1 SQL Developer Concepts and Usage

1.2.1 Menus for SQL Developer

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

Edit menu

Extended Paste: Displays the Paste dialog box, in which you select a clipboard item (from potentially many) to be pasted into the current location.

Duplicate Selection: When you have selected text while editing a function or procedure, creates a copy of the selected text at the current location.

Wrap Selection: When you have selected text while editing a function or procedure, wraps the selected text.

View menu

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

Breakpoints: Displays the Breakpoints pane, which shows breakpoints, both system-defined and user-defined (see Section 1.6, "Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures").

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

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

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

Team: Lets you display the Versioning navigator (see Section 1.10, "Using Versioning").

Connections: Displays the Connections navigator.

Data Modeler: Lets you display the Browser and Thumbnail Diagram panes of the Data Modeler Viewer (Read-Only).

Files: Displays the Files navigator, which is marked by a folder icon. You can use the Files navigator to browse, open, edit, and save files that are accessible from the local system.

Find DB Object: Displays the Find Database Object pane (see Section 1.9, "Finding Database Objects").

History: Displays information about SQL statements that you have executed. You can select statements and append them to or overwrite statements on the worksheet (see Section 1.7.7, "SQL History").

Migrations: Lets you display the Captured Models and Converted Models navigators (see Section 2.14, "SQL Developer User Interface for Migration").

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

Recent Objects: Displays a pane with names of recently opened objects. You can click a name in the list to go to its editing window.

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

Snippets: Displays snippets (see Section 1.8, "Using Snippets to Insert Code Fragments").

Task Progress: Displays the Task Progress pane.

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

Show Toolbars: Controls the display of the toolbars: Main toolbar (under the SQL Developer menus), the Connections Navigator toolbar, and (if a package or subprogram is open) the Code Editor toolbar.

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.

Toggle Bookmark: If you are editing a function or procedure, creates or removes a bookmark (see Section 1.6.1, "Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures").

Remove Bookmarks from File: Removes bookmarks from the currently active editing window for a function or procedure (see Section 1.6.1, "Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures").

Remove All Bookmarks: Removes bookmarks from open editing windows for functions and procedures (see Section 1.6.1, "Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures").

Go to Bookmark: Displays a dialog box so that you can go to a specified bookmark (see Section 1.6.1, "Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures").

Go to Next Bookmark: Goes to the next bookmark in the currently active editing window for a function or procedure (see Section 1.6.1, "Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures").

Go to Previous Bookmark: Goes to the previous bookmark in the currently active editing window for a function or procedure (see Section 1.6.1, "Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures").

Go to Line: Goes to the specified line number and highlights the line in the editing window for the selected function or procedure. (To display line numbers, enable Show Line Numbers under the Code Editor: Line Gutter preferences.)

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 or when it is open for debugging.

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

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".

Versioning menu

Contains options related to support for the Subversion version management and source control system, and for any other such systems (such as CVS) that you have added as extensions to SQL Developer through the "check for updates" feature. See Section 1.10, "Using Versioning" for more information.

The commands on the Versioning menu depend on which version management and source control systems are available for use with SQL Developer.

Tools menu

Invokes SQL Developer tools.

Data Modeler: Starts the Data Modeler Viewer (Read-Only) if it not already active; otherwise, contains the commands About Data Modeler, Design Rules, and General Options (user preferences).

Migration: Displays the Migration Menu, which contains commands related to migrating third-party databases to Oracle.

Unit Test: Displays the Unit Test Submenu, which contains commands related to unit testing.

Configuration Palette: Displays the Configure Component Palette dialog box.

Database Copy: Enables you to copy objects from one database schema to another (see the Database Copy (Schema Objects) interface).

Database 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 Database Schema Differences interface).

Database Export: 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 (Database Objects and Data) interface).

Monitor SQL: Displays information about any query currently executing and queries that are done executing for a selected connection. To see detailed information about a query, right-click its row and select Show SQL Details. The information is especially useful for real-time monitoring of long-running SQL statements. Cursor statistics (such as CPU times and IO times) and execution plan statistics (such as number of output rows, memory, and temporary space used) are updated close to real-time during statement execution. (Internally, this feature calls the DBMS_SQLTUNE.REPORT_SQL_MONITOR subprogram.)

Monitor Sessions: Displays the status of one or more sessions, using information from the V$RSRC_SESSION_INFO view, which shows how the session has been affected by the Oracle Database Resource Manager. For more information about session monitoring, see Oracle Database Administrator's Guide.

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").

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 5.66, "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").

Help menu

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

Search: Displays the Help Center window.

Table of Contents: Displays the Help Center window. In this window you can click these icons:

• Keep on Top: Toggles whether to keep the Help Center window on top of the Data Modeler window.

• Navigators: Lets you select a help navigator.

• Print: Prints the topic.

• Change Font Size: Lets you increase or decrease the font size for the display of the current help topic.

• Add to Favorites: Adds the topic to the Favorites list.

• Find: Lets you search for a string in the current help topic.

