapping or generation

2. Validate that the data migrated successfully by doing the following:

- Comparing the number of rows in the Oracle database with those in the source database

- Calculating the sum of numerical columns in the Oracle database and compare with those in the source database

3. Ensure that the following applies to constraints:

- You cannot enter duplicate primary keys

- Foreign keys prevent you from entering inconsistent data

- Check constraints prevent you from entering invalid data

4. Check that indexes and sequences are created successfully.

5. Ensure that views migrated successfully by doing the following:

- Comparing the number of rows in the Oracle database with those in the source database

- Calculating the sum of numerical columns in the Oracle database and compare with those in the source database

6. Ensure that triggers, procedures, and functions are migrated successfully. Check that the correct values are returned for triggers and functions.

3. Run the test cases against the migrated database.

4. Create a report that evaluates the test case results.

These reports allow you to evaluate the data to qualify the errors, file problem reports, and provide a customer with a controlled version of the database.

5. If the tests pass, go to step 7.
If all tests in the test cases pass or contain acceptable errors, the test passes. If acceptable errors occur, document them in an error report that you can use for audit purposes.

6. If the test cases fail:

1. Identify the cause of the error.

2. Identify the test cases needed to check the errors.

3. Log an issue on the controlled version of the migrated database code in the problem report.

4. Add the test case and a description of the problem to the incident tracking system of your organization, which could be a spreadsheet or bug reporting system. Aside from the test case, the incident log should include the following:

- Provide a clear, concise description of the incident encountered

- Provide a complete description of the environment, such as platform and source control version

- Attach the output of the test, if useful

- Indicate the frequency and predictability of the incident

- Provide a sequence of events leading to the incident

- Describe the effect on the current test, diagnostic steps taken, and results noted

- Describe the persistent after effect, if any

5. Attempt to fix the errors.

6. Return to step 1.

7. Identify acceptance tests that you can use to make sure the Oracle database is an acceptable quality level.

2.10.2.1 Guidelines for Creating Tests

You may already have a collection of unit tests and system tests from the original application that you can use to test the Oracle database. However, if you do not have any unit or system tests, you need to create them. When creating test cases, use the following guidelines:

- Plan, specify, and execute the test cases, recording the results of the tests.
The amount of testing you perform is proportional to the time and resources that are available for the migration project. Typically, the testing phase in a migration project can take anywhere from 40% to 60% of the effort for the entire project.

- Identify the components that you are testing, the approach to the test design and the test completion criteria.

- Define each test case so that it is reproducible.
A test that is not reproducible is not acceptable for issue tracking or for an audit process.

- Divide the source database into functions and procedures and create a test case for each function or procedure. In the test case, state what you are going to test, define the testing criteria, and describe the expected results.

- Record the expected result of each test case.

- Verify that the actual results meet the expected results for each test.

- Define test cases that produce negative results as well as those that you expect a positive result.

2.10.2.2 Example of a Unit Test Case

The following displays a sample unit test plan for Windows:

Name                                         Jane Doe

Module                                      Table Test Emp

Date test completed                20 August 2002

Coverage log file location      mwb\database\TableTestEmp

Description                               This unit test tests that the emp table was migrated successfully.

Reviewed by                             John Smith

Task ID

Task Description

Expected Result

Verified (Yes/No)

1

Run the following on the source database for each table:

select count(*) from emp

Run the following on the destination database for each table:

select count(*) from emp

On the source database, the count(*) produces a number. In this case, the number is the number of rows in each table.
On the destination database, the count(*) number corresponds to the number of rows in the new Oracle table.

Yes
The number of rows in each table is the same in the source and destination databases.

2

Run the following on the source database for each table:

select sum(salary) from emp

Run the following on the destination database for each table:

select sum(salary) from emp

On the source database, sum(salary) produces a check sum for the sum of the data in each table.
On the destination database, sum(salary) corresponds to the sum of the salary in the emp table.

Yes
The sum for each table is the same in the source and destination databases.

2.11 Deploying the Oracle Database

Deploying the migrated and tested Oracle database within a business environment can be difficult. Therefore, you may need to consider different rollout strategies depending on your environment. Several rollout strategies are identified for you, but you may use another approach if that is recommended by your organization.

During the deployment phase, you move the destination database from a development to a production environment. A group separate from the migration and testing team, may perform the deployment phase, such as the in-house IT department.

Deployment involves the following:

- Choosing a Rollout Strategy

- Deploying the Destination Database

2.11.1 Choosing a Rollout Strategy

The strategy that you use for migrating a third-party database to an Oracle database must take into consideration the users and the type of business that may be affected during the transition period. For example, you may use the Big Bang approach because you do not have enough systems to run the source database and Oracle database simultaneously. Otherwise, you may want to use the Phased approach to make sure that the system is operating in the user environment correctly before it is released to the general user population. You can use one of the following approaches.

2.11.1.1 Phased Approach

Using the Phased approach, you migrate groups of users at different times. You may decide to migrate a department or a subset of the complete user-base. The users that you select should represent a cross-section of the complete user-base. This approach allows you to profile users as you introduce them to the Oracle database. You can reconfigure the system so that only selected users are affected by the migration and unscheduled outages only affect a small percentage of the user population. This approach may affect the work of the users you migrated. However, because the number of users is limited, support services are not overloaded with issues.

The Phased approach allows you to debug scalability issues as the number of migrated users increases. However, using this approach may mean that you must migrate data to and from legacy systems during the migration process. The application architecture must support a phased approach.

2.11.1.2 Big Bang Approach

Using the Big Bang approach, you migrate all of the users at the same time. This approach may cause schedule outages during the time you are removing the old system, migrating the data, deploying the Oracle system, and testing that the system is operating correctly. This approach relies on you testing the database on the same scale as the original database. It has the advantage of minimal data conversion and synchronization with the original database because that database is switched off. The disadvantage is that this approach can be labor intensive and disruptive to business activities due to the switch over period needed to install the Oracle database and perform the other migration project tasks.

2.11.1.3 Parallel Approach

Using the Parallel approach, you maintain both the source database and destination Oracle database simultaneously. To ensure that the application behaves the same way in the production environment for the source database and destination database, you enter data in both databases and analyze the data results. The advantage of this approach is if problems occur in the destination database, users can continue using the source database. The disadvantage of the Parallel approach is that running and maintaining both the source and the destination database may require more resources and hardware than other approaches.

2.11.2 Deploying the Destination Database

There are several ways to deploy the destination database. The following task is an example that you should use as a guideline for deploying the destination database.

Note:

If you have a complex scenario as defined in Table 2-1, Oracle recommends that you complete all of the deployment tasks. However, if you have a simple scenario, you should choose the deployment tasks appropriate to your organization.

1. Configure the hardware, if necessary.
In a large scale or complex environment, you must design the disk layout to correspond with the database design. If you use redundant disks, align them in stripes that you can increase as the destination database evolves. You must install and configure the necessary disks, check the memory, and configure the system.

2. Make sure the operating system meets the parameters of the Oracle configuration.
Before installing any Oracle software, make sure that you have modified all system parameters. For more information about modifying system parameters, see the relevant installation guide for your platform, such as Solaris Operating System.

3. Install the Oracle software.
Aside from the Oracle software that allows you to create an Oracle database, you may need to install ancillary software to support the application, such as Extract Transformation and Load (ETL) Software for data warehousing.

4. Create the destination database from the source database and migrate the data to the Oracle database.
There are several ways of putting the destination database into production after testing it, such as:

- Place the successfully tested database into production. The test system is now the production system.

- Use Oracle Export to extract the destination database from the successfully tested database and use Oracle Import to create that database within the production environment.

- Use the tested migration scripts to create the Oracle database and populate it with data using SQL*Loader.

5. Perform the final checks on the destination database and applications.

6. Place the destination database into production using one of the rollout strategies.

7. Perform a final audit by doing the following:

- Audit the integrity of the data

- Audit the validity of the processes, such as back-up and recovery

- Obtain sign-off for the project, if necessary

2.12 Using Migration Reports

Several SQL Developer reports provide information about objects that have been captured, converted, and generated during operations designed to migrate third-party databases to Oracle.

2.13 SQL Developer User Interface for Migration

If you are performing database migration, you need to use some migration-specific features in addition to those described in Section 1.2, "SQL Developer User Interface". The user interface includes some additional navigator tabs and panes (Captured Objects and Converted Objects) and a Migration menu, and many smaller changes throughout the interface. Figure 2-3, "Main Window for a Database Migration" shows the SQL Developer main window with objects reflecting the migration of a Microsoft Access application named sales.mdb.

Figure 2-3 Main Window for a Database Migration

In this figure:

- The Connections navigator shows three database connections: migration_repository for a connection (to a user named MIGRATION) used for the migration repository, sales_access connected to a Microsoft Access database named sales.mdb, and sales_oracle connected to an Oracle user named SALES whose schema owns the migrated schema objects.

- The Captured Objects navigator shows one captured model, which was created using an XML file created by the exporter tool for Access applications. (If the source database is a type other than Microsoft Access, the procedure for creating the captured model is different: you can generate it directly from the source database connection.)

- The Converted Objects navigator shows one converted model, which is an Oracle representation of the source database. The converted model is created from the captured model, and the converted model is used to generate the schema objects that you can see using an Oracle database connection (sales_oracle in this figure).

2.13.1 Migration Menu

The Migration menu contains options related to migrating third-party databases to Oracle.

Show Getting Started Guide: Displays steps for getting started quickly with a migration.

Repository Management: Enables you to create, delete, or truncate (remove all data from) a migration repository; select the current migration repository; and disconnect from the current migration repository (which deactivates the current repository but does not disconnect from the database).

Microsoft Access Exporter: Contains submenu items from which you specify the version of the exporter tool to use to create an XML file to be used for creating the captured model. You can also use the exporter tool to export table data. Specify the exporter tool version for the version of Access that is on your PC and that was used to create the .mdb file.

Migrate Data: Displays a dialog box for performing no online migration of table data from the source database to the Oracle schema.

Script Generation: Generate Oracle DDL displays DDL (data definition language) statements in a SQL Worksheet window, where you can then run the script to create the Oracle schema and schema objects; Generate Data Move Scripts displays a dialog box for specifying the location in which to create files for performing an offline migration of table data from the source database to the Oracle schema.

Capture Exporter XML (Microsoft Access migrations): Creates a captured model of a Microsoft Access database from the XML file created by the exporter tool.

Translation Scratch Editor: Displays the translation scratch editor, which is explained in Section 2.13.5.

2.13.2 Other Menus: Migration Items

The View menu has the following items related to database migration:

- Captured Objects: Displays the Captured Objects navigator.

- Converted Objects: Displays the Converted Objects navigator.

2.13.3 Migration Preferences

The SQL Developer user preferences window (displayed by clicking Tools, then Preferences) contains a Migration pane with several related subpanes, and a Translation pane with a Translation Preferences subpane.

For information about these preferences, click Help in the pane, or see Section 1.12.9, "Migration".

2.13.4 Migration Log Panes

Migration Log: Contains errors, warnings, and informational messages relating to migration operations.

Logging Page: Contains an entry for each migrated-related operation.

Data Editor Log: Contains...

2.13.5 Using the Translation Scratch Editor

You can use the translation scratch editor to enter SQL statements and have them translated to PL/SQL statements. You can specify translation from T-SQL to PL/SQL or from Microsoft Access SQL to PL/SQL.

You can display the scratch editor by clicking Migration, then Translation Scratch Editor. The scratch editor has the interface shown in the following figure:

Scratch Editor toolbar (under the Scratch Editor tab): Contains icons for the following operations:

- Open lets you open a file with SQL statements to be placed in the Enter SQL Statement box.

- Translate translates the SQL statements according to the type of translation specified in the drop-down menu, and displays the results in the translated statements box.

- Translation Dif Viewer displays a read-only pane showing the original and translated statements. It provides color-coded comparison of the original and translated SQL, to display semantic similarities between the source and translated code.

- Save Original SQL File lets you save the original file to a location and name of your choice.

- Erase All erases the contents of the Enter SQL Statement box.

- A drop-down menu lets you select the type of translation: T-SQL to PL/SQL for Transact-SQL, or Access to PL/SQL for Microsoft Access.

Enter SQL Statement: The statement or statements to be translated. For multiple statements, each non-PL/SQL statement must be terminated with either a semicolon or (on a new line) a slash (/), and each PL/SQL statement must be terminated with a slash (/) on a new line. SQL keywords are automatically highlighted.

Translated statements toolbar (under Enter SQL Statement): Contains icons for the following operations on the translated statement or statements:

- Save Generated PL/SQL File lets you save the generated statements to a PL/SQL script file.

- Erase All erases the generated statements.

- Validate SQL validates the SQL statements.

Tabs display panes with the following information:

- Result: Displays the results of the most recent Translate operation.

- Source Tree: Displays the results in expandable tree format.

3 Tutorial: Creating Objects for a Small Database

In this tutorial, you will use SQL Developer to create objects for a simplified library database, which will include tables for books, patrons (people who have library cards), and transactions (checking a book out, returning a book, and so on).

The tables are deliberately oversimplified for this tutorial. They would not be adequate for any actual public or organizational library. For example, this library contains only books (not magazines, journals, or other document formats), and it can contain no more than one copy of any book.

You will perform the following major steps:

Creating a Table (BOOKS)

Creating a Table (PATRONS)

Creating a Table (TRANSACTIONS)

Creating a Sequence

Creating a View

Creating a PL/SQL Procedure

Debugging a PL/SQL Procedure (optional)

Using the SQL Worksheet for Queries (optional)

Note:

To delete the objects that you create for this tutorial, you can use the DROP statements at the beginning of the script in Section 3.9, "Script for Creating and Using the Library Tutorial Objects".

Related Topics

Section 3.9, "Script for Creating and Using the Library Tutorial Objects"

Chapter 1, "SQL Developer Concepts and Usage"

Section 1.2, "SQL Developer User Interface"

Section 1.3, "Database Objects"

3.1 Creating a Table (BOOKS)

The BOOKS table contains a row for each book in the library. It includes columns of character and number types, a primary key, a unique constraint, and a check constraint. You will use the Create Table dialog box to create the table declaratively; the table that you create will be essentially the same as if you had entered the following statement using the SQL Worksheet:

CREATE TABLE books (
book_id VARCHAR2(20),
title VARCHAR2(50)
CONSTRAINT title_not_null NOT NULL,
author_last_name VARCHAR2(30)
CONSTRAINT last_name_not_null NOT NULL,
author_first_name VARCHAR2(30),
rating NUMBER,
CONSTRAINT books_pk PRIMARY KEY (book_id),
CONSTRAINT rating_1_to_10 CHECK (rating IS NULL OR
(rating >= 1 and rating <= 10)),
CONSTRAINT author_title_unique UNIQUE (author_last_name, title));

To create the BOOKS table, connect to the database as the user in the schema you want to use for this tutorial. Right-click the Tables node in the schema hierarchy on the left side, select New Table, and enter the following information. (If a tab or field is not mentioned, do not enter anything for it. Be sure that the Advanced box is not checked when you start creating the table.)

For detailed information about the table dialog box and its tabs, see Section 4.22, "Create Table (quick creation)" and Section 4.23, "Create/Edit Table (with advanced options)".

Schema: Specify your current schema as the schema in which to create the table.

Name: BOOKS

Create the table columns using the following information. After creating each column except the last one (rating), click Add Column to add the next column. (If you accidentally click OK instead of Add Column, right-click the BOOKS table in the Connections navigator display, select Edit, and continue to add columns.)

Column Name

Type

Size

Other Information and Notes

book_id

VARCHAR2

20

Primary Key (Automatically checks Not Null; an index is also created on the primary key column. This is the Dewey code or other book identifier.)

title

VARCHAR2

50

Not Null

author_last_name

VARCHAR2

30

Not Null

author_first_name

VARCHAR2

30

rating

NUMBER

(Librarian's personal rating of the book, from 1 (poor) to 10 (great))

After you have entered the last column (rating), check Advanced (next to Schema). This displays a pane for more table options. For this table, you will use the Unique Constraints and Check Constraints panes.

Unique Constraints pane

Click Add to add a unique constraint for the table, namely, that the combination of author_last_name and title must be unique within the table. (This is deliberately oversimplified, since most major libraries will have allow more than one copy of a book in their holdings. Also, the combination of last name and title is not always "foolproof" check for uniqueness, but it is sufficient for this simple scenario.)

Name: author_title_unique

In Available Columns, double-click TITLE and then AUTHOR_LAST_NAME to move them to Selected Columns.

Check Constraints pane

Click Add to add a check constraint for the table, namely, that the rating column value is optional (it can be null), but if a value is specified, it must be a number from 1 through 10. You must enter the condition using SQL syntax that is valid in a CHECK clause (but do not include the CHECK keyword or enclosing parentheses for the entire CHECK clause text).

Name: rating_1_to_10

Condition: rating is null or (rating >= 1 and rating <= 10)

Click OK to finish creating the table.

Go to Section 3.2, "Creating a Table (PATRONS)" to create the next table.

3.2 Creating a Table (PATRONS)

The PATRONS table contains a row for each patron who can check books out of the library (that is, each person who has a library card). It includes an object type (MDSYS.SDO_GEOMETRY) column. You will use the Create Table dialog box to create the table declaratively; the table that you create will be essentially the same as if you had entered the following statement using the SQL Worksheet:

CREATE TABLE patrons (
patron_id NUMBER,
last_name VARCHAR2(30)
CONSTRAINT patron_last_not_null NOT NULL,
first_name VARCHAR2(30),
street_address VARCHAR2(50),
city_state_zip VARCHAR2(50),
location MDSYS.SDO_GEOMETRY,
CONSTRAINT patrons_pk PRIMARY KEY (patron_id));

The use of single city_state_zip column for all that information is not good database design; it is done here merely to simplify your work in the tutorial.

