Book Image

Oracle SQL Developer 2.1

By : Susan Harper
Book Image

Oracle SQL Developer 2.1

By: Susan Harper

Overview of this book

As technology rapidly evolves, many developers are looking for valuable tools to assist them with their daily tasks. When dealing with databases, a clean, easy-to-navigate interface for working and browsing is essential. Oracle SQL Developer is a graphical user interface that makes life much easier by allowing you to browse database objects, run SQL statements and scripts, and create, edit, and debug PL/SQL statements in the most efficient way. It enhances productivity and simplifies your database development tasks. Although the SQL Developer journey looks simple and easy, there are many areas that can go undiscovered, leaving you just scratching the surface. It's easy to get started and master this powerful tool with this book to hand. It will provide you with in-depth details about all aspects of using SQL Developer to assist you in your day-to-day database tasks and activities. You will learn to utilize SQL Developer's extensible environment to support your ongoing needs This book offers detailed instructions for installing, configuring, and effectively using Oracle SQL Developer. You will learn how to utilize every feature of this development tool and make the most out of it. While none of the tasks are complex, the book progresses from the easy, most commonly used features, such as browsing objects and writing queries in the SQL Worksheet, to the more involved and possibly less frequently used features, such as Tuning and Testing SQL and PL/SQL, and adding User Extensions, and finally to those features used by a smaller more targeted audience, such as Migrations, Oracle APEX, and the Data Modeler. Throughout the book there are tips and suggestions gathered as a result of working with the current SQL Developer user base. This book will also show you how to assess the health of your database with built-in as well as customized reports. By the end of the book you will be confident in making the best use of SQL Developer, and be able to set up and maintain a productive environment for quick and easy database development.
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
Oracle SQL Developer 2.1
Credits
About the Author
Acknowledgement
About the Reviewers
Preface
12
Working with Application Express

Introducing the SQL Worksheet


The SQL Worksheet is an independent working environment in SQL Developer that you can use to interact with the database, much as you would using a command line or SQL*Plus. Before we look at the features in the worksheet, we'll look at the worksheet environment, how to invoke it, and the preferences that control it.

It is important to be aware of the user that is connected to the database. In SQL*Plus, if you are connected as one user and want to query details for another user, you might:

  • Open a new SQL*Plus connection

  • Change the currently connected user

  • Query details in another schema by prefixing the object names with the new schema name (for example, while connected as OE, query an HR table using SELECT * FROM HR.EMPLOYEES;)

These alternatives are also true for the SQL Developer SQL Worksheet. By 'independent' we mean that objects created in the worksheet are not automatically reflected in the Connections navigator. If you execute a DDL command to create a...