Data Connection Nodes

This section covers the following topics:

How the Data Connection Node Works

An Oracle Developer Tools Data Connection node is a child of the Data Connections node. It represents a user connection to an Oracle database using Oracle Data Provider for .NET. The name of a Data Connection node corresponds to the connection name the user specifies in the Add Connection screen.

Each Data Connection node has a set of nodes under it representing the available database schema object types, such as tables or views.

For example, a Data Connection node named SMITH.ORCL connects a user named SMITH to the ORCL database. This connection node might have a Tables schema collection node under it that contains child nodes for the following:

Tables EMP, DEPT, and BONUS that are owned by Smith.
Tables that are owned by another user, such as HR, but are visible to SMITH.

Closed connections appear with an x in the node icon.

To perform actions on this node, right-click the node and from the menu, choose the appropriate command. To view the node's properties, select the node and/or click Properties in the node's menu.

Viewing Database Objects

For Oracle Developer Tools Connections in Server Explorer, you can view the contents of a database (tables, views, procedures, and other objects) in two ways:

Objects: Displays a hierarchy of objects, grouped by the database schema object types
Schemas: Displays a hierarchy of schemas, then object types.

You can select one of these views using the Change View menu on the Data Connection nodes.

Menu Options

Menu Option	Description
Refresh	Updates the current connection and all nodes displayed under the connection.
Delete	Deletes the connection and its saved connection information.
Change View	Toggles view between Objects and Schemas. This option is only available if the connection is already open.
Modify Connection	Displays the Connection dialog box so that you can edit the existing connection.
Close Connection	Closes the connection.
Open Connection	Opens the connection. This option is available only after the connection is opened for the time.
Filters	Displays the Filters Tab on Connection Dialog. This option is only available if the connection is already open.
Query Window	Opens the Query Window so that you can execute SQL and PL/SQL queries from Visual Studio. This option is only available if the connection is already open.
Privileges	Opens the Grant/Revoke Privileges dialog box. This option is only available if the connection is already open.
Generate Create Script	Writes the definition of all objects that appear as children to this Data Connection Node to a `.sql` file, if the child object supports SQL Script generation. See the Visual Studio Output Window for a list of objects for which SQL was not generated.
Generate Create Script to Project	Generates the definitions of all objects that appear as children to this Data Connection Node if the child object supports SQL Script generation. The definitions are written to multiple `.sql` files, one for each schema object. It adds these `.sql` files to the appropriate folders in an open Oracle Database Project. See the Visual Studio Output Window for a list of objects for which SQL was not generated. A master SQL script is created in the Oracle Database Project Scripts folder. This master script contains calls to the individual child SQL scripts. The master script is ordered with dependencies taken into consideration. If there are multiple open Oracle Database projects, Visual Studio prompts you to select the project to add the script to. See "Managing Oracle Script Files" for more information. Note: Oracle Database Project Version 2 projects are not supported. To add scripts to this project type, use Import Schema or Add Existing Item menu items on an Oracle Database Project Version 2 project folder, or use the Schema Compare tool.
Import Table	Launches the Import Table Wizard. This option is only available if the connection is already open. See Import Table Wizard.
Oracle Performance Analyzer	Launches Oracle Performance Analyzer. See Oracle Performance Analyzer.
Oracle Schema Compare	Launches the Schema Compare Source and Target Dialog. See About Schema Compare
Real-Time SQL Monitoring	Opens the Real-Time SQL Monitor Window to display monitored SQL and PL/SQL. See About Real-Time SQL Monitor
New Query	Opens a new query in the Microsoft Query Designer. See Integration with Query Designer
Rename	Renames the connection.
Properties	Displays the Properties window.