The location column (Oracle Spatial geometry representing the patron's geocoded address) is merely to show the use of a complex (object) type.

To create the PATRONS table, if you are not already connected, connect to the database as the user for the schema you are using for this tutorial. Right-click the Tables node in the schema hierarchy on the left side, select New Table, and enter the following information. (If a tab or field is not mentioned, do not enter anything for it. Be sure that the Advanced box is not checked when you start creating the table.)

Schema: Specify your current schema as the schema in which to create the table.

Name: PATRONS

Create most of the table columns using the following information. After creating each column except the city_state_zip column, click Add Column to add the next column. (If you accidentally click OK instead of Add Column, right-click the PATRONS table in the Connections navigator display, select Edit, and continue to add columns.)

Column Name

Type

Size

Other Information and Notes

patron_id

NUMBER

Primary Key. (Unique patron ID number, with values to be created using a sequence that you will create)

last_name

VARCHAR2

30

Not Null

first_name

VARCHAR2

30

street_address

VARCHAR2

30

city_state_zip

VARCHAR2

30

The last column in the table (location) requires a complex data type, for which you must use the Columns tab with advanced options. Check Advanced (next to Schema). This displays a pane for selecting more table options.

In the Columns pane, click the city_state_zip column name, and click the Add Column (+) icon to add the following as the last column in the table.

Column Name

Type

Other Information and Notes

location

Complex type
Schema: MDSYS

Type: SDO_GEOMETRY

(Oracle Spatial geometry object representing the patron's geocoded address)

After you have entered the last column (location), click OK to finish creating the table.

Go to Section 3.3, "Creating a Table (TRANSACTIONS)" to create the next table.

3.3 Creating a Table (TRANSACTIONS)

The TRANSACTIONS table contains a row for each transaction involving a patron and a book (for example, someone checking a book out or returning a book). It includes two foreign key columns. You will use the Create Table dialog box to create the table declaratively; the table that you create will be essentially the same as if you had entered the following statement using the SQL Worksheet:

CREATE TABLE transactions (
transaction_id NUMBER,
patron_id CONSTRAINT for_key_patron_id
REFERENCES patrons(patron_id),
book_id CONSTRAINT for_key_book_id
REFERENCES books(book_id),
transaction_date DATE
CONSTRAINT tran_date_not_null NOT NULL,
transaction_type NUMBER
CONSTRAINT tran_type_not_null NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT transactions_pk PRIMARY KEY (transaction_id));

To create the TRANSACTIONS table, if you are not already connected, connect to the database as the user for the schema you are using for this tutorial. Right-click the Tables node in the schema hierarchy on the left side, select New Table, and enter the following information. (If a tab or field is not mentioned, do not enter anything for it. Be sure that the Advanced box is not checked when you start creating the table.)

Schema: Specify your current schema as the schema in which to create the table.

Name: TRANSACTIONS

Create the table columns using the following information. After creating each column except the last one (transaction_type), click Add Column to add the next column. (If you accidentally click OK instead of Add Column, right-click the TRANSACTIONS table in the Connections navigator display, select Edit, and continue to add columns.)

Column Name

Type

Size

Other Information and Notes

transaction_id

NUMBER

Primary Key. (Unique transaction ID number, with values to be created using a trigger and sequence that will be created automatically)

patron_id

NUMBER

(Foreign key; must match a patron_id value in the PATRONS table)

book_id

VARCHAR2

20

(Foreign key; must match a book_id value in the BOOKS table)

transaction_date

DATE

(Date and time of the transaction)

transaction_type

NUMBER

(Numeric code indicating the type of transaction, such as 1 for checking out a book)

After you have entered the last column (transaction_type), check Advanced (next to Schema). This displays a pane for selecting more table options. For this table, you will use the Column Sequences and Foreign Keys panes.

Column Sequences pane

You have already specified TRANSACTION_ID as the primary key, and you will use this pane only to specify that the primary key column values are to be populated automatically. This convenient approach uses a trigger and a sequence (both created automatically by SQL Developer), and ensures that each transaction ID value is unique.

Column: TRANSACTION_ID

Sequence: New Sequence

Trigger: TRANSACTIONS_TRG (The default; before-insert trigger will this name will be created automatically.)

Foreign Keys tab

1. Click Add to create the first of the two foreign keys for the TRANSACTIONS table.

Name: for_key_patron_id

Referenced Schema: Name of the schema containing the table with the primary key or unique constraint to which this foreign key refers. Use the schema you have been using for this tutorial.

Referenced Table: PATRONS

Referenced Constraint: PATRONS_PK (The name of the primary key constraint for the PATRONS table. Be sure that the Referenced Column on PATRONS displayed value is PATRON_ID.)

Associations: Local Column: PATRON_ID

Associations: Referenced Column on PATRONS: PATRON_ID

2. Click Add to create the second of the two foreign keys for the TRANSACTIONS table.

Name: for_key_book_id

Referenced Schema: Name of the schema containing the table with the primary key or unique constraint to which this foreign key refers. Use the schema you have been using for this tutorial.

Referenced Table: BOOKS

Referenced Constraint: BOOKS_PK (The name of the primary key constraint for the BOOKS table. Be sure that the Referenced Column on BOOKS displayed value is BOOK_ID.

Associations: Local Column: BOOK_ID

Associations: Referenced Column on BOOKS: BOOK_ID

3. Click OK to finish creating the table.

You have finished creating all the tables. To create a sequence for use in generating unique primary key values for the PATRONS table, go to Section 3.4, "Creating a Sequence".

3.4 Creating a Sequence

Create one sequence object, which will be used in INSERT statements to generate unique primary key values in the PATRONS table. (You do not need to create a sequence for the primary key in the TRANSACTIONS table, because you used the SQL Developer feature that enables automatic population of primary key values for that table.) You will use the Create Sequence dialog box to create the sequence declaratively; the sequence that you create will be essentially the same as if you had entered the following statements using the SQL Worksheet:

CREATE SEQUENCE patron_id_seq
START WITH 100
INCREMENT BY 1;

After creating the sequence, you can use it in INSERT statements to generate unique numeric values. The following example uses the patron_id_seq sequence in creating a row for a new patron (library user), assigning her a patron ID that is the next available value of the patron_id_seq sequence:

INSERT INTO patrons VALUES  (patron_id_seq.nextval,
'Smith', 'Jane', '123 Main Street', 'Mytown, MA 01234', null);

To create the sequence, if you are not already connected, connect to the database as the user for the schema you are using for this tutorial. Right-click the Sequences node in the schema hierarchy on the left side, select New Sequence, and enter information using the Create Sequence dialog box.

Schema: Specify your current schema as the schema in which to create the sequence.

Name: patron_id_seq

Increment: 1

Start with: 100

Click OK to finish creating the sequence.

To create a view, go to Section 3.5, "Creating a View".

3.5 Creating a View

Create a view that returns information about patrons and their transactions. This view queries the PATRONS and TRANSACTIONS tables, and returns rows that contain a patron's ID, last name, and first name, along with a transaction and the transaction type. The rows are ordered by patron ID, and by transaction type within patron IDs.

To create the patrons_trans_view view, if you are not already connected, connect to the database as the user for the schema you are using for this tutorial. Right-click the Views node in the schema hierarchy on the left side, select New View, and enter the following information. (If a tab or field is not mentioned, do not enter anything for it.)

Schema: Specify your current schema as the schema in which to create the view.

Name: patrons_trans_view

Entire SQL Query tab

In the Entire SQL Query box, enter (or copy and paste) the following statement:

SELECT p.patron_id,
p.last_name,
p.first_name,
t.transaction_type,
t.transaction_date
FROM patrons p, transactions t
WHERE p.patron_id = t.patron_id
ORDER BY p.patron_id, t.transaction_type

Then click Test Syntax, and ensure that you have not made any syntax errors. If you made any errors, correct then and click Test Syntax again.

DDL

Review the SQL statement that SQL Developer will use to create the view. If you want to make any changes, go back to the Entire SQL Query tab and make the changes there.

If you want to save the CREATE VIEW statement to a SQL script file, click Save and specify the location and file name.

When you are finished, click OK.

You have finished creating the view. To see the data returned by the view, in the Connections navigator, expand Views, select PATRONS_TRANS_VIEW, and click the Data tab.

3.6 Creating a PL/SQL Procedure

Create a procedure that lists all books with a specified rating. You can then call that procedure with an input parameter (a number from 1 to 10), and the output will be all the titles of all books with that rating.

To create the procedure, if you are not already connected, connect to the database as the user for the schema you are using for this tutorial. Right-click the Procedures node in the schema hierarchy on the left side, select New Procedure, and enter the following information using the Create PL/SQL Procedure dialog box.

Object Name: list_a_rating

Click OK. A Source window for the new procedure is opened. Enter (or copy and paste) the following procedure text:

CREATE OR REPLACE
PROCEDURE list_a_rating(in_rating IN NUMBER) AS
matching_title VARCHAR2(50);
TYPE my_cursor IS REF CURSOR;
the_cursor my_cursor;
BEGIN
OPEN the_cursor
FOR 'SELECT title
FROM books
WHERE rating = :in_rating'
USING in_rating;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('All books with a rating of ' || in_rating || ':');
LOOP
FETCH the_cursor INTO matching_title;
EXIT WHEN the_cursor%NOTFOUND;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(matching_title);
END LOOP;
CLOSE the_cursor;
END list_a_rating;

This procedure uses a cursor (named the_cursor) to return only rows where the book has the specified rating (in_rating parameter), and uses a loop to output the title of each book with that rating.

Click the Save icon to save the procedure.

As a usage example, after creating the procedure named LIST_A_RATING, and after inserting data into the BOOKS table (for example, using the INSERT statements in Section 3.9, "Script for Creating and Using the Library Tutorial Objects"), you could use the following statement to return all books with a rating of 10:

CALL list_a_rating(10);

To run this procedure within SQL Developer after you have inserted the BOOKS table rows shown in Section 3.9, "Script for Creating and Using the Library Tutorial Objects", right-click LIST_A_RATING in the Connections navigator hierarchy display and select Run. In the Run PL/SQL dialog box, change IN_RATING => IN_RATING to IN_RATING => 10, and click OK. The Log window display will now include the following output:

All books with a rating of 10:
Moby Dick
Software Wizardry

3.7 Debugging a PL/SQL Procedure

If you want to practice debugging a PL/SQL procedure with SQL Developer, create a procedure that is like the list_a_rating procedure that you created in Section 3.6, "Creating a PL/SQL Procedure", but with a logic error. (The coding is also deliberately inefficient, to allow the display of the rating in a variable.)

To create this procedure, if you are not already connected, connect to the database as the user for the schema you are using for this tutorial. Right-click the Procedures node in the schema hierarchy on the left side, select New Procedure, and enter the following information using the Create PL/SQL Procedure dialog box.

Object Name: list_a_rating2

Click OK. A Source window for the new procedure is opened. Enter (or copy and paste) the following procedure text:

CREATE OR REPLACE
PROCEDURE  list_a_rating2(in_rating IN NUMBER) AS
matching_title VARCHAR2(50);
matching_rating NUMBER;
TYPE my_cursor IS REF CURSOR;
the_cursor my_cursor;
rating_cursor my_cursor;
BEGIN
OPEN the_cursor
FOR 'SELECT title
FROM books
WHERE rating <= :in_rating'
USING in_rating;
OPEN rating_cursor FOR 'SELECT rating FROM books WHERE
rating <= :in_rating' USING in_rating;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('All books with a rating of ' || in_rating || ':');
LOOP
FETCH the_cursor INTO matching_title;
FETCH rating_cursor INTO matching_rating;
EXIT WHEN the_cursor%NOTFOUND;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(matching_title);
END LOOP;
CLOSE the_cursor;
CLOSE rating_cursor;
END list_a_rating2;

This procedure contains a logic error in the definition of the_cursor: it selects titles where the rating is less than or equal to a specified rating, whereas it should select titles only where the rating is equal to the specified rating.

Click the Save icon to save the procedure.

Assume that you wanted to run this procedure and list all books with a rating of 10. Right-click LIST_A_RATING2 in the Connections navigator hierarchy display and select Run. In the Run PL/SQL dialog box, change IN_RATING => IN_RATING to IN_RATING => 10, and click OK. In the Log window, however, you see unexpected output: many titles are listed, including some with ratings other than 10. So, you decide to debug the procedure.

To debug the procedure, follow these steps:

1. Click LIST_A_RATING2 in the Connections navigator, then right-click and select Compile for Debug.

2. In the code tab, click the Edit icon (pencil and paper graphic).

3. Set two breakpoints by clicking in the left margin (left of the thin vertical line) beside each of these two lines: FETCH the_cursor INTO matching_title; and FETCH rating_cursor INTO matching_rating;. (Clicking in the left margin toggles the setting and unsetting of breakpoints.) This will enable you to see the values of the matching_title and matching_rating variables as execution proceeds in debug mode.

4. Click LIST_A_RATING2 in the Connections navigator hierarchy display, and on the Debug menu, select Debug. Ensure that the line IN_RATING => IN_RATING has been changed to IN_RATING => 10, and click OK.

5. In the debugging toolbar, click the Resume icon to have execution proceed, stopping at the next breakpoint; note the display in the Smart Data tab in the lower right part of the window. Repeatedly click the Resume icon, noticing especially the value of the rating variable as each row is processed. You will notice the first incorrect result when you see that the title Get Rich Really Fast is included, even though its rating is only 1 (obviously less than 10). (See the screen illustration with debugging information in Section 1.6, "Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures".)

6. When you have enough information to fix the problem, you can click the Terminate icon in the debugging toolbar.

From this debugging session, you know that to fix the logic error, you should change rating <= :in_rating to rating = :in_rating in the definition of the_cursor.

3.8 Using the SQL Worksheet for Queries

You can use the SQL Worksheet to test SQL statements using a database connection. To display the worksheet, from the Tools menu, select SQL Worksheet. In the Select Connection dialog box, select the database connection that you used to create the BOOKS, PATRONS, and TRANSACTIONS tables for the tutorial in Chapter 3, "Tutorial: Creating Objects for a Small Database".

The SQL Worksheet has the user interface shown in Section 1.7, "Using the SQL Worksheet".

In the Enter SQL Statement box, enter the following statement (the semicolon is optional for the SQL Worksheet):

SELECT author_last_name, title FROM books;

Notice the automatic highlighting of SQL keywords (SELECT and FROM in this example).

Click the Execute SQL Statement icon in the SQL Worksheet toolbar. The results of the query are displayed on the Results tab under the area in which you entered the SQL statement.

In the Enter SQL Statement box, enter (or copy and paste) the following statement, which is the same as the SELECT statement in the view you created in Creating a View:

SELECT p.patron_id,
p.last_name,
p.first_name,
t.transaction_type,
t.transaction_date
FROM patrons p, transactions t
WHERE p.patron_id = t.patron_id
ORDER BY p.patron_id, t.transaction_type;

Click the Execute SQL Statement icon in the SQL Worksheet toolbar, and view the results of the query.

Click the Execute Explain Plan icon in the SQL Worksheet toolbar to see the execution plan (displayed on the Explain tab) that Oracle Database follows to execute the SQL statement. The information includes the optimizer strategy and the cost of executing the statement. (For information about how to generate and interpret execution plans, see Oracle Database Performance Tuning Guide.)

3.9 Script for Creating and Using the Library Tutorial Objects

The following statements create and use the database objects that you have created (or will create) for the tutorial in Chapter 3, "Tutorial: Creating Objects for a Small Database". You can view these commands to help you understand the library database objects that are covered in the tutorial.

-- Clean up from any previous tutorial actions.
DROP TABLE transactions;
DROP TABLE books;
DROP TABLE patrons;
DROP SEQUENCE patron_id_seq;
DROP SEQUENCE transactions_seq;
DROP TRIGGER transactions_trg;
DROP VIEW patrons_trans_view;
DROP PROCEDURE list_a_rating;
DROP PROCEDURE list_a_rating2;

set serveroutput on

-- Create objects.

CREATE TABLE books (
book_id VARCHAR2(20),
title VARCHAR2(50)
CONSTRAINT title_not_null NOT NULL,
author_last_name VARCHAR2(30)
CONSTRAINT last_name_not_null NOT NULL,
author_first_name VARCHAR2(30),
rating NUMBER,
CONSTRAINT books_pk PRIMARY KEY (book_id),
CONSTRAINT rating_1_to_10 CHECK (rating IS NULL OR
(rating >= 1 and rating <= 10)),
CONSTRAINT author_title_unique UNIQUE (author_last_name, title));

CREATE TABLE patrons (
patron_id NUMBER,
last_name VARCHAR2(30)
CONSTRAINT patron_last_not_null NOT NULL,
first_name VARCHAR2(30),
street_address VARCHAR2(50),
city_state_zip VARCHAR2(50),
location MDSYS.SDO_GEOMETRY,
CONSTRAINT patrons_pk PRIMARY KEY (patron_id));

CREATE TABLE transactions (
transaction_id NUMBER,
patron_id CONSTRAINT for_key_patron_id
REFERENCES patrons(patron_id),
book_id CONSTRAINT for_key_book_id
REFERENCES books(book_id),
transaction_date DATE
CONSTRAINT tran_date_not_null NOT NULL,
transaction_type NUMBER
CONSTRAINT tran_type_not_null NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT transactions_pk PRIMARY KEY (transaction_id));

CREATE SEQUENCE patron_id_seq
START WITH 100
INCREMENT BY 1;

-- The sequence for the transaction_id
-- in the tutorial is created automatically,
-- and may have the name TRANSACTIONS_SEQ.
CREATE SEQUENCE transactions_seq
START WITH 1
INCREMENT BY 1;

-- The before-insert trigger for transaction ID values
-- in the tutorial is created automatically,
-- and may have the name TRANSACTIONS_TRG.
CREATE OR REPLACE TRIGGER transactions_trg
BEFORE INSERT ON TRANSACTIONS
FOR EACH ROW
BEGIN
SELECT TRANSACTIONS_SEQ.NEXTVAL INTO :NEW.TRANSACTION_ID FROM DUAL;
END;
/

CREATE VIEW patrons_trans_view AS
SELECT p.patron_id,
p.last_name,
p.first_name,
t.transaction_type,
t.transaction_date
FROM patrons p, transactions t
WHERE p.patron_id = t.patron_id
ORDER BY p.patron_id, t.transaction_type;

-- Procedure: List all books that have a specified rating.
CREATE OR REPLACE PROCEDURE list_a_rating(in_rating IN NUMBER) AS
matching_title VARCHAR2(50);
TYPE my_cursor IS REF CURSOR;
the_cursor my_cursor;
BEGIN
OPEN the_cursor
FOR 'SELECT title
FROM books
WHERE rating = :in_rating'
USING in_rating;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE('All books with a rating of ' || in_rating || ':');
LOOP
FETCH the_cursor INTO matching_title;
EXIT WHEN the_cursor%NOTFOUND;
DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(matching_title);
END LOOP;
CLOSE the_cursor;
END;
/
show errors;

-- Insert and query data.

INSERT INTO books VALUES ('A1111', 'Moby Dick', 'Melville', 'Herman', 10);
INSERT INTO books VALUES ('A2222', 'Get Rich Really Fast', 'Scammer', 'Ima', 1);
INSERT INTO books VALUES ('A3333', 'Finding Inner Peace', 'Blissford', 'Serenity', null);
INSERT INTO books VALUES ('A4444', 'Great Mystery Stories', 'Whodunit', 'Rodney', 5);
INSERT INTO books VALUES ('A5555', 'Software Wizardry', 'Abugov', 'D.', 10);

INSERT INTO patrons VALUES  (patron_id_seq.nextval,
'Smith', 'Jane', '123 Main Street', 'Mytown, MA 01234', null);
INSERT INTO patrons VALUES  (patron_id_seq.nextval,
'Chen', 'William', '16 S. Maple Road', 'Mytown, MA 01234', null);
INSERT INTO patrons VALUES  (patron_id_seq.nextval,
'Fernandez', 'Maria', '502 Harrison Blvd.', 'Sometown, NH 03078', null);
INSERT INTO patrons VALUES  (patron_id_seq.nextval,
'Murphy', 'Sam', '57 Main Street', 'Mytown, MA 01234', null);

INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (100, 'A1111', SYSDATE, 1);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (100, 'A2222', SYSDATE, 2);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (101, 'A3333', SYSDATE, 3);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (101, 'A2222', SYSDATE, 1);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (102, 'A3333', SYSDATE, 1);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (103, 'A4444', SYSDATE, 2);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (100, 'A4444', SYSDATE, 1);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (102, 'A2222', SYSDATE, 2);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (102, 'A5555', SYSDATE, 1);
INSERT INTO transactions (patron_id, book_id,
transaction_date, transaction_type)
VALUES (101, 'A2222', SYSDATE, 1);

-- Test the view and the procedure.
SELECT * FROM patrons_trans_view;
CALL list_a_rating(10);

4 Dialog Boxes for Creating/Editing Objects

SQL Developer uses dialog boxes for creating and editing database connections and objects in the database (tables, views, procedures, and so on). The dialog boxes sometimes have multiple tabs, each reflecting a logical grouping of properties for that type of object.

For an explanation of any dialog box or tab, click the Help button or press the F1 key.

The dialog boxes are not presented here in any rigorous order, because the help for each box is an independent piece of information and is normally seen when you click Help or press F1 in that box.

Note:

For all Name fields, any name that you type is automatically converted to and stored in the database metadata in uppercase, unless you enclose the name in quotation marks (" "). (Names of database objects in SQL and PL/SQL statements are not case-sensitive.)
To include lowercase characters, special characters, or spaces in object names, enclose the name in quotation marks (" ") when you type it. Example: "My table"

4.1 Add Extension

This dialog box is displayed when you click Add in the File Types pane of SQL Developer Preferences.

Extension: Specify the file extension, including the period (for example, .xyz).

After you click OK, you can select that extension and modify its details, including the file type, content type, and whether to have files with the extension automatically opened by SQL Developer.

4.2 Check for Updates

When you click Help and then Check for Updates, you can check for and download available SQL Developer updates. The following pages may be displayed. (If you have enabled the SQL Developer preference to check for updates automatically at startup, and if you click to see available updates at startup, the Updates page is displayed.)

If you are unable to check for updates because your system is behind a firewall, you may need to set the SQL Developer user preferences for Web Browser and Proxy.

1. Source: Select the source or sources to be checked for available updates: any or all of some specified online update centers, or a local ZIP file containing an update bundle.

2. Updates: If any updates are available from the selected source or sources, select those that you want to download.
The Show Upgrades Only option restricts the display to upgrades of currently installed SQL Developer components. To enable the display of all new and updated components, whether currently installed or not, uncheck this option.

After you click Next, you may be prompted to enter your Oracle Web Account user name and password. If you do not have an account, you can click the Sign Up link.

3. Install Location: Select whether to install the extensions for all users or just for the current user.

4. Download: If you selected any updates to download, this page displays the progress of the download operation.

5. Summary: Displays information about the updates that were downloaded. After you click Finish, you will be asked if you want to install the updates now and restart SQL Developer.

4.3 Choose Directory

This is a standard box for choosing a directory in which to place files: use Location to navigate to (double-clicking) the folder in which to save the files, or enter a directory name. If the directory does not already exist, it is created.

4.4 Create/Edit New Object

Specify the type of object to create. After you click OK, the dialog box for creating that type of object is displayed.

Filter By: Available Items displays the types of objects that you can create in the current database connection; All Items displays all types of objects (some of which may not be available for selection).

Categories: A hierarchical display of categories of objects.

Items: Types of objects that you can create within the selected category.

4.5 Create/Edit/Select Database Connection

The database connection dialog box displays any existing connections. Depending on the context, you can select a connection to connect to the database, edit the information about existing connections, or specify information while creating a new connection. (See Creating and Editing Connections.)

Connection Name: An alias for a connection to the database using the information that you enter. (The connection name is not stored in the database, and the connection is not a database object.) Suggestion: Include the database name (SID) and user name in the connection name. Example: personnel_herman for connecting to the personnel database as user Herman.

Username: Name of the database user for the connection. This user must have sufficient privileges to perform the tasks that you want perform while connected to the database, such as creating, editing, and deleting tables, views, and other objects.

Password: Password associated with the specified database user.

Oracle tab

The following information applies to a connection to an Oracle Database.

Role: The set of privileges to be associated with the connection. For a user that has been granted the SYSDBA system privilege, you can specify a connection that includes the privilege.

Basic connection type

Host Name: Host system for the Oracle database.

Port: Listener port.

SID: Database name.

Service Name: Network service name of the database (for a remote database connection over a secure connection).

TNS connection type

Network Alias: Oracle Net alias for the database. (The list for selecting a network alias is initially filled from the tnsnames.ora file on your system, if that file exists.)

Connect Identifier: Oracle Net connect identifier.

Advanced connection type

Custom JDBC URL: URL for connecting directly from Java to the database; overrides any other connection type specification. If you are using TNS or a naming service with the OCI driver, you must specify this information: Example:

jdbc:oracle:thin:scott/@localhost:1521:orcl

Note that in this example, the "/" is required, and the user will be prompted to enter the password.

Access tab

For a connection to a Microsoft Access database, click Browse and find the database (.mdb) file. However, to be able to use the connection, you must first ensure that the system tables in the database file are readable by SQL Developer, as follows:

1. Open the database (.mdb) file in Microsoft Access.

2. Click Tools, then Options, and on the View tab ensure that System Objects are shown.

3. Click Tools, then Security, and, if necessary, modify the user and group permissions as follows: select all tables whose names start with Msys, and give the Admin user at least Read Design and Read Data permission on these tables.

4. Save changes and close the Access database file.

5. Create and test the connection in SQL Developer.

MySQL tab

The following information applies to a connection to a MySQL database.

Note that to connect to a MySQL database, you must first download the appropriate MySQL connection driver, and then click Tools, then Preferences, and use the SQL Developer user preference pane for Database: Third Party JDBC Drivers to add the driver.

Host Name: Host system for the MySQL database.

Port: TCP/IP Port on which the MySQL server will listen.

Choose Database: Name of the MySQL database.

Zero Date Handling: Because the MySQL JDBC driver cannot handle the default 0000-00-00 date, specify one of the following options for handling this date: Set to NULL to set it to a null value, or Round to 0001-01-01 to set it to 0001-01-01.

SQL Server tab

The following information applies to a connection to a Microsoft SQL Server database.

Note that to connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database, you must first download the appropriate Microsoft SQL Server connection driver, and then click Tools, then Preferences, and use the SQL Developer user preference pane for Database: Third Party JDBC Drivers to add the driver.

Host Name: Host system for the Microsoft SQL Server database.

Port: TCP/IP Port on which Microsoft SQL Server will listen.

Retrieve Database: Name of the Microsoft SQL Server database.

Creating and Editing Connections

To create a new connection when no connections exist, enter the connection information and click Connect. To test the connection before you create it, click Test.

To create a new connection when one or more connections already exist, click New, enter the connection information, and click Connect. To test the connection before you create it, click Test.

To edit an existing connection, click in its entry in the Connection Name column, change any connection information on the left side, and click Connect. To test the connection before you save changes to it, click Test.

4.6 Select Connection

Use this dialog box to select a database connection for use with a specific SQL Developer feature (for example, the SQL worksheet or the Reports navigator). After you click OK, the interface for the component is displayed , with the current user the same as the one specified in the connection.

To create a new database connection, click New; to edit the selected database connection, click Edit. In both cases, a dialog box for specifying connection information is displayed (see Section 4.5, "Create/Edit/Select Database Connection").

4.7 Connection Information

Use this dialog box to specify the user name and password for the selected database connection.

If the specified user name does not exist in the database associated with the connection, or if the specified password is not the correct one for that user, the connection is refused.

4.8 No Connection Found

This dialog box is displayed when you attempt to perform an operation that requires a database connection, but no connection currently exists for that operation. For example, you might have opened a SQL file but not selected a connection, or the connection might have disconnected.

To select a connection in the SQL Worksheet, click OK to close this dialog box, then select a connection from the drop-down list in the SQL Worksheet icon bar.

4.9 Connection Rename Error

This dialog box is displayed when you attempt to rename a database connection to a name that is already used for another connection. For example, you might have forgotten to enter a new name for the connection that you want to rename.

To rename the connection, click OK to close this dialog box, then specify a unique connection name.

4.10 Select Library

This dialog box is displayed when you click Browse in the Database pane when setting SQL Developer Preferences. Use this box to select the library for the specified JDBC driver class.

4.11 Create Library

This dialog box is displayed when you click New in the Select Library dialog box, which is displayed when you click Browse in the Database pane when setting SQL Developer Preferences. Use this box to create the library for the specified JDBC driver class.

4.12 Excel Import Data

This dialog box is displayed when you right-click a table name in the Connections navigator and select Import Data, then Excel. It enables you to from an Excel spreadsheet into the table.

Worksheet: Name of a worksheet in the Microsoft Excel file.

Header row?: If this option is checked, the first row in the selected Microsoft Excel worksheet is considered a row with text for the column headings. If this option is not checked, the first row is considered to contain worksheet data.

Data Preview: Displays a read-only preview of the contents of the worksheet.

Columns tab

Available Columns: Lists the Microsoft Excel worksheet columns from which you can select for import into columns in the table. To select one or more worksheet columns, use the arrow buttons to move columns from Available to Selected.

Selected Columns: Lists the columns whose data is to be imported into columns in the database table. To change the order of a selected column in the list for the import operation, select it and use the up and down arrow buttons.

Data Types tab

Displays information about the data types of the columns to be imported.

DML tab

This tab contains a read-only display of a SQL statement that will perform the operation.

To perform the import operation, click Insert.

4.13 Export/Import Connection Descriptors

The Export Connection Descriptors dialog box exports information about one or more database connections to an XML file. The Import Connection Descriptors dialog box imports connections that have been exported. Connections that you import are added to any connections that already exist in SQL Developer.

File Name: Name of the XML file to contain exported information or that contains information to be imported. Use the Browse button to specify the location.

Connections: Names of connections that you can select for the export or import operation.

4.14 Create/Edit Database Link

The following information applies to a database link, which is a database object in one database that enables you to access objects on another database, as explained in Section 1.3.1, "Database Links (Public and Private)".

Public: If this option is checked, the database link is public (available to all users). If this option is not checked, the database link is private and is available only to you.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the database link.

Name: Name of the database link. Must be unique within a schema.

Host Name: The service name of a remote database. If you specify only the database name, Oracle Database implicitly appends the database domain to the connect string to create a complete service name. Therefore, if the database domain of the remote database is different from that of the current database, you must specify the complete service name.

Current User: Creates a current user database link. The current user must be a global user with a valid account on the remote database. If the database link is used directly, that is, not from within a stored object, then the current user is the same as the connected user.

Fixed User: Creates a fixed user database link, for which you specify the user name and password used to connect to the remote database.

Shared: If this option is checked, a single network connection is used to create a public database link that can be shared among multiple users. In this case, you must also specify the Authentication information.

Authentication - User Name and Password: The user name and password on the target instance. This information authenticates the user to the remote server and is required for security. The specified user and password must be a valid user and password on the remote instance.

DDL tab

You can review and save the SQL statement that SQL Developer will use to create the database link.

4.15 Create/Edit Index

The following information applies to an index, which is a database object that contains an entry for each value that appears in the indexed column(s) of the table or cluster and provides direct, fast access to rows, as explained in Section 1.3.4, "Indexes".

Schema: Database schema that owns the table associated with the index.

Table: Name of the table associated with the index.

Name: Name of the index. Must be unique within a schema.

Index Type: Normal for a standard Oracle index, in which case you also specify non-unique, unique, or bitmap, as well as one or more index expressions; or Text for an Oracle Text index (created with INDEXTYPE IS CTXSYS.CONTEXT), in which case you specify the column to be indexed.

Non-unique means that the index can contain multiple identical values; Unique means that no duplicate values are permitted; Bitmap stores rowids associated with a key value as a bitmap.

Index: A list of index expressions, that is, the table columns or column expressions in the index. To add an index expression, click the Add Column Expression (+) icon; this adds a column name here and in Column Expression, where you can edit it. To delete an index expression, click the Remove Column Expression (X) icon; to move an index expression up or down in the list, click the Move Column Up and Move Column Down icons. An index must have at least one index expression.

For example, to create an index on the AUTHOR_LAST_NAME column of the BOOKS table from the tutorial (see Section 3.1, "Creating a Table (BOOKS)"), click the + icon, and select AUTHOR_LAST_NAME in Column Name or Expression (next field), which changes BOOKS to AUTHOR_LAST_NAME in the Index field.

Column Name or Expression: A column name or column expression. A column expression is an expression built from columns, constants, SQL functions, and user-defined functions. When you specify a column expression, you create a function-based index.

Order: ASC for an ascending index (index values sorted in ascending order); DESC for a descending index (index values sorted in descending order).

4.16 Create/Edit Materialized View Log

User this dialog box to create of edit a materialized view log, which is a table associated with the master table of a materialized view. For more information, see Section 1.3.6, "Materialized View Logs".

Schema: Database schema in which to create the materialized view log.

Name: Name of the master table of the materialized view to be associated with this materialized view log.

Properties tab

Tablespace: Tablespace in which the materialized view log is to be created.

Logging: LOGGING or NOLOGGING, to establish the logging characteristics for the materialized view log.

Row ID: Yes indicates that the rowid of all rows changed should be recorded in the materialized view log; No indicates that the rowid of all rows changed should not be recorded in the materialized view log.

Primary Key: Yes indicates that the primary key of all rows changed should be recorded in the materialized view log; No indicates that the primary key of all rows changed should not be recorded in the materialized view log.

New Values: INCLUDING saves both old and new values for update DML operations in the materialized view log; EXCLUDING disables the recording of new values in the materialized view log. If this log is for a table on which you have a single-table materialized aggregate view, and if you want the materialized view to be eligible for fast refresh, you must specify INCLUDING.

Cache: For data that will be accessed frequently, CACHE specifies that the blocks retrieved for this log are placed at the most recently used end of the least recently used (LRU) list in the buffer cache when a full table scan is performed. This attribute is useful for small lookup tables. NOCACHE specifies that the blocks are placed at the least recently used end of the LRU list.

Parallel: If this option is checked, parallel operations will be supported for the materialized view log.

Object ID: For a log on an object table only: Yes indicates that the system-generated or user-defined object identifier of every modified row should be recorded in the materialized view log; No indicates that the system-generated or user-defined object identifier of every modified row should not be recorded in the materialized view log.

Sequence: Yes indicates that a sequence value providing additional ordering information should be recorded in the materialized view log; No indicates that a sequence value providing additional ordering information should not be recorded in the materialized view log. Sequence numbers (that is, Yes for this option) are necessary to support fast refresh after some update scenarios.

Available Filter Columns: Additional columns, which are non-primary-key columns referenced by subquery materialized views, to be recorded in the materialized view log. To select one or more filter columns, use the arrow buttons to move columns from Available to Selected.

DDL tab

If you are editing an existing materialized view log or if you have only partially created a materialized view log, this tab contains a read-only display of a SQL statement that reflects the current definition of the materialized view log.

To save the SQL statement to a script file, click Save and specify the location and file name.

4.17 Create PL/SQL Package

Use this dialog box to create a package to contain PL/SQL subprograms (functions or procedures, or a combination).

Schema: Database schema in which to create the PL/SQL package.

Name: Name of the package. Must be unique within a schema.

Add New Source in Lowercase: If this option is checked, new text is entered in lowercase regardless of the case in which you type it. This option affects only the appearance of the code, because PL/SQL is not case sensitive in its execution.

The package is created and is displayed in the Editor window, where you can enter the details.

4.18 Create PL/SQL Subprogram (Function or Procedure)

Use this dialog box to create a PL/SQL subprogram (function or procedure). A function returns a value; a procedure does not return a value.

Specify the information for the package and for each parameter, then click OK to create the subprogram and have it displayed in the Editor window, where you can enter the details.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the PL/SQL subprogram.

Name: Name of the subprogram. Must be unique within a schema.

Add New Source in Lowercase: If this option is checked, new text is entered in lowercase regardless of the case in which you type it. This option affects only the appearance of the code, because PL/SQL is not case sensitive in its execution.

Parameters tab

For each parameter in the procedure to be created, specify the following information.

Name: Name of the parameter.

Type: Data type of the parameter.

Mode: IN for input only, OUT for output only, or IN OUT for input and output (that is, the output is stored in the parameter overwriting its initial input value).

Default Value: Optionally, the default value if the parameter is omitted or specified as null when the subprogram is called.

To add a parameter, click the Add (+) icon; to delete a parameter, click the Remove (X) icon; to move a parameter up or down in the list, click the up-arrow or down-arrow icon.

DDL tab

This tab contains a read-only display of a SQL statement that reflects the current definition of the subprogram.

4.19 Create/Edit Sequence

The following information applies to a sequence, which is an object from which multiple users may generate unique integers. You can use sequences to automatically generate primary key values.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the sequence.

Name: Name of the sequence. Must be unique within a schema.

Increment: Interval between successive numbers in a sequence.

Start with: Starting value of the sequence.

Min value: Lowest possible value for the sequence. The default is 1 for an ascending sequence and -(10^26) for a descending sequence.

Max value: Highest possible value for the sequence. The default is 10^27 for an ascending sequence and -1 for a descending sequence.

Cycle: Indicates whether the sequence "wraps around" to reuse numbers after reaching its maximum value (for an ascending sequence) or its minimum value (for a descending sequence). If cycling of values is not enabled, the sequence cannot generate more values after reaching its maximum or minimum value.

Cache and Cache size: If Cache is checked, sequence values are preallocated in cache, which can improve application performance; Cache size indicates the number of sequence values preallocated in cache. If Cache is not checked, sequence values are not preallocated in cache.

Order: Indicates whether sequence numbers are generated in the order in which they are requested. If no ordering is specified, sequence numbers are not guaranteed to be in the order in which they were requested.

DDL tab

You can review the SQL statement that SQL Developer will use to create a new sequence or that reflects any changes you have made to the sequence properties.

4.20 Create SQL File

Use this dialog box to create a SQL script file and to open the file in a SQL Worksheet for editing.

File Name: Name and extension of the file to be created. The default and recommended extension is .sql.

Directory Name: Directory path for the file. To specify a directory, you can click Browse. The default directory is the Location of User-Related Information.

Related Topics

Dialog Boxes for Creating/Editing Objects

4.21 Create/Edit Synonym

The following information applies to a synonym, which is an alternative name for a table, view, sequence, procedure, stored function, package, materialized view, Java class database object, user-defined object type, or another synonym.

Public: If this option is checked, the synonym is accessible to all users. (However each user must have appropriate privileges on the underlying object in order to use the synonym.) If this option is not checked, the synonym is a private synonym, and is accessible only within its schema.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the synonym.

Name: Name of the synonym. A private synonym must be unique within its schema; a public synonym must be unique within the database.

For - Referenced Schema: Schema containing the object or name to which this synonym refers.

Object Based: Specify the object to which this synonym refers.

Name Based: Enter the name of the object to which this synonym refers.

DDL tab

You can review the SQL statement that SQL Developer will use to create a new synonym or that reflects any changes you have made to the synonym properties.

4.22 Create Table (quick creation)

This dialog box (if you do not check the Advanced box) creates a new table quickly by specifying columns and some frequently used features. (If you need to add or change features after you create the table, you can edit the table by clicking the Modify icon while viewing the table or by right-clicking its name in the Connections navigator and selecting Properties, which displays the Create/Edit Table (with advanced options) dialog box.)

To create a new table, the only things you must do are specify the schema and the table name, add the necessary columns, and click OK. Although it is not required, you should also specify a primary key.

Advanced: If this option is checked, the dialog box changes to include an extended set of features for creating the table. For example, you must check this option if you want to create a partitioned table, an index-organized table, or an external table.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the table.

Name: Name of the table. Must be unique within a schema.

Table tab (quick creation)

Specifies properties for each column in the table.

Columns: Lists the columns currently in the table.

Note:

To add a column after the currently selected column, click Add Column; to delete a column, select it and click Remove Column.

Column Name: Name of the column. Must be unique within the table. Suggestion: For a new column, replace any default name, such as COLUMN1.

Type: Data type for the column. The drop-down list includes only selected frequently used data types. To specify any other type for the column, you must use the Columns panel of the Create/Edit Table (with advanced options) dialog box.

Size: For VARCHAR2 data, the maximum size of the column data; for NUMBER data, the maximum number of digits.

Not Null: If this option is checked, the column must contain data; you cannot specify no value or an explicit null value for this column when you insert a row. If this option is not checked, the column can contain either data or no data.

Primary Key: If this option is checked, the column is the primary key, or part of the primary key, for the table. The primary key is the column, or set of columns, that uniquely identifies each row in the table. A primary key column cannot be null.

If you want to have the primary key values automatically populated by a convenient method that uses a before-insert trigger and a sequence, then before you finish creating the table, you must check the Advanced box and use the Primary Key tab, starting with the Populate Primary Key Column field.

To add another column, click Add Column. When you are finished adding columns, either click OK or click the DDL tab to review the CREATE TABLE statement.

DDL tab (quick creation)

You can review and save the CREATE TABLE statement that SQL Developer will use to create a new table or that reflects any changes you have made to the table properties. If you want to make any changes, go back to the Table tab and make the changes there.

When you are finished, click OK.

4.23 Create/Edit Table (with advanced options)

The table dialog box is used for creating a new table or editing an existing table. The table properties are grouped under several tabs.

To create a new table, the only things you must do are specify the schema and the table name, add the necessary columns, and click OK. Although it is not required, you should also specify a primary key using the Primary Key pane. For other table-related features, use the appropriate tabs; the order in which you visit tabs usually does not matter, although you might find it convenient to visit them in the sequence in this topic. If you are editing an existing table, you can visit the tabs in any order.

If you click OK before you are finished creating or editing the table, right-click the table name in the Connections navigator, select Edit, and continue creating or editing the table.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the table.

Name: Name of the table. Must be unique within a schema.

Type: The type of table:

- Normal: A regular database table. It can be partitioned (see Partitioning pane, Subpartition Templates pane, and Partition Definitions pane).

- External: An external table (see External Table Properties pane).

- Index Organized: An index-organized table (see Index Organized Properties pane).

- Temporary Table: A temporary table, which is not stored permanently in the database. The temporary table definition persists in the same way as the definition of a regular table, but the table segment and any data in the temporary table persist only for the duration of either the transaction (Transaction option) or the session (Session option).

Columns pane

Specifies properties for each column in the table.

Columns: Lists the columns currently in the table. To add a column, click the Add Column (+) icon; to delete a column, select it and click the Remove Column (X) icon; to move a column up or down in the table definition, select it and use the up-arrow and down-arrow buttons.

Note:

After you add a column, to add another column, click the Add Column (+) icon.

Name: Name of the column. Must be unique within the table. Suggestion: For a new column, replace any default name, such as COLUMN1.

Datatype: Simple indicates a simple (non-object) data type; Complex indicates an object type. For a complex type, you must specify the schema and the type name (for example, MDSYS and SDO_GEOMETRY for the Oracle Spatial geometry type).

Type: Name of the data type. Most of the remaining information depends on the specific type.

Precision: For numeric data, the precision (total number of significant digits that can be represented) of the column data.

Scale: For numeric data, the scale (number of digits after the decimal point) of the column data.

Size: For character data, the maximum size of the column data.

Units: For character data, the units represented by the Size: BYTE for bytes or CHAR for characters. This attribute is important if the database can contain data in Unicode format, with multiple bytes for each character.

Default: For relevant types, the default value inserted into the column if no value is specified when a row is inserted.

Cannot be NULL: If this option is checked, the column must contain data; you cannot specify no value or an explicit null value for this column when you insert a row. If this option is not checked, the column can contain either data or no data. A primary key column (see Primary Key pane) cannot be null.

Comment: Optional descriptive comment about the column.

To add another column, click the Add Column (+) icon.

Primary Key pane

Specifies the primary key for the table. The primary key is the column, or set of columns, that uniquely identifies each row in the table.

An index is automatically created on the primary key.

Name: Name of the constraint to be associated with the primary key definition. Must be unique within the database.

Enabled: If this option is checked, the primary key constraint is enforced: that is, the data in the primary key column (or set of columns) must be unique and not null.

Available Columns: Lists the columns that are available to be added to the primary key definition.

Selected Columns: Lists the columns that are included in the primary key definition.

To add a column to the primary key definition, select it in Available Columns and click the Add (>) icon; to remove a column from the primary key definition, select it in Selected Columns and click the Remove (<) icon. To move all columns from available to selected (or the reverse), use the Add All (>>) or Remove All (<<) icon. To move a column up or down in the primary key definition, select it in Selected Columns and use the arrow buttons.

The remaining fields (Populate Primary Key Column through Trigger Name) appear only when you are creating a table. They are not available when you are editing an existing table.

Populate Primary Key Column: When you are creating a table, if you want to use a trigger and a sequence to have a unique value automatically inserted into the primary key column when you insert a new row, specify the primary key column.

From: An existing sequence that you select, or a new sequence whose name you enter. (For a new sequence, SQL Developer creates the sequence automatically using the name that you enter.)

Trigger Name: The name for the before-insert trigger that will be automatically created. This trigger uses the sequence to generate a new value for the primary key when a row is inserted. For an example of using this technique, see the tutorial section Section 3.3, "Creating a Table (TRANSACTIONS)".

Unique Constraints pane

Specifies one or more unique constraints for the table. A unique constraint specifies a column, or set of columns, whose data values must be unique: each data value must not be null, and it must not be the same as any other value in the column.

For a multicolumn unique constraint, the combination of values must be unique, and no column in the constraint definition can have a null value. For example, if you specify the office_name and city columns for a unique constraint, you could not have two Sales offices in Chicago, but you could have a Sales office in Chicago and a Sales office in Atlanta.

Unique Constraints: Lists the unique constraints currently defined on the table. To add a unique constraint, click the Add button; to delete a unique constraint, select it and click the Remove button.

Note:

After you add a unique constraint, to add another unique constraint, click the Add button.

Name: Name of the unique constraint. Must be unique within the database.

Enabled: If this option is checked, the unique constraint is enforced.

Available Columns: Lists the columns that are available to be added to the unique constraint definition.

Selected Columns: Lists the columns that are included in the unique constraint definition.

To add a column to the unique constraint definition, select it in Available Columns and click the Add (>) icon; to remove a column from the unique constraint definition, select it in Selected Columns and click the Remove (<) icon. To move all columns from available to selected (or the reverse), use the Add All (>>) or Remove All (<<) icon. To move a column up or down in the unique constraint definition, select it in Selected Columns and use the arrow buttons.

Foreign Keys pane

Specifies one or more foreign keys for the table. A foreign key specifies a column ("local column"), each of whose data values must match a value in the primary key or unique constraint of another table.

Foreign Keys: Lists the foreign keys currently defined on the table. To add a foreign key, click the Add button; to delete a foreign key, select it and click the Remove button.

Note:

After you add a foreign key, to add another foreign key, click the Add button.

Name: Name of the foreign key definition. Must be unique within the database.

Enabled: If this option is checked, the foreign key is enforced.

Referenced Schema: Name of the schema containing the table with the primary key or unique constraint to which this foreign key refers.

Referenced Table: Name of the table with the primary key or unique constraint to which this foreign key refers.

Referenced Constraint: Name of the primary key or unique constraint to which this foreign key refers.

Associations: Local Column: Lists the column in the currently selected (local) table that is included in the foreign key definition. For each local column in the foreign key definition, select the name of a column in the local table.

Associations: Referenced Column on [table]: For each local column, identifies the column in the other (foreign) table that must have a value matching the value in the local column.

Check Constraints pane

Specifies one or more check constraints for the table. A check constraint specifies a condition that must be met when a row is inserted into the table or when an existing row is modified.

Check Constraints: Lists the check constraints currently defined on the table. To add a check constraint, click the Add button; to delete a check constraint, select it and click the Remove button.

Note:

After you add a check constraint, to add another check constraint, click the Add button.

Name: Name of the check constraint definition. Must be unique within the database.

Enabled: If this option is checked, the check constraint is enforced.

Condition: Condition that must be met for a row. Can be any valid CHECK clause (without the CHECK keyword). For example, to indicate that the value in a numeric column named RATING must be from 1 to 10, you can specify: rating >=1 and rating <= 10

To add another check constraint, click the Add button.

Indexes pane

Specifies properties for each index on the table.

Indexes: Lists the indexes currently defined on the table. To add an index, click the Add Index (+) icon; to delete an index, select it and click the Remove Index (X) icon.

Note:

After you add an index, to add another index, click the Add Index (+) icon.

Name: Name of the index. Must be unique within the schema.

Index: A list of index expressions, that is, the table columns or column expressions in the index. To add an index expression, click the Add Column Expression (+) icon; this adds a column name here and in Column Expression, where you can edit it. To delete an index expression, click the Remove Column Expression (X) icon; to move an index expression up or down in the list, click the Move Column Up and Move Column Down icons. An index must have at least one index expression.

For example, to create an index on the AUTHOR_LAST_NAME column of the BOOKS table from the tutorial (see Creating a Table (BOOKS)), click the + icon, and select AUTHOR_LAST_NAME in Column Name or Expression (next field), which changes BOOKS to AUTHOR_LAST_NAME in the Index field.

Column Name or Expression: A column name or column expression. A column expression is an expression built from columns, constants, SQL functions, and user-defined functions. When you specify a column expression, you create a function-based index.

Order: ASC for an ascending index (index values sorted in ascending order); DESC for a descending index (index values sorted in descending order).

Column Sequences pane

Enables you to specify sequences and before-insert triggers to be used in populating a column with values. This approach is especially convenient for automatically populating primary key column values with unique values.

Column: Name of the column for which a sequence and a trigger are to be used to insert unique values. The data type of the column must be numeric.

Sequence: None causes no sequence to be used; Existing Sequence uses the sequence that you specify; New Sequence creates a new sequence with a default or specified name.

Trigger: Before-insert trigger that automatically inserts the next value of the specified sequence into the column when a new row is inserted.

Storage Options pane

Specifies storage options for the table, enabling you to override the default storage options.

Tablespace: Name of the tablespace for the table.

Pct Free: Percentage of space in each of the data blocks of the table reserved for future updates to the rows of the table. You can enter a value from 0 through 99.

Pct Used: Minimum percentage of used space that Oracle maintains for each data block of the table. A block becomes a candidate for row insertions when its used space falls below the Pct Used value. You can enter a value from 1 through 99.

Extents - Initial: Size of the first extent of the table. Specify K (kilobytes) or M (megabytes) for the unit associated with the number.

Extents - Next: Size of the next extent to be allocated to the table. Specify K (kilobytes) or M (megabytes) for the unit associated with the number.

Extents - Min: Minimum number of extents allocated when the table is created.

Extents - Max: Maximum number of extents allocated when the table is created. Unlimited (if checked) means that there is no maximum (and any specified maximum is ignored).

Pct Increase: Percentage that each extent grows over the previous extent.

Ini Trans: Number of update transaction entries for which space is initially reserved in the data block header.

Max Trans: Number of transaction entries that could concurrently use data in a data block. This parameter has been deprecated. Oracle Database now automatically allows up to 255 concurrent update transactions for any data block, depending on the available space in the block.

Free Lists - Lists: Number of free lists for each of the free list groups for the table. The default and minimum value for this parameter is 1, meaning that each free list group contains one free list.

Free Lists - List Groups: Number of groups of free lists for the table. The default and minimum value for this parameter is 1. Oracle uses the instance number of Real Application Clusters instances to map each instance to one free list group.

Buffer Pool: <DEFAULT> means to use the Oracle Database default. KEEP means to put blocks from the segment into the Keep buffer pool; maintaining an appropriately sized Keep buffer pool lets Oracle retain the database object in memory to avoid I/O operations. RECYCLE means to put blocks from the segment into the Recycle pool; an appropriately sized Recycle pool reduces the number of objects whose default pool is the Recycle pool from taking up unnecessary cache space.

Logging: <DEFAULT> means to use the Oracle Database default. ON means that the table creation and any subsequent direct loader (SQL*Loader) and direct-path INSERT operations against the table, partition, or LOB storage are logged in the redo log file. OFF means that these operations are not logged in the redo log file.

LOB Parameters pane

Specifies storage options for LOB (large object) columns, enabling you to override the default storage options.

Column: Name of the LOB column.

Store VARRAY as LOB: If this option is checked: If the maximum varray size is less than 4000 bytes, the database stores the varray as an inline LOB unless you have disabled storage in row; if the maximum varray size is greater than 4000 bytes or if you have disabled storage in row, the database stores in the varray as an out-of-line LOB. If this option is not checked, storage is based on the maximum possible size of the varray rather than on the actual size of a varray column.

Chunk: The number of bytes to be allocated for LOB manipulation. If the value is not a multiple of the database block size, then the database rounds up in bytes to the next multiple. The maximum value is 32768 (32K), which is the largest Oracle Database block size allowed. The default CHUNK size is one Oracle Database block.

Tablespace: Name of the tablespace for the LOB data.

Buffer Pool: <DEFAULT> means to use the Oracle Database default. KEEP means to put blocks from the segment into the Keep buffer pool; maintaining an appropriately sized Keep buffer pool lets Oracle retain the database object in memory to avoid I/O operations. RECYCLE means to put blocks from the segment into the Recycle pool; an appropriately sized Recycle pool reduces the number of objects whose default pool is the Recycle pool from taking up unnecessary cache space.

Pct Version: Specifies the maximum percentage of overall LOB storage space used for maintaining old versions of the LOB. The default value is 10, meaning that older versions of the LOB data are not overwritten until they consume 10% of the overall LOB storage space. You can specify a Pct Version value whether the database is running in manual mode (where it is the default) or automatic undo mode (where Retention is the default). You cannot specify both a Pct Version value and the Retention option.

Retention: If this option is checked, old versions of this LOB column and retained. You can specify this option only if the database is running in automatic undo mode and if you do not specify a Pct Version value.

Free Pools: Specifies the number of groups of free lists for the LOB segment, usually the number of instances in a Real Application Clusters environment or 1 for a single-instance database. You can specify this option only if the database is running in automatic undo mode. You cannot specify both a Free Pools value and the Free Lists fields.

Logging: <DEFAULT> means to use the Oracle Database default. ON means that the table creation and any subsequent direct loader (SQL*Loader) and direct-path INSERT operations against the table, partition, or LOB storage are logged in the redo log file. OFF means that these operations are not logged in the redo log file.

Free Lists - Lists: Number of free lists for each of the free list groups for the table. The default and minimum value for this parameter is 1, meaning that each free list group contains one free list.

Free Lists - List Groups: Number of groups of free lists for the table. The default and minimum value for this parameter is 1. Oracle uses the instance number of Real Application Clusters instances to map each instance to one free list group.

Extents - Initial: Size of the first extent of the table. Specify K (kilobytes) or M (megabytes) for the unit associated with the number.

Extents - Next: Size of the next extent to be allocated to the table. Specify K (kilobytes) or M (megabytes) for the unit associated with the number.

Extents - Min: Minimum number of extents allocated when the table is created.

Extents - Max: Maximum number of extents allocated when the table is created. Unlimited (if checked) means that there is no maximum (and any specified maximum is ignored).

Extents - Pct Increase: Percentage that each extent grows over the previous extent.

Partitioning pane

Specifies partitioning options for a partitioned table, which is a table that is organized into smaller and more manageable pieces called partitions. SQL queries and DML statements do not need to be modified in order to access partitioned tables; however, after partitions are defined, DDL statements can access and manipulate individuals partitions rather than entire tables or indexes. Also, partitioning is entirely transparent to applications.

Partition By: The type of partitioning: RANGE partitions the table on ranges of values from the column list (which for an index-organized tablet must be a subset of the primary key columns of the table); HASH partitions the table using the hash method (rows assigned to partitions using a hash function on values found in columns designated as the partitioning key); LIST partitions the table on lists of literal values from column (useful for controlling how individual rows map to specific partitions).

Available: Lists the columns whose values are available to be used in assigning rows to partitions.

Selected: Lists the column whose values are to be used in assigning rows to partitions.

To add a column to the partitioning definition, select it in Available Columns and click the Add (>) icon; to remove a column from the partitioning definition, select it in Selected Columns and click the Remove (<) icon. To move all columns from available to selected (or the reverse), use the Add All (>>) or Remove All (<<) icon. To move a column up or down in the partitioning definition, select it in Selected Columns and use the arrow buttons.

Subpartition By: The partitioning type to be used to create subpartitions within each range partition. Use the Available and Selected column lists select and deselect a column for subpartitioning.

Subpartition Templates pane

Specifies subpartitioning options for a partitioned table. The options depend on the subpartition type, and might include the following.

Hash Quantity: Hash subpartition quantity.

Tablespaces: Available and Selected tablespaces for storage of the data in a subpartition.

Subpartition Templates: Specifications (subpartition templates) to control the placement of rows in each subpartition. Click the Add (+) icon to add a subpartition template that is appropriate for the subpartition type.

Subpartition Details: For each subpartition template, specify a name and (if relevant) a value or set of values that is appropriate for the subpartition type.

Storage: Enables you to specify a tablespace for the subpartition.

Partition Definitions pane

Defines each partition for a partitioned table. The options depend on the partition type, and might include the following.

Partitions: Specifications to control the placement of rows in each partition. Click the Add (+) icon to add a partition specification that is appropriate for the partition type.

Partition Details: For each partition specification, specify a name and (if relevant) a value or set of values that is appropriate for the subpartition type.

Storage: Enables you to specify a tablespace for the partition.

Subpartitions: Enables you to specify subpartition information.

Index Organized Properties pane

Specifies options for an index-organized table, which is a table in which the rows, both primary key column values and nonkey column values, are maintained in an index built on the primary key. Index-organized tables are best suited for primary key-based access and manipulation.

PCTTHRESHOLD: The percentage of space reserved in the index block for an index-organized table row; must be large enough to hold the primary key. All trailing columns of a row, starting with the column that causes the specified threshold to be exceeded, are stored in the overflow segment. PCTTHRESHOLD must be a value from 1 to 50; the default is 50.

Key Compression: If this option is checked, key compression is enabled, which eliminates repeated occurrence of primary key column values in index-organized tables. In the box to the right of this field, you can specify the prefix length, which is the number of prefix columns to compress. (This value can be from 1 to the number of primary key columns minus 1; the default prefix length is the number of primary key columns minus 1.)

Include Column: Column at which to divide an index-organized table row into index and overflow portions. The primary key columns are always stored in the index. The Include Column can be either the last primary key column or any non-primary-key column. All non-primary-key columns that follow the Include Column are stored in the overflow data segment.

Mapping Table: If this option is checked, SQL Developer creates a mapping of local to physical ROWIDs and store them in a heap-organized table. This mapping is needed in order to create a bitmap index on the index-organized table. If the index-organized table is partitioned, then the mapping table is also partitioned and its partitions have the same name and physical attributes as the base table partitions.

Overflow: Specifications for the overflow segment. The options are the same as for the Storage Options pane.

External Table Properties pane

Specifies options for an external table, which is a read-only table whose metadata is stored in the database but whose data in stored outside the database. Among other capabilities, external tables enable you to query data without first loading it into the database.

Access Driver: The access driver of the external table. The access driver is the API that interprets the external data for the database: ORACLE_LOADER or ORACLE_DATAPUMP. You must specify the ORACLE_DATAPUMP access driver if you specify the AS subquery clause to unload data from one Oracle database and reload it into the same database or a different Oracle database.

Access Type: Type of data to be automatically converted during loads and unloads: BLOB or CLOB.

Default Directory: A default directory object corresponding to a directory on the file system where the external data sources may reside. The default directory can also be used by the access driver to store auxiliary files such as error logs.

Project Column: Determines how the access driver validates the rows of an external table in subsequent queries. ALL processes all column values, regardless of which columns are selected, and validates only those rows with fully valid column entries. If any column value would raise an error, such as a data type conversion error, the row is rejected even if that column was not referenced in the select list. REFERENCED processes only those columns in the select list.

The ALL setting guarantees consistent result sets. The REFERENCED setting can result in different numbers of rows returned, depending on the columns referenced in subsequent queries, but is faster than the ALL setting. If a subsequent query selects all columns of the external table, then the settings behave identically.

Reject Limit: The number of conversion errors can occur during a query of the external data before an Oracle Database error is returned and the query is aborted.

Access Parameters: Values to the parameters of the specific access driver for this external table.

Location Specifications: One or more external data sources. Each is usually a file, but it need not be. Oracle Database does not interpret this clause; it is up to the access driver to interpret this information in the context of the external data. Use the Add (+) icon to add each location specification.

Comment pane

Optional descriptive comment about the table.

DDL pane

You can review and save the CREATE TABLE statement that SQL Developer will use to create a new table or that reflects any changes you have made to the table properties. If you want to make any changes, go back to the relevant tabs and make the changes there.

To save the SQL statement to a script file, click Save and specify the location and file name.

When you are finished, click OK.

4.24 Create Trigger

The following information applies to a trigger, which is which is a stored PL/SQL block associated with a table, a schema, or the database, or an anonymous PL/SQL block or a call to a procedure implemented in PL/SQL or Java. The trigger is automatically executed when the specified conditions occur.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the trigger.

Name: Name of the trigger. Must be unique within the database.

Add New Source in Lowercase: If this option is checked, new text is entered in lowercase regardless of the case in which you type it. This option affects only the appearance of the code, because PL/SQL is not case sensitive in its execution.

Trigger tab

Trigger Type: The type of object on which to create the trigger: TABLE, VIEW, SCHEMA, or DATABASE. (The remaining items depend on the type of trigger.)

Table Owner or View Owner: For a trigger on a table or a view, the name of the owner of the table or the view.

Table Name or View Name : For a trigger on a table or a view, the name of the table or the view.

Before or After: For a trigger on a table, select Before to cause the database to fire the trigger before executing the triggering event, or select After to cause the database to fire the trigger after executing the triggering event.

Statement Level or Row Level: For a trigger on a table, Statement Level fires the trigger once before or after the triggering statement that meets the optional trigger constraint defined in the WHEN condition; Row Level fires the trigger once for each row that is affected by the triggering statement and that meets the optional trigger constraint defined in the WHEN condition.

Insert, Update, Delete: For a trigger on a table or a view, Insert fires the trigger whenever an INSERT statement adds a row to a table or adds an element to a nested table; Update fires fire the trigger whenever an UPDATE statement changes a value in one of the columns specified in Selected Columns (or in any column if no columns are specified); Delete fires the trigger whenever a DELETE statement removes a row from the table or removes an element from a nested table.

Referencing - Old: For a trigger on a table, the correlation names in the PL/SQL block and WHEN condition of a row trigger to refer specifically to old value of the current row.

Referencing - New: For a trigger on a table, the correlation names in the PL/SQL block and WHEN condition of a row trigger to refer specifically to new value of the current row.

Available Columns: For a trigger on a table, lists the columns from which you can select for use in an Update trigger definition.

Selected Columns: For a trigger on a table, lists the columns used in an Update trigger definition.

When: For a trigger on a table, an optional trigger condition, which is a SQL condition that must be satisfied for the database to fire the trigger. This condition must contain correlation names and cannot contain a query.

Schema: For a trigger on a schema, the name of the schema on which to create the trigger.

Available Events: For a trigger on a schema or database, lists events from which you can select for use in the trigger definition.

Selected Events: For a trigger on a schema or database, lists events used in the trigger definition.

DDL tab

This tab contains a read-only display of a SQL statement that reflects the current definition of the trigger.

4.25 Create Type (User-Defined)

This dialog box is displayed when you right-click Types in the Connections navigator and select Create Type to create a user-defined type. After you complete the information in this dialog box and click OK, a SQL Worksheet is displayed in which you must specify the appropriate definition of the type.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the type.

Name: Name of the type. Must be unique within its schema.

Type: Select the type of data type to be created: array type, object type specification, object type specification and type body, or table type.

For more information about creating a user-defined type, see the CREATE TYPE statement in Oracle Database SQL Language Reference.

4.26 Create/Edit User

The user dialog box is used for creating a new database user or editing an existing database user. The user properties are grouped under several tabs.

To create or edit a database user, the user associated with your database connection must have the DBA role. You should also be familiar with the main concepts and techniques documented in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide.

User tab

Specifies general properties for the database user.

User Name: The user name string. For an existing user, this field is read-only; to change the name, you must drop the user and create a new user with the desired name.

New Password: Password string for the new user, or new password for an existing user. You must also type the same password string for Confirm Password.

Password Expired: If this option is checked, the password is marked as expired, and the user must change the password before being permitted to connect to the database.

Account Locked: If this option is checked, the user will not be permitted to connect connect to the database until a DBA user unlocks the account associated with this user.

Roles tab

Specifies roles to be granted to the user. For each role, you can check Granted to grant the role, Admin to permit the user to grant the role to other users, and Default to use the default settings for Granted and Admin.

For convenience, you can click buttons to affect all settings (Grant All, Revoke All, Admin All, Admin None, Default All, Default None); then, you can specify other settings for individual roles.

System Privileges tab

Specifies privileges to be granted to the user. For each privilege, you can check Granted to grant the privilege, and Admin Option to permit the user to grant the privilege to other users.

For convenience, you can click buttons to affect all settings (Grant All, Revoke All, Admin All, Admin None); then, you can specify other settings for individual privileges.

Quotas tab

Specifies disk usage limits on specified tablespaces for the user. If you check Unlimited, there is no disk usage limit on the tablespace.

SQL tab

Displays the SQL statements that SQL Developer will use to create (after executing a CREATE USER statement) a new user or to edit an existing user. This display is read-only; if you want to make any changes, go back to the relevant tabs and make the changes there.

4.27 Create/Edit User Defined Report

The following information applies to a user-defined report. For information about how to create a user-defined report, as well as examples of creating such reports, see Section 1.11.11, "User Defined reports".

Details tab

Name: Name of the user-defined report.

Style: Report style: Table (default), Code (formats the code in the output), Chart (bar or pie chart; see Section 1.11.11.1, "User-Defined Report Example: Chart" for an example), plsql-dbms_output (dynamic HTML; see Section 1.11.11.2, "User-Defined Report Example: Dynamic HTML" for an example), or Script (executable script).

Description: Optional description of the report.

ToolTip: Optional tooltip text to be displayed when the mouse pointer stays briefly over the report name in the Reports navigator display.

SQL Statement: The complete SQL statement for retrieving the information to be displayed in the user-defined report. As a trivial example, the statement SELECT user "Current User" FROM DUAL; displays Current User as the heading and the name of the user associated with the current database connection.

Suggestion: Look at the SQL statements for various SQL Developer-supplied reports; check the Messages - Log pane below the report results, or click the SQL icon under the Report Results tab.

Add Child: Add a child report (subreport) of this report.

Test: Tests the report definition by running it in a separate window. This feature enables you to test the report before creating it.

Columns tab

Name: Name of the column.

Format: Format of the column.

hAlign: Horizontal alignment: Left or Right

vAlign: Vertical alignment: Bottom, Center, or Top

Add Column: Adds a new column.

Remove column: Removes the selected column.

Binds tab

Name: Name of the bind variable.

Prompt: String displayed when the user is prompted to enter a value. Example: Table name

Default: Default value if the user does not enter a value at the prompt. To accept the Oracle SQL value, specify NULL_VALUE.

ToolTip: Optional tooltip text to be displayed when the mouse pointer stays briefly over the bind variable name.

Chart Details tab

Available if the report type is Chart.

Chart Type: Bar chart with horizontal or vertical bars, or pie chart.

3D Graph: True for a three-dimensional appearance; False for a two-dimensional appearance.

Gradient Effect: True for a gradient effect; False for no gradient effect.

Chart Style: Thematic name for the overall appearance of the chart.

Show Grid: True to show the grid lines; False to hide the grid lines.

Show Legend: True to show the chart legend; False to hide the chart legend.

4.28 Create/Edit User Defined Report Folder

The following information applies to a folder for organizing user-defined reports. Each folder can contain reports and other folders (subfolders). For example, you can create a folder named Sales, and then under that folder create folders named Sales by District and Sales by Product.

For information about how to create user-defined reports and folders for these reports, see Section 1.11.11, "User Defined reports".

Name: Name of the folder.

Description: Optional description of the folder.

ToolTip: Optional tooltip text to be displayed when the mouse pointer stays briefly over the folder name in the Reports navigator display.

4.29 Create/Edit View

The view dialog box is used for creating or editing a view or materialized view. You can use the SQL Query tab or a series of panes to specify the query part of the view definition, and you can use one or more other panes (depending on the type of view) for other parts of the definition.

If you click OK before you are finished creating or editing the view, right-click the view name in the Connections navigator, select Edit, and continue creating or editing the view.

Schema: Database schema in which to create the view.

Name: Name of the view. Must be unique within a schema.

Advanced: If this option is checked, the dialog box changes to include a pane that provides an extended set of features for creating the view.

SQL Query tab or pane

As a tab (if you did not check the Advanced box), it contains the SQL code for the query part of the view definition, using the SELECT and FROM keywords and usually a WHERE clause with whatever syntax is needed to retrieve the desired information.

As a pane (if you checked the Advanced box), it presents options for building specific parts of the query.

For example, the following query, from the Creating a View tutorial topic, selects columns from the PATRONS and TRANSACTIONS tables, ordering them first by values in the PATRON_ID column in the PATRONS table and then by values in the TRANSACTION_TYPE column in the TRANSACTIONS table. The result is a listing by patron ID of all patrons who had transactions, and for each listed patron the transaction information listed by transaction type

CREATE VIEW patrons_trans_view AS
SELECT p.patron_id, p.last_name, p.first_name,
t.transaction_type, t.transaction_date
FROM patrons p, transactions t
WHERE p.patron_id = t.patron_id
ORDER BY p.patron_id, t.transaction_type;

SQL Parse Results: If you click Test Syntax, displays any SQL syntax errors, or displays a message indicating no errors if there are no syntax errors.

Revert: Cancels any edits you have made in the Entire SQL Query box, and displays the contents of the box before these edits.

Test Syntax: Checks the statement in the Entire SQL Query box for any SQL syntax errors.

Quick-Pick Objects pane

Specifies objects that you can use in the SELECT, FROM, and WHERE clauses of the view definition. Identify the tables and views on which this view is based, and the columns in those tables and views that are used in the definition of this view. To see the results of your quick-pick specification, either check Auto-Query or click Query.

Schema: Database schema containing the objects to be selected.

Type Filter - Filter Types: Enables you to limit the display of objects available for selection to certain types of database objects (for example, to show only tables or views).

Name Filter: Enables you to limit the display of objects available for selection according to a character string in the name, with the percent sign (%) as a wildcard character. For example, to limit the display of available tables and views to those whose names start with the string EM, specify the following name filter: EM%

Auto-Query: If this option is enabled, the display of available objects is automatically refreshed when you specify or change the Type Filter or Name Filter value.

Query: Refreshes the display of available objects based on the Type Filter and Name Filter values.

Available: Lists the objects (typically, tables and views in a hierarchical display) from which you can select objects to use in the SELECT, FROM, and WHERE clauses of the view definition.

Selected: Lists the objects (typically, columns) that you can use in the SELECT, FROM, and WHERE clauses of the view definition.

To add an object as selected, select it in Available and click the Add (>) icon; to remove an object as selected, select it in Selected and click the Remove (<) icon. To move all objects from selected to available, use the Remove All (<<) icon. To move an object up or down in the selected list, select it in Selected and use the arrow buttons.

For the example in DDL tab or pane, select the DEPTNO and SAL columns from the EMP table.

FROM Clause pane

Specifies the tables and views that you can use in the FROM clause of the view definition.

Available: Lists the tables and views that are available to be selected for use in the FROM clause of the view definition.

Selected: Lists the tables and views that you can use in the FROM clause of the view definition.

To add an object as selected, select it in Available and click the Add (>) icon; to remove an object as selected, select it in Selected and click the Remove (<) icon. To move all objects from available to selected, use the Add All (<<) icon; to move all objects from selected to available, use the Remove All (<<) icon.

Alias: Alias for the table or view.

For the example in DDL tab or pane, select the EMP table.

SELECT Clause pane

Specifies objects that you can use in the SELECT clause of the view definition.

SELECT List: Lists the objects (typically, columns) that you can currently use in the SELECT clause. To add an object, click the Add (+) icon; to delete an object, select it and click the Delete (X) icon; to move an object up or down in the view definition, select it and use the up-arrow and down-arrow buttons.

Note:

After you add an object, to add another object, click the Add (+) icon.

Expression: Column name or an expression. For expressions, you can type them, or you can use the Expression Palette to add object names and function names.

Validate: Checks the validity of the Expression entry.

For the example in DDL tab or pane, select DEPTNO column and the MIN(emp.sal) and MAX(emp.sal) functions.

WHERE Clause pane

Specifies the WHERE clause of the view definition.

WHERE: The text of the WHERE clause, without the WHERE keyword. You can type the text completely; or you can type some of the text and use the Expression Palette to add object names, function names, and operators.

Example (from the Creating a View tutorial exercise): p.patron_id = t.patron_id

GROUP BY Clause pane

Specifies a clause to be used to group the selected rows based on the value of columns for each row and return a single row of summary information for each group. The GROUP BY clause groups rows but does not guarantee the order of the result set; to order the groupings, use the ORDER BY clause.

Available: Lists the tables and views, and the columns in each, that are available to be selected for use in the GROUP BY clause of the view definition.

Selected: Lists the tables and views, and the columns in each, that you can use in the GROUP BY clause of the view definition.

To add an object as selected, select it in Available and click the Add (>) icon; to remove an object as selected, select it in Selected and click the Remove (<) icon. To move all objects from available to selected, use the Add All (<<) icon; to move all objects from selected to available, use the Remove All (<<) icon.

HAVING Clause pane

Specifies an expression that must be satisfied for rows to be processed by the GROUP BY clause. For example, HAVING MIN(salary) < 30000 causes the GROUP BY clause to consider only rows where the minimum value of the relevant salary values is less than 30000.

HAVING: You can type the complete expression text, or you can use the Expression Palette to add object names, function names, and operators to the expression text.

ORDER BY Clause pane

Specifies one or more columns or column expressions whose values will be used to sort the results returned by the view. Without an ORDER BY clause, no guarantee exists that the same query executed more than once will retrieve rows in the same order.

ORDER BY List: Lists the objects (typically, columns) that you can currently use in the ORDER BY clause. To add an object, click the Add (+) icon; to delete an object, select it and click the Delete (X) icon; to move an object up or down in the view definition, select it and use the up-arrow and down-arrow buttons.

Note:

After you add an object, to add another object, click the Add (+) icon.

ORDER BY Expression Filter: For each column or column expression, you can type the text completely into the Expression box; or you can type some of the text and use the Expression Palette to add object names, function names, and operators.

Validate: Tests the validity of the syntax for the expression.

Order: ASC for ascending (expression values sorted in ascending order); DESC for descending (expression values sorted in descending order).

Nulls Ordering: NULLS FIRST to have null expression values appear before non-null values; NULLS LAST to have null expression values appear after non-null values. ("Before" and "after" positions are determined by the Order value.)

View Information or Materialized View Properties pane

Options for a standard view:

Restrict Query: If this option is checked, you can enable one of the following options

- Read Only: Prevents the view from being used to add, delete, or change data in the underlying table or tables.

- Check Option: If this option is checked, it prohibits any changes to the underlying table or tables that would produce rows that are not included in this view.

Force on create: If this option is checked, the view is created even if it has errors in its definition. This option is useful if you want to create the view regardless of any errors, and go back and correct the errors later. If this option is not checked, the view is not created is its definition contains any errors.

Options for a materialized view:

Refresh Options:

Method: The method of refresh operation to be performed:

- Complete Refresh: Executes the defining query of the materialized view, even if a fast refresh is possible.

- Fast Refresh: Uses the incremental refresh method, which performs the refresh according to the changes that have occurred to the master tables. The changes for conventional DML changes are stored in the materialized view log associated with the master table.The changes for direct-path INSERT operations are stored in the direct loader log.

- Force Refresh: Performs a fast refresh if one is possible; otherwise, performs a complete refresh.

- Never: Do not perform refresh operations.

When: The type of refresh operation to be performed:

- On Demand: Performs a refresh when one of the DBMS_MVIEW refresh procedures is called.

- On Commit: Performs a fast refresh whenever the database commits a transaction that operates on a master table of the materialized view. This may increase the time taken to complete the commit, because the database performs the refresh operation as part of the commit process.

- Specify: Performs refresh operations according to what you specify in the Start on and Next fields.

- Never: Does not perform a refresh operation.

Type: Refresh type, which determines the type of materialized view:

- Primary Key: Creates a primary key materialized view, which allows materialized view master tables to be reorganized without affecting the eligibility of the materialized view for fast refresh.

- Row ID: Creates a rowid materialized view, which is useful if the materialized view does not include all primary key columns of the master tables.

Start on: Starting date and time for the first automatic refresh operation. Must be in the future.

Next: Time for the next automatic refresh operation. The interval between the Start on and Next times establishes the interval for subsequent automatic refresh operations. If you do not specify a value, the refresh operation is performed only once at the time specified for Start on.

Constraints: If this option is checked, more rewrite alternatives can be used during the refresh operation, resulting in more efficient refresh execution. The behavior of this option is affected by whether you select Enforced or Trusted.

Enforced: Causes only enforced constraints to be used during the refresh operation.

Trusted: Enables the use of dimension and constraint information that has been declared trustworthy by the database administrator but that has not been validated by the database. If the dimension and constraint information is valid, performance may improve. However, if this information is invalid, then the refresh procedure may corrupt the materialized view even though it returns a success status.

Materialized View Options:

Parallel: If this option is checked, parallel operations will be supported for the materialized view, and you can specify a number for the default degree of parallelism for queries and DML on the materialized view after creation.

Enable Cache: If this option is checked, the blocks retrieved for this table are placed at the most recently used end of the least recently used (LRU) list in the buffer cache when a full table scan is performed. This setting is useful for small lookup tables. If this option is not checked, the blocks are placed at the least recently used end of the LRU list.

Build Type: Specifies when to populate the materialized view. Immediate indicates that the materialized view is to be populated immediately. Deferred indicates that the materialized view is to be populated by the next refresh operation. If you specify Deferred, the first (deferred) refresh must always be a complete refresh; until then, the materialized view has a staleness value of unusable, so it cannot be used for query rewrite.

Enable Query Rewrite: If this option is checked, the materialized view is enabled for query rewrite, an optimization technique that transforms a user request written in terms of master tables into a semantically equivalent request that includes one or more materialized views.

Prebuilt Option: If this option is checked, an existing table is registered as a preinitialized materialized view. This option is particularly useful for registering large materialized views in a data warehousing environment. The table must have the same name and be in the same schema as the resulting materialized view, and the table should reflect the materialization of a subquery. Reduced Precision authorizes the loss of precision that will result if the precision of the table or materialized view columns do not exactly match the precision returned by subquery. No Reduced Precision requires that the precision of the table or materialized view columns match exactly the precision returned by subquery, or the create operation will fail.

Index Storage Options:

Use Index: If this option is checked, a default index is created and used to speed up incremental (fast) refresh of the materialized view. If this option is not checked, this default index is not created. (For example, you might choose to suppress the index creation now and to create such an index explicitly later.)

Use Tablespace: If this option is checked, you can specify the tablespace in which the materialized view is to be created. If this option is not checked, the materialized view is created in the default tablespace of the schema containing the materialized view.

DDL tab or pane

If you are editing an existing view or if you have only partially created a view, this tab contains a read-only display of a SQL statement that reflects the current definition of the view.

To save the SQL statement to a script file, click Save and specify the location and file name.

4.30 Create XML Schema

This dialog box enables you to specify the URL of an XML schema that can be associated with XML document instances.

Schema: Name of the schema in which to create the XML schema object.

Name: URL of the XML schema.

4.31 Configure File Type Associations

This dialog box, which is displayed the first time you start SQL Developer, enables you to associate certain file types with SQL Developer. If a file type is associated with SQL Developer, files with that type's extension will automatically be opened by SQL Developer when you double-click the file name. Any previous association for that file type is replaced.

If you do not associate a file type with SQL Developer, any existing association for that file is unchanged.

After you close this box, you can change the associations for these file types and many others by clicking Tools and then Preferences, and selecting File Types (see Section 1.12.8, "File Types").

4.32 DDL Panel for Creating or Editing an Object

You can review and save the SQL statement that SQL Developer will use to create or edit the object, to reflect any changes you have made to the object's properties. If you want to make any changes, go back to the relevant panels and make the changes there.

To save the SQL statement to a script file, click Save and specify the location and file name.

4.33 Debugger - Attach to JPDA

This dialog box is displayed when you right-click a database connection name and select Remote Debug. Use this dialog box if you are using the Sun Microsystem's Java Platform Debugger Architecture (JPDA) and you would like the debugger to listen so that a debuggee can attach to the debugger. For more information about remote debugging, see Section 1.6.1, "Remote Debugging".

Host: Name or IP address of the remote host on which SQL Developer should listen for the database to connect.

Port: Listening port number on the remote host. You can choose any valid port number that is not in use by another process.

Timeout: The number of seconds that SQL Developer will wait for the remote database to make a debugging connection.

Don't Show Dialog Box Before Connecting: If this option is checked, this dialog box will not be displayed before future connections for remote debugging.

4.34 Describe Object Window

This window is displayed when you select a database object name in the SQL Worksheet, right-click, and select Describe. The information is read-only, and is displayed using tabs that are appropriate for the type of object.

For example, if the display is for a table, the information displayed is similar to that in the Create/Edit Table (with advanced options) dialog box.

4.35 Edit Value (Table Column Data)

This dialog box enables you to edit data in a cell in the table Data grid (that is, edit the value of a single column within a row). You can change the data value and then click OK.

The specific options available depend on the data type of the column associated with that cell in the grid.

If you are not permitted to modify the data, the Value display is read-only.

4.36 Enter Bind Values

This dialog box enables you to enter values for each bind variable. If the NULL option is checked, you cannot enter a value in this dialog box. (The NULL option is checked by default.)

4.37 Export (Selected Objects or Types of Objects)

This dialog box is displayed when you click Tools and then Export. For a selected database connection, you can export some or all objects of one or more types of database objects to a file containing SQL data definition language (DDL) statements to create these objects. To specify options for the export operation, use the Options tab. To specify the objects or types of objects to export, use the Objects tab.

Options tab

File: Specify the name of the file to contain the DDL statements for creating the objects to be exported (for example, my_tables.sql). You can click Browse to select a directory for this file. (The default file path for export operations is specified in the SQL Developer user preferences for Database.)

Show Schema: If this option is checked, the schema name is included in CREATE statements. If this option is not checked, the schema name is not included in CREATE statements, which is convenient if you want to re-create the exported objects under a schema that has a different name.

Storage: If this option is checked, any STORAGE clauses in definitions of the database objects are preserved in the exported DDL statements. If you do not want to use the current storage definitions (for example, if you will re-create the objects in a different system environment), uncheck this option.

Terminator: If this option is checked, a line terminator character is inserted at the end of each line.

Pretty Print: If this option is checked, the statements are attractively formatted in the output file, and the size of the file will be larger than it would otherwise be.

Include BYTE Keyword: If this option is checked, column length specifications refer to bytes; if this option is not checked, column length specifications refer to characters.

Add Force to Views: If this option is checked, the FORCE option is added to any CREATE VIEW statements, causing each view to be created even if it contains errors.

Constraints as Alters: If this option is checked, constraints for each table are defined in separate ALTER TABLE statements instead of in the CREATE TABLE statement.

Export Data: If this option is checked, statements are included to insert the data for an exported table or view. If this option is not checked, statements are not included to insert the data for an exported table or view; that is, only the DDL statements are included.

Include Drop Statements: If this option is checked, DROP statements are included before the CREATE statements, to delete any existing objects with the same names. However, you may want to uncheck this option, and create a separate drop script that can be run to remove an older version of your objects before creation. This avoids the chance of accidentally removing an object you did not intend to drop.

Objects tab

Connection: Select the database connection with the objects to be exported.

Objects: Expand the tree as needed to display the object types and objects that you want to export, and check to select the desired object types and/or objects. You must select at least one object or object type.

4.38 Export: Advanced Data Filter

This dialog box is displayed when you click Advanced in the Export (Selected Objects or Types of Objects) dialog box.

Schema: Select the name of the schema to see the available objects on which you can specify a filter.

Filter: A WHERE clause specifying the condition or conditions for filtering data from the selected object.

Apply Filter: Click to apply the specified filter.

When you are finished applying any filters, click Apply.

4.39 Export Error

This dialog box is displayed when you tried to export some or all objects of one or more types of database objects to a file containing SQL statements, but did not include some essential information, which might include one or more of the following:

- The name of the output file. Look at the Options tab, and be sure that you specified a file.

- One or more objects or types of objects. Look at the Objects tab, and be sure that you selected (checked) at least one object or type of object.

4.40 Export Table Data

This dialog box is displayed when you right-click a table name, a table data display, a SQL Worksheet result set, or report output, and select Export and then an export format. You can export some or all of the data to a file or to the system clipboard. To restrict the output to specified columns, use the Columns tab. To restrict the output based on a WHERE clause condition, use the Where tab.

Format tab

Format: Determines the format of entries written in the specified output file: Insert for SQL INSERT statements, XML for XML tags and data, SQL LOADER for a SQL*Loader control file, or CSV for comma-separated values including a header row for column identifiers.

Output: File writes the output to a file that you specify; Clipboard places the output on the system clipboard, so that you can paste it into a file, a command line, or other location appropriate for the format.

File: If the output is to a file, click Browse to select the directory or folder and to specify the file name and extension. The file path is then placed in the File box. (The default file path for export operations is specified in the SQL Developer user preferences for Database.) Standard file extensions are .sql for Insert format, .xml for XML format, .ctl for SQL LOADER format, and .csv for CSV format.