Start Page: Displays a page with links for options for learning about SQL Developer.

Tip of the Day (English locales only): Displays a suggestion for efficient use of SQL Developer. (See Section 1.17, "Tip of the Day".)

Check for Updates: Checks for any updates to the selected optional SQL Developer extensions, as well as any mandatory SQL Developer extensions. The available updates may include the JTDS JDBC Driver for Microsoft SQL Server and the MySQL JDBE Driver, which enable you to create connections to third-party databases. (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.

1.2.2 Restoring the Original "Look and Feel"

If you have made changes to the SQL Developer user interface ("look and feel"), such as accidentally repositioning navigators and panes, you can restore the interface to the way it was after SQL Developer was installed by following these steps:

1. If you are running SQL Developer, exit.

2. Create a backup copy of the folder or directory where your SQL Developer user information is stored, in case you want to restore any old user-defined reports, snippets, code templates, or SQL history. The default location is:

   • Windows: C:\Documents and Settings\<user-name>\Application Data\SQL Developer

   • Linux or Mac OS X: ~/.sqldeveloper

   If you have specified a nondefault location for your SQL Developer user information (see Section 1.13), create the backup copy of that folder or directory instead.

   (If you do not want to use any old information or settings, you can skip creating a backup copy.)

3. Delete the original (not the backup) folder or directory where your user information is stored (explained in step 2).

4. Start SQL Developer.

   This creates a folder or directory where your user information is stored (explained in step 2), which has the same content as when SQL Developer was installed.

If you have made changes to the SQL Developer shortcut key (accelerator key) mappings, you can restore the mappings to the defaults for your system by clicking Tools, then Preferences, then Shortcut Keys, then More Actions, then Load Keyboard Scheme, and then selecting Default.

1.3.1 Applications (Application Express 3.0.1 and Later)

Effective with Oracle Application Express 3.0.1, if you use SQL Developer to connect to a schema that owns any Application Express applications, the Connections navigator has an Application Express node. You can click an application name to display tabs (Application, Pages, LOVs, Lists, Templates, Breadcrumbs, and so on) with information about the application.

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

• Import Application: Imports an application from a specified file and installs the application.

• Deploy Application: Deploys an application into a specified target schema.

• Drop: Deletes the application.

• Modify Application: Enables you to change the alias, name (Rename), status, global notification, and proxy server for the application.

• Export DDL: Saves the DDL statements to create the application (or the selected component) to a file, a .zip file, a worksheet, or the system clipboard.

• Refactor (in bulk): Collects all anonymous blocks, refactors them into PL/SQL procedures, and places them in a package. The output of a refactor in bulk operation is a PL/SQL script, which you can review and save, and which you can execute to create the package.

The following operations are available only by right-clicking the Application Express node in the Connections navigator and selecting an item from the menu:

• Start EPG: Starts the embedded PL/SQL gateway for Application Express. Displays a dialog box for executing the following statements: BEGIN DBMS_EPG.map_dad('APEX', '/apex/*'); end;

• Stop EPG: Stops the embedded PL/SQL gateway for Application Express. Displays a dialog box for executing the following statements: BEGIN DBMS_EPG.unmap_dad('APEX'); end;

1.3.2 Cache Groups (Oracle TimesTen In-Memory Database)

A cache group describes a collection of in-memory database tables that map to all or a subset of the tables in an Oracle database. A cache group can consist of all or a subset of the rows and columns in these tables. Multiple cache groups can be used to cache different sets of related tables in the Oracle database.

1.3.3 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 5.26, "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 Database Link: Validates the database link.

• Drop: Deletes the database link.

1.3.4 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.

1.3.5 Editions

Edition-based redefinition (introduced in Oracle Database Release 11.2) enables you to upgrade the database component of an application while it is in use, thereby minimizing or eliminating down time. To upgrade an application while it is in use, you copy the database objects that comprise the application and redefine the copied objects in isolation. Your changes do not affect users of the application—they continue to run the unchanged application. When you are sure that your changes are correct, you make the upgraded application available to all users. For more information, see the chapter about edition-based redefinition in Oracle Database Advanced Application Developer's Guide.

To specify the current edition, right-click the edition name and select Set Current Edition. To create an edition under an existing edition, right-click the edition name and select Create Edition. To delete an edition (and optionally all editions under it), right-click the edition name and select Drop Edition.

1.3.6 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 5.31, "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:

• Edit: Displays the function text so that you can view and edit it.

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

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

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

• Profile (for an Oracle Database Release 11.1 or later connection): Displays the Run/Debug/Profile PL/SQL dialog box, and then executes the function and collects execution statistics.

• Drop: Deletes the function.

• Grant: Enables you to grant available privileges on the function to selected users.

• Revoke: Enables you to revoke available privileges on the function from selected users.

• Format: Reformats the text of the function definition.

• Create Unit Test: Creates a unit test (see Chapter 3) for the function.

• Export DDL: Enables you to export the DDL statement for creating the function to a file, a SQL Worksheet, or the clipboard.