Columns tab

You can specify whether the output should include data from all columns or just from the checked columns.

Where tab

You can restrict the output by entering a valid WHERE clause for a query on the table, without the WHERE keyword. For example, to restrict the exported data to rows where a column named RATING contains a value greater than 5, specify: rating > 5

4.41 External Tools

This dialog box is displayed when you click Tools and then External Tools. It displays information about user-defined external tools that are integrated with the SQL Developer interface.

Find Tools: Checks for any tools that Oracle offers for your consideration, and adds them to the list if they are not already included.

New: Starts a wizard for defining a new external tool (see Section 4.42, "Create/Edit External Tool").

Edit: Displays a dialog box for editing the selected external tool (see Section 4.42, "Create/Edit External Tool").

4.42 Create/Edit External Tool

This interface is displayed as a wizard if you are creating a new external tool, and as a dialog box if you are editing an existing external tool (see Section 4.41, "External Tools").

External Program Options

Program Executable: Path of the program executable for the tool.

Arguments: Arguments (parameters) to be passed to the program. You can click Insert to insert a macro for the argument (see Section 4.44, "Insert Macro").

Run Directory: Directory in which to run the program. You can click Insert to insert a macro for the directory (see Section 4.44, "Insert Macro").

Command Sample: A read-only sample display of the command to run the program.

Display Options

Specify how the external tool should appear when displayed in menu or toolbar items.

Caption for Menu Items: The text string that will appear for any menu item that calls the external tool. To indicate the mnemonic character, use the ampersand before the character. For example: &Mytool for the "M" to be underlined and used as the mnemonic

ToolTip Text: Text for the tooltip to be displayed when the mouse pointer hovers over the icon for the tool in a toolbar.

Icon Location: File path of the icon associated with the tool. Click Browse to specify a graphics file, or Use Default to use the default icon (if you previously specified a nondefault icon).

Preview: A read-only display of the menu item and its associated icon.

Integration Options

Specify how the external tool will be integrated with SQL Developer.

Add Items to Menus: Check any menus on which you want to include an item for this tool.

Add Buttons to Toolbars: To add the icon for this tool to the SQL Developer main toolbar, check Main Toolbar.

After Tool Exits: To have SQL Developer reload any open files after the tool exits, check Reload Open Files.

Availability Options

Specify when the external tool is enabled. In contexts where the tool is not enabled, its menu item and icon are grayed out.

Always: Makes the tool always available.

When a File is Selected or Open in the Editor: Makes the tool available only when a file is selected or open, such as when the SQL Worksheet is open.

When Specific File Types are Selected: Makes the tool available only when files of the specified type or types are selected. Use the arrow buttons to move desired types from Available Types to Selected Types.

4.43 Filter

This dialog box is displayed when you right-click an object type node (such as Tables) in the Connections navigator and select Apply Filter. Use this box to limit the number of objects of that type that are displayed, according to one or more filter criteria that you specify. For each criterion, specify the following:

- Criterion name (for example, OBJECT_NAME for a table)

- Operator (for example, LIKE)

- Value for comparison (for example EM%)

- Case Sensitive option for character data comparison

For example, to display only tables with names that start with EM, specify: OBJECT_NAME LIKE EM% (with the percent sign as a wildcard character)

To add another filter criterion, click the Add (+) icon; to delete a criterion, select it and click the Delete (X) icon; to move a criterion up or down in the list, select it and use the arrow icons.

To apply the filter criteria to the Connections navigator display, click OK.

To remove the effects of applying a filter, right-click the object type node in the Connections navigator display and select Clear Filter.

4.44 Insert Macro

This dialog box is displayed when you click Insert when specifying external program options (see Section 4.42, "Create/Edit External Tool"). It enables you to insert a sample text string into the relevant field for the external program option; you can then edit that string to suit your needs. (This is somewhat analogous to using snippets to insert text strings into the SQL Worksheet.)

Select the desired type of macro, read its description to ensure that it is what you want, and click OK. For some macros, a sample expansion is included.

4.45 Externally Modified Files

This dialog box filters is displayed when an external application has modified a file that you have open in SQL Developer. You are asked if you want to reload the externally modified file.

If you click Yes, the externally modified file overwrites any changes that you might have made in SQL Developer. If you click No, the externally modified file will be overwritten by your version when you save the file in SQL Developer.

4.46 Filter Object Types

This dialog box filters (restricts) the types of objects to be displayed for the schema associated with the selected user.

Available Object Types: Lists the types of objects that are available to be added to the display.

Displayed Object Types: Lists the types of objects that are included in the display.

To add a type of object to the display, select it in Available Object Types and click the Add (>) icon; to remove a type of object from the display, select it in Displayed Object Types and click the Remove (<) icon. To move all types of objects from available to displayed (or the reverse), use the Add All (>>) or Remove All (<<) icon.

4.47 Filter Schemas

This dialog box enables you to restrict the schemas that are displayed under Other Users in the Connections navigator.

Available Schemas: Lists the schemas that are not currently displayed under Other Users in the Connections navigator, but that are available to be added to the list of displayed users.

Displayed Schemas: Lists the schemas that are to be included in the display under Other Users in the Connections navigator.

To add a schema to the display, select it in Available Schemas and click the Add (>) icon; to remove a schema from the display, select it in Displayed Schemas and click the Remove (<) icon. To move all schemas from available to displayed (or the reverse), use the Add All (>>) or Remove All (<<) icon.

Only display schemas with visible objects: Limits the display to available schemas that have any database objects that are visible to the database user associated with the current connection.

4.48 Find/Replace Text

This dialog box specifies a text string to find, optionally a replacement text string, and search options.

Text to Search For: Text string to search for.

Replace With: If you check this option, enter a text string to replace the text string that is being searched for.

Options: Options to control the search behavior: Match Case makes the search case sensitive; Search from Beginning starts the search at the beginning instead of at the text cursor; Highlight All Occurrences highlights all occurrences of the search string instead of just the first one; Wrap Around searches across line breaks; Whole Word Only find the search string only if it is a complete word and not just part of a word; Regular Expressions means that the search string is a regular expression; Selected Text Only means to search only in the text block that you have selected.

Direction: Forward starts the search from the cursor in the direction of normal text flow; Backward starts the search from the cursor in the opposite direction of normal text flow.

4.49 Generate Oracle DDL

This dialog box is displayed when you click Migration, then Script Generation, then Generate Oracle DDL It specifies the converted model for which to generate Oracle DDL (data definition language) statements. The operation produces a SQL*Plus script file that you use for offline generation: that is, you can run the script to create the appropriate objects in the Oracle database.

When the operation is in progress, a box displays object types and the number of objects of each type for which DDL statements are being generated.

After the operation finishes, a box displays the directory in which two files have been created: a .sql file containing DDL statements (such as CREATE TABLE and CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW) that create the migrated schema objects in the Oracle database, and a .ctl file containing the SQL*Plus @ statement to invoke the .sql file.

Converted Objects: Converted model containing objects for which to generate Oracle DDL statements.

4.50 Generate Offline Data Move Files

This dialog box is displayed when you click Migration, then Script Generation, then Generate Data Move Scripts. It specifies the converted model and the destination directory if you are performing offline data migration, which is explained in Section 2.9.1.

Converted Model: Converted model containing tables whose data is to be moved to the corresponding Oracle database tables.

Directory: Path in which to create files containing the data and the SQL*Loader specifications.

4.51 Go to Line Number

Use this box to specify the line number to go to in the selected function or procedure. After you enter the line number and click OK, that line is highlighted.

4.52 Go to Line Number: Error

This error box tells you that you entered an invalid line number in the Go to Line Number box, probably because you entered a line number greater than that of the last line in the function or procedure.

4.53 Load Preset Key Mappings

This dialog box is displayed when you click Load Preset when specifying accelerator key preferences for SQL Developer. You can load a set of predefined key mappings for certain systems and external editing applications. If you load any preset key mappings that conflict with changes that you have made, your changes are overwritten.

4.54 Modify Value

This dialog box is displayed when you right-click a variable in the Data or Smart Data pane during debugging and select Modify Value. You can modify the value for the selected data item (primitive value, string, or reference pointer) during debugging. Note: You cannot undo the action after you click OK, so be careful when making any changes.

Current Value: The value of the data item.

New Value: The new value for the data item (enter or select from a drop-down list).

- For a primitive value, you can enter a new value.

- For a reference pointer, you can enter the memory address of an existing object or array. To set a reference pointer to null, enter 0 as a memory address.

- For a string, you can enter either a new string value or the memory address of an existing string.

Interpret New Value as Object Address: If this option is checked, the New Value entry is interpreted as a memory address pointer to an object or array in the heap of the program you are debugging. For a string, this box must be checked check if the value you enter in the New Value field is the memory address of an existing string

4.55 Data Move Details

This dialog box is displayed when you click Migration, then Migrate Data. It specifies the source and target information for online data migration, which is explained in Section 2.9.

Source Connection: Database connection from which data is to be migrated.

Target Connection: Database connection to which data is to be migrated.

Converted Model: Converted model containing tables whose data is to be moved to the corresponding Oracle database tables.

4.56 Open File

This is a standard box for selecting a file to open: use Location to navigate to (double-clicking) the folder with the file to open, then click the file to select it.

4.57 Query Builder

The Query Builder box is displayed when you right-click in the SQL Worksheet and select Query Builder. You can use this box to create a SELECT statement by dragging and dropping table and view names and by graphically specifying columns and other elements of the query. When you finish building the query, the resulting SELECT statement is inserted into the SQL Worksheet.

The Query Builder capabilities are grouped under the following tabs.

Select Columns

Use the Select Columns tab to select tables and views, then columns within them, to be used in the query. Use the connections tree on the left to find the desired tables and views under the appropriate schema or schemas, and double-click each desired table and view.

Within each selected table or view, click to select the desired columns (all or specific ones) to include in the query.

Create Where Clause

Use the Create Where Clause tab to select, for each column in the WHERE clause, the column name, operator, and value. For example, you might want to select only rows where AUTHOR_LAST_NAME contains Melville or where RATING > 5.

Show SQL

Use the Show SQL tab to see a read-only display of the query reflecting what you have specified so far.

View Results

Use the View tab to test the query in its current form. Click the Execute Statement icon to execute the query.

Refresh: Specifies the refresh interval: the number of seconds between each time the query is automatically re-executed and the results display is updated. A value of zero (0) means that the query is not automatically re-executed after the initial execution.

4.58 Recent Files

This dialog box displays files recently opened in SQL Developer.

Files: A list of files opened in SQL Developer, with the most recent file first. The Show All option determines whether the list includes only files opened implicitly or files opened implicitly or explicitly.

Show All: If this option is checked, the list includes both explicitly and implicitly opened files; if this option is not checked, the list includes only implicitly opened files. Explicitly opened files are those that you opened directly; implicitly opened files are those that SQL Developer opened to support your work (for example, while you were debugging).

4.59 Create Repository

This dialog box is displayed if you click Migration, then Repository Management, then Create Repository.

Create Repository: Name of the database connection to use to create a migration repository. The objects associated with the migration repository are created in the schema of the user associated with the selected connection.

4.60 Delete or Truncate Repository

The Delete Repository dialog box is displayed if you click Migration, then Repository Management, then Delete Repository; the Truncate Repository dialog box is displayed if you click Migration, then Repository Management, then Truncate Repository.

Deleting a repository removes all schema objects that are used for the migration repository. Truncating a repository deletes all data from schema objects that are used for the migration repository, but does not delete the schema objects themselves, effectively leaving you with an empty repository.

Repository: Name of the database connection in which to delete or truncate the migration repository.

4.61 Capture Microsoft Access Exporter XML

This dialog box is displayed if you click Migration, then Capture Exporter XML.

File Path: File path to the .xml file that was produced when you ran the appropriate version of the exporter tool for Microsoft Access (when you clicked Migrations, then Microsoft Access Exporter, then the appropriate version for your version of Microsoft Access).

4.62 Select Current Repository

This dialog box is displayed if you click Migration, then Repository Management, then Select Current Repository. You can use this dialog box to reconnect to a migration repository after you have disconnected (using Migration, then Repository Management, then Disconnect Migration Repository). In addition, if you have multiple migration repositories, and you can use this dialog box to switch from one to another.

Select Current Repository: Name of the database connection with the migration repository to be used for all operations relating to migrating third-party databases to Oracle.

4.63 Run/Debug PL/SQL

Use this box to specify parameter values for running or debugging a PL/SQL function or procedure. (If you specify a package, select a function or procedure in the package.)

Target: Name of the function or procedure to run or to run in debug mode. (You have a choice only if you specified a package that has more than one subprogram.)

Parameters: List of each parameter for the specified target. The mode of each parameter can be IN (the value is passed in), OUT (the value is returned, or IN/OUT (the value is passed in, and the result of the function or procedure's action is stored in the parameter).

PL/SQL Block: A block of PL/SQL code created by SQL Developer. You should change the formal IN and IN/OUT parameter specifications in this block to actual values that you want to use for running or debugging the function or procedure.

For example, to specify 10 as the value for an input parameter named in_rating, change IN_RATING => IN_RATING to IN_RATING => 10.

When you click OK, SQL Developer runs the function or procedure.

If you are debugging a function or procedure, the debugging toolbar and one or more windows for debug-related information are displayed, as explained in Section 1.6, "Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures".

4.64 Create/Edit Breakpoint

Use this box to create or edit a breakpoint to use when debugging a PL/SQL function or procedure.

Definition tab

Specify the definition of the breakpoint.

Breakpoint Type: Type of breakpoint, indicating when the breakpoint will occur. Options include breaking when one of the following occurs: a specific line of code (Source); exception class or other class; method, file, or watchpoint.

Breakpoint Details: Options depend on the breakpoint type.

Breakpoint Group Name: Breakpoint group in which to include this breakpoint. Breakpoint groups can be edited, enabled, and disabled.

Conditions tab

Specify any conditions that apply to the breakpoint.

Condition: A SQL condition (WHERE clause without the WHERE keyword) restricting when the breakpoint occurs. For example, to specify that the condition should occur only when status_code is greater than 10, specify:

status_code > 10

Thread Options: You can specify whether the breakpoint occurs for all threads, or only when the breakpoint is hit by threads that either do or do not have a specified name.

Pass Count: The number of times the debugger should allow execution to pass over the breakpoint before the breakpoint occurs.

Actions tab

Specify the actions to be taken when the breakpoint occurs. The options you specify override any default values on the Debugger: Breakpoints: Default Actions pane for SQL Developer Preferences.

Halt Execution: Pauses execution when the breakpoint occurs.

Beep: Beeps when the breakpoint occurs.

Log Breakpoint Occurrence: Sends a message to the log window when the breakpoint occurs. You can also specify the following to be included in each display: a tag, and a condition to be evaluated.

Enable/Disable a Group of Breakpoints: Enables or disables the specified breakpoint group when this breakpoint occurs.

4.65 Save/Save As

This is a standard box for saving information to a file: use Location to navigate to (double-clicking) the folder in which to save the file, then specify the file name (including any extension) and, if necessary, the file type.

4.66 Save Files

This box asks if you want to save the specified files before another action occurs (for example, saving procedures you had been editing before disconnecting).

4.67 Unable to Save Files

This box informs you that SQL Developer is unable to save the specified file or files. To cancel the attempt to save the files and to return to edit the relevant object, click Cancel.

4.68 Save Style Settings

This dialog box is displayed when you click Save As in the Code Editor: Syntax Colors pane when setting SQL Developer Preferences. You can save the specified color settings as a named color scheme, which adds it to the drop-down list for Scheme in that pane.

4.69 Schema Differences

This dialog box is displayed if you click Tools, then Schema Diff. Use this box to find differences between objects of the same type and name (for example, tables named CUSTOMERS) in two different schemas, and optionally to update the objects in one schema (destination) to reflect differences in the other schema (source).

Use the Source tab to specify one database connection, and use the Destination tab to identify the database containing the schema with objects to be compared with the source schema. The database for the destination schema can be the same as, or different from, the database for the source schema.

Source tab

Connection: Database connection for the source schema (the schema in which selected objects are to be compared with objects in the destination schema).

Objects: Expand the hierarchy, and select one or more types or objects or specific objects that will compared with objects of the same type and name in the destination schema.

Destination tab

Connection: Database connection for the database that contains the destination schema (the schema containing one or more objects of the same type and name as those selected in the source schema). The selected connection can be the same as, or different from, the connection for the source schema.

Schemas: Select a schema in the database associated with the specified connection. SQL Developer will find differences in objects of the same type and name between this schema and the schema for the source connection.

Results tab

When you click Apply, the Results tab displays SQL statements to modify the destination objects to reflect source object features that are different-- for example, an ALTER TABLE statement to add a column from the source table to the destination table of the same name. However, the statements are not applied to the destination schema objects until you execute them after clicking Save As or Open Editor.

Save As: Enables you to save the results to a .sql file, which you can later execute.

Open Editor: Opens a SQL Worksheet window in which you can edit the results and perform other operations.

4.70 Schema Differences Source or Destination Error

This error box is displayed if you click Apply before specifying the source or the destination, or both, for a schema differences operation.

Click OK to close the error box, then follow the instructions for performing the schema differences operation, as explained in Section 4.69, "Schema Differences".

4.71 Set Data Mapping

This dialog box is displayed if you right-click a captured model and select Set Data Mapping. You can use this dialog box to specify source data type mappings when migrating the specified third-party database to Oracle. If you are editing an existing mapping, you can change only the Oracle data type, precision, and scale information.

Show only data types used in the source model: If you check this option, only data types used in the selected captured model are shown. If you do not check this option, all valid data types for the source (third-party) database are shown.

Source Data Type: Data type name in the third-party database.

Oracle Data Type: Data type name in Oracle Database.

Type: System for a system-defined data type, or User for a user-defined data type.

Add New Rule: Displays the Add/Edit Rule dialog box, for specifying a mapping for another data type.

Edit Rule: Displays the Add/Edit Rule dialog box, for editing the selected mapping.

Remove Rule: Deletes the selected mapping.

4.72 Add/Edit Rule

This dialog box is displayed if you click Add New Rule or Edit Rule in the Set Data Mapping dialog box, which is used for specifying source data type mappings when migrating a specified third-party database to Oracle.

Source Data Type: Data type name in the third-party database.

Oracle Data Type: Data type name in Oracle Database.

Precision and Scale: Precision and scale values to be used for the source data type and Oracle data type during the conversion.

4.73 Set Pause Continue

This dialog box is displayed if you enter the SQL*Plus statement SET PAUSE ON in the SQL Worksheet and then run the worksheet contents as a script. After the SET PAUSE ON statement is processed, execution pauses (and this dialog box is displayed) after each statement until the SET PAUSE OFF statement is processed.

To have execution continue at the next statement, click OK.

4.74 Sign In (checking for updates)

This dialog box is displayed if any of the updates that you selected during the check for updates process are on a remote site that requires you to log in. Currently, all updates are on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN), so you must enter your OTN user name and password.

User Name: Your user name at the remote site.

Password: Your password at the remote site.

Sign Up: If you do not have an account at the remote site, click this link.

Find Password: If you have an account at the remote site but cannot remember your password, click this link.

4.75 Single Record View

The main use for this box, which is displayed by right-clicking the display grid for an object and selecting Single Record View, is to edit data for a table or view, one record at a time. After you change data in any cells in a row, you can apply the changes by clicking Apply or by navigating to another record. (For non-Data grids, the cells are read-only.)

Navigation icons: First (<<) moves to the first record, Previous (<) moves to the previous record, Next (>) moves to the next record, and Last (>) moves to the last record.

Apply: Applies changes made to the current data record.

Cancel: Cancels changes made to the current data record, and closes the box.

4.76 Save Snippet (User-Defined)

Use this box to create a user-defined snippet. For information about how to create user-defined snippets, including options for snippet categories, see Section 1.9.1, "User-Defined Snippets".

Category: Existing or new category in which to place the snippet. To create a new (user-defined) category, type the category name instead of selecting a category name from the list.

Name: Name of the snippet, as it will be displayed when users see the list of available snippets in the specified category. If an existing Oracle-supplied snippet has the same name in the same category, the user-defined snippet definition replaces the Oracle-supplied definition.

ToolTip: Optional tooltip text to be displayed when the mouse pointer stays briefly over the snippet name in the display of snippets in the specified category.

Snippet: Text that will be inserted for this snippet.

4.77 Edit Snippets (User-Defined)

This box displays any existing user-defined snippets, and enables you to add, edit, or delete user-defined snippets.

To edit an existing user-defined snippet, select its row and click the Edit User Snippet icon, which displays the Save Snippet (User-Defined) dialog box.

To create a new user-defined snippet, click the Add User Snippet icon, which displays the Save Snippet (User-Defined) dialog box.

To delete a user-defined snippet, select its row and click the Delete User Snippet icon.

4.78 SQL History List

Use this box, which is displayed by clicking the SQL History button in the SQL Worksheet toolbar, to view SQL statements that you have executed and optionally to select (click) one to have it either replace the statements currently on the SQL Worksheet or be added to the statements currently on the SQL Worksheet.

You can click on a column heading to sort the rows by the values in that column.

The SQL history list will not contain any statement that can include a password. Such statements include (but are not necessarily limited to) CONNECT, ALTER USER, and CREATE DATABASE LINK.

Filter: If you type a string in the text box and click Filter, only SQL statements containing that string are displayed.

Clear: Removes all statements from the SQL history.

Replace: Replaces any statements currently on the SQL Worksheet with the selected statement.

Append: Appends the selected statement to any statements currently on the SQL Worksheet

4.79 SQL*Plus Location

Use this dialog box (displayed if you click Tools and then SQL*Plus and no SQL*Plus executable location is currently defined in your SQL Developer Preferences for Database) to specify the location of the SQL*Plus executable on the system on which you are running SQL Developer. The SQL*Plus executable is under the Oracle home directory or folder, and its specific location and file name depend on your operating system and Oracle Database installation.

If there is no SQL*Plus executable on the system on which you are running SQL Developer, you cannot invoke SQL*Plus from SQL Developer.

4.80 Unable to Open File

This box informs you that SQL Developer is unable to perform the export operation to the location and file that you specified. The cause might be that you do not have permission to write to that location.

Index
A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Z

A

accelerator keys

for menus, 1.2

accelerators (keyboard shortcuts), 1.12.2 Access (Microsoft) connections, 4.5 Advanced Security for JDBC connection, 1.4 analyzing tables, 1.3.12 Apply Filter

to display of objects, 1.2, 4.43

associations

file types, 4.31

autocommit

preference for database connections, 1.12.4

autocomplete preferences, 1.2.1, 1.12.3 autotrace

Autotrace pane, 1.7.4

preferences for, 1.12.4

B

bind variables

for reports, 1.11

saving to disk on exit, 1.12.4

breakpoints

creating and editing, 4.64

C

character encoding

nonstandard (migrations on Windows), 2.4.3

charts

user-defined report example, 1.11.11.1

check constraints, 4.23 Check for Updates feature, 4.2 coalescing an index, 1.3.4 code fragments, 1.9 code insight, 1.12.3 column sequences, 4.23 columns

decrypting, 1.3.12

encrypting, 1.3.12

normalizing column data, 1.3.12

Compact option for shrinking a table, 1.3.12 compiling

function, 1.3.3

with debug, 1.3.3

procedure, 1.3.8

with debug, 1.3.8

view, 1.3.16 completion

SQL Developer preferences, 1.2.1, 1.12.3

completion insight, 1.12.3 configuring, 2.5.1

third-party databases, 2.5

configuring file type associations, 4.31 connections

creating, editing, or selecting, 4.5

explanation, 1.4

Microsoft Access, 4.5

Microsoft SQL Server, 4.5

MySQL, 4.5

Oracle Database, 4.5

constraints

check, 4.23

disabled, 1.11.3

unique, 4.23

converted model

correcting errors in, 2.7.1

creating and customizing, 2.7

custom export delimiter

preference for database connections, 1.12.4

customizing SQL Developer

setting preferences, 1.12

D

data

entering and modifying, 1.5

data types

creating, 4.25

database connections

creating, editing, or selecting, 4.5

explanation, 1.4

Microsoft Access, 4.5

Microsoft SQL Server, 4.5

MySQL, 4.5

Oracle Database, 4.5

database links, 1.3.1

creating or editing, 4.14

database objects, 1.3

exporting, 4.37

searching for, 1.10

DB Object Search pane, 1.10 DBMS_OUTPUT

user-defined report example, 1.11.11.2

DBMS_OUTPUT pane, 1.7.5 debugging PL/SQL function or procedure, 1.6

dialog box, 4.63

remote debugging, 1.6.1

decryption

data in a table column, 1.3.12

deployment

after database migration, 2.11

destination schema

schema differences, 4.69

dialog boxes and tabs, 4 directories (directory objects), 1.3.2 disabled constraints, 1.11.3 drivers

third-party JDBC, 1.12.4

dynamic HTML

user-defined report example, 1.11.11.2

E

encryption

data in a table column, 1.3.12

entering data in tables, 1.5 errors

parse exceptions, 2.7.1

Excel

importing data, 4.12

execution plan, 1.7.3 EXPLAIN PLAN

execution plan, 1.7.3

exporting

applying filters, 4.38

database objects, 4.37

reports, 1.11

table data, 1.3.12, 4.39, 4.40

extensions, 4.42

SQL Developer, 1.12.7

user-defined, 1.12.4

external tables

properties, 4.23

external tools, 1.2.1, 4.41, 4.42

F

F10 key

for File menu, 1.2

file types

associating with SQL Developer, 4.31

file-oriented development

SQL Worksheet right-click operations, 1.7

filter

applying, 1.2, 4.43

clearing, 1.2, 4.43

folders

for user-defined reports, 1.11.11, 4.28

foreign keys, 4.23 Freeze View

pinning an object's display, 1.2, 1.5, 1.11

FROM clause, 4.29 full pathname for java.exe, 1.1 functions

compiling, 1.3.3

compiling with debug, 1.3.3

creating, 4.18

debugging, 4.63

running, 4.63

G

Gather Schema Statistics menu command, 1.4

graphical user interface (GUI), 1.2, 2.13

GROUP BY clause, 4.29

H

HAVING clause, 4.29

help

PDF file containing online help, 1.14

using the online help, 1.14

HTML

dynamic (user-defined report), 1.11.11.2

I

identifier collection

PL/Scope, 1.4

importing

Excel data, 4.12

reports, 1.11

indexes, 4.23

coalescing, 1.3.4

creating or editing, 4.15

explanation, 1.3.4

making unusable, 1.3.4

rebuilding, 1.3.4

index-organized tables

properties, 4.23

introduction

SQL Developer, 1

J

java.exe

pathname for, 1.1

JDBC drivers, 1.12.4

K

keyboard shortcuts, 1.12.2

L

link

database, 4.14

LOB parameters, 4.23 locking a table, 1.3.12 lowercase characters in object names

quotation marks required, 4

M

materialized view logs, 1.3.6

creating and editing, 4.16

materialized views, 1.3.5

options when creating or editing, 4.29

Microsoft Access

capturing using exporter tool, 2.5.2.1

configuring before migrating, 2.5.2

creating data files, 2.9.1.2

turning off security, 2.5.2

Microsoft Access connections, 4.5 Microsoft Excel

importing data, 4.12

Microsoft SQL Server, 2.5.1

creating data files, 2.9.1.1

third-party JDBC drivers, 1.12.4

Microsoft SQL Server connections, 4.5 migration

architecture, 2.2.1

before you start (general), 2.4

before you start (source-specific), 2.5

deployment after migrating, 2.11

introduction and main topics, 2

overview, 2.2

planning for, 2.3

quick start, 2.1

required roles and privileges, 2.4.2

migration plan

preparing, 2.3

migration repository

creating database user for, 2.4.1

MOD_PLSQL

OWA output, 1.7.6

modifying data in tables, 1.5 moving a table to another tablespace, 1.3.12 MySQL

configuring before migrating, 2.5.3

creating data files, 2.9.1.3

third-party JDBC drivers, 1.12.4

MySQL connections, 4.5

zero date handling, 4.5

N

nonstandard character encoding on Windows

migration considerations, 2.4.3

normalizing

column data, 1.3.12

O

object search

DB Object Search pane, 1.10

objects

database, 1.3

exporting, 4.37

offline data transfer, 2.9.1 offline generation of Oracle DDL, 4.49 online help

PDF file containing, 1.14

using, 1.14

open SQL Worksheet automatically

preference for database connections, 1.12.4

Oracle Database connections, 4.5 Oracle ODBC data source

setting, 2.5.1

Oracle Web Agent (OWA), 1.7.6 ORDER BY clause, 4.29 overview

SQL Developer, 1

OWA_OUTPUT pane, 1.7.6

P

packages

creating, 4.17

debugging, 4.63

running, 4.63

parameter insight, 1.12.3 parse exception errors, 2.7.1 partitioned tables

partition definitions, 4.23

partitioning options, 4.23

subpartitioning options (templates), 4.23

pathname

for java.exe, 1.1

PDF file containing online help, 1.14 pinning an object's display, 1.2, 1.5, 1.11 PL/Scope

toggling identifier collection, 1.4

PL/SQL packages

creating, 4.17

PL/SQL subprograms

creating, 4.18

debugging, 4.63

breakpoints, 4.64

running, 4.63 plsql-dbms_output

user-defined report example, 1.11.11.2

preferences

customizing SQL Developer, 1.12

primary key, 4.23 private database links, 1.3.1 private synonyms, 1.3.11, 4.21 privileges

required for migration, 2.4.2

Probe debugger, 1.12.11 procedures

compiling, 1.3.8

compiling with debug, 1.3.8

creating, 4.18

projects

creating plan, 2.3.3

public database links, 1.3.1 public synonyms, 1.3.11, 4.21

Q

query builder, 4.57

quotation marks

for name with lowercase characters, special characters, or spaces, 4

R

Raptor

former code name for SQL Developer, 1

rebuilding an index, 1.3.4 recompiling

view, 1.3.16

Recycle bin, 1.3.9 remote debugging, 1.6.1 report navigator, 1.11 reports, 1.11

bind variables for, 1.11

exporting, 1.11

importing, 1.11

shared, 1.11

user-defined

chart example, 1.11.11.1

creating and editing, 4.27

dynamic HTML example, 1.11.11.2

explanation, 1.11.11

folders for, 1.11.11, 4.28

UserReports.xml, 1.11.11

roles

required for migration, 2.4.2

running PL/SQL function or procedure, 1.6

dialog box, 4.63

S

schema

XML, 1.3.17, 4.30

schema differences

differences between two schemas, 4.69

schema objects, 1.3 schema statistics

gathering, 1.4

scratch editor, 2.13.5 script runner, 1.7.2 scripts

running, 1.7.2

security

Advanced Security for JDBC connection, 1.4

SELECT clause, 4.29 sequences, 1.3.10

creating and editing, 4.19

for populating table columns, 4.23

shared reports, 1.11 shortcut keys

accelerator key mappings, 1.12.2

for menus, 1.2

shrinking a table, 1.3.12 single record view, 4.75 snippets, 1.9

user-defined, 1.9.1

source database

capturing, 2.6

source schema

schema differences, 4.69

spaces in object names

quotation marks required, 4

special characters in object names

quotation marks required, 4

split

data pane for a table or view, 1.5

SQL Developer archive files, 1.13 SQL Developer preferences, 1.12 SQL file

creating, 4.20

SQL scripts

running, 1.7.2

SQL Server

configuring, 2.5.1

creating data files, 2.9.1.1

third-party JDBC drivers, 1.12.4

SQL Server connections, 4.5 SQL Worksheet

opening automatically on database connection, 1.12.4

using, 1.7

SQL*Plus

location of executable, 4.79

location of executable (SQL Developer preference), 1.12.4, 1.12.12

using, 1.8

SQLDEVELOPER_USER_DIR location, 1.13 sqldevnnnnn.sql files (archive files), 1.13 statistics

computing table and column, 1.3.12

estimating table and column, 1.3.12

gathering schema, 1.4

storage options, 4.23 subpartitions

templates, 4.23

subprograms

creating, 4.18

debugging, 4.63

running, 4.63

substitution variables, 1.7.2 Sybase Adaptive Server

creating data files, 2.9.1.1

synonyms, 1.3.11

creating and editing, 4.21

T

tables, 1.3.12

analyzing, 1.3.12

compacting, 1.3.12

computing statistics, 1.3.12

creating and editing, 4.23

creating quickly, 4.22

decrypting column data, 1.3.12

encrypting column data, 1.3.12

entering and modifying data, 1.5

estimating statistics, 1.3.12

exporting data, 1.3.12, 4.39, 4.40

external

properties, 4.23

index-organized

properties, 4.23

locking, 1.3.12 moving to another tablespace, 1.3.12 normalizing column data, 1.3.12 partitioned

partition definitions, 4.23

partitioning options, 4.23

subpartitioning options (templates), 4.23

shrinking, 1.3.12 splitting the data pane, 1.5 temporary, 4.23 truncating, 1.3.12 validating structure, 1.3.12 tablespaces

considerations when migrating, 2.7.2.2

temporary tables, 4.23 third-party databases

configuring before migrating, 2.5

third-party JDBC drivers, 1.12.4 tnsnames.ora file, 1.4 Toggle PL/Scope Identifier Collection menu command, 1.4 tools

external, 1.2.1, 4.41, 4.42

transferring

data offline, 2.9.1

translation scratch editor, 2.13.5 triggers, 1.3.13

creating and editing, 4.24

truncating a table, 1.3.12 tutorial

creating objects for a small database, 3

types

creating, 4.25

U

unique constraints, 4.23

unusable indexes, 1.3.4

updates

checking for SQL Developer updates, 4.2

user information directory (SQLDEVELOPER_USER_DIR), 1.13 user interface (UI), 1.2, 2.13 user-defined extensions, 1.12.4 user-defined reports

chart example, 1.11.11.1

creating and editing, 4.27

dynamic HTML example, 1.11.11.2

explanation, 1.11.11

folders for, 1.11.11, 4.28

UserReports.xml, 1.11.11

user-defined snippets, 1.9.1 user-defined types

creating, 4.25

UserReports.xml, 1.11.11 users

creating and editing, 4.26

V

views, 1.3.16

compiling, 1.3.16

creating and editing, 4.29

FROM clause, 4.29

GROUP BY clause, 4.29

HAVING clause, 4.29

options when creating or editing, 4.29

ORDER BY clause, 4.29

recompiling, 1.3.16

SELECT clause, 4.29

splitting the data pane, 1.5

WHERE clause, 4.29

W

WHERE clause, 4.29

X

XML schema, 1.3.17

creating, 4.30

Z

zero date handling

MySQL connections, 4.5

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