1.3.7 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 5.27, "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.

• Make Unusable: 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: Merges the contents of index blocks, where possible, to free blocks for reuse.

• Compute Statistics: For a function-based index, collects statistics on both the index and its base table using the DBMS_STATS package. Such statistics will enable Oracle Database to correctly decide when to use the index.

• Export DDL: Saves the DDL statement to create the index to a file, a SQL Worksheet, or the system clipboard.

1.3.8 Java Sources

Java sources can be created and managed in the database. You can create a Java source object by right-clicking the Java node in the Connections navigator, selecting Load Java, and specifying the Java source name and either entering the source code or loading a Java source, class, or resource from a file (BFILE). (A CREATE OR REPLACE AND RESOLVE JAVA SOURCE statement is executed using the information you specify.) For information about Java concepts and stored procedures, see Oracle Database Java Developer's Guide.

1.3.9 Jobs

A job object (job) is a collection of metadata that describes a user-defined task. It defines what needs to be executed (the action), when (the one-time or recurring schedule or a triggering event), where (the destinations), and with what credentials. A job has an owner, which is the schema in which it is created. For information about jobs, see the chapter about Oracle Scheduler concepts in Oracle Database Administrator's Guide.

1.3.10 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 5.43, "Create/Edit View", especially the View Information or Materialized View Properties pane.

1.3.11 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.

1.3.12 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 5.30, "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:

• Edit: Opens the package in a window, where you can modify the content and other information.

• Run: Lets you select a member in the package and run it.

• Compile: Performs a PL/SQL compilation of the members in the package.

• Compile for Debug: Performs a PL/SQL compilation of the members in the package, with PL/SQL library units compiled for debugging

• Order Members By: Orders the members of the package by location in the source, by name, or by type and by name within each type.

• Use as Template: Lets you create a new package using the selected package as the initial content.

• Drop Package: Deletes the package.

• Create Body: Displays a pane in which you can enter text for the package body.

• Grant: Lets you grant privileges on the package

• Revoke: Lets you revoke privileges on the package.

• Save Package Spec and Body: Saves the package specification and body to a file that you specify.

• Export DDL: Saves the DDL statement to create the package to a file, a SQL Worksheet, or the system clipboard.

1.3.13 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 5.31, "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:

• Edit: Displays the procedure text so that you can view and edit it.

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

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

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

• Profile (for an Oracle Database Release 11.1 or later connection): Displays the Run/Debug/Profile PL/SQL dialog box, and then executes the procedure and collects execution statistics.

• Drop: Deletes the procedure.

• Grant: Enables you to grant available privileges on the procedure to selected users.

• Revoke: Enables you to revoke available privileges on the procedure from selected users.

• Format: Reformats the text of the procedure definition.

• Create Unit Test: Creates a unit test (see Chapter 3) for the procedure.

• Export DDL: Enables you to export the DDL statement for creating the procedure to a file, a SQL Worksheet, or the clipboard.

1.3.14 Queues

A queue is an object in which messages are enqueued and dequeued. Queues are managed by Oracle Streams Advanced Queueing (AQ). For information about using queues, see Oracle Streams Advanced Queuing User's Guide.

1.3.15 Queue Tables

A queue table is a table that holds messages to be used with Oracle Streams Advanced Queueing (AQ). For information about using queue tables, see Oracle Streams Advanced Queuing User's Guide, especially the information about managing queue tables in the chapter describing the Oracle Streams AQ administrative interface.

1.3.16 Recycle Bin

The Recycle bin (applicable only to Oracle Database Release 10g and later) 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 context 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.

1.3.17 Replication Schemes (Oracle TimesTen In-Memory Database)

A replication scheme is a configuration, using SQL statements and a transaction-based log, whereby committed changes are copied from their source to one or more subscriber databases. The goal is to enable high efficiency and low overhead during the replication.

1.3.18 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 5.32, "Create/Edit Sequence".

1.3.19 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 5.34, "Create/Edit Synonym".

1.3.20 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 one 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).

• Create the table automatically from a Microsoft Excel worksheet. To do this, right-click Tables under a connection in the Connections navigator, and select Import Data. When asked for the file, select a file of type .xls or .csv.

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/Edit Table (with advanced options) 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 (.xls or .csv file).

• 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.

1.3.21 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 5.38, "Create Trigger".

1.3.22 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 function or procedure. 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 5.39, "Create Type (User-Defined)".

1.3.23 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.

1.3.24 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 1.3.10, "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.

1.3.25 XML DB Repository

Oracle XML DB Repository is a component of Oracle Database that is optimized for handling XML data. The Oracle XML DB repository contains resources, which can be either folders (directories, containers) or files. For more information about Oracle XML DB Repository, see Oracle XML DB Developer's Guide in the Oracle Database documentation library.

To create a subfolder of an existing folder, right-click the folder name and select Create Subfolder. To delete a folder (and optionally all subfolders under it), right-click the folder name and select Drop Folder.

1.3.26 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.

1.3.27 Captured and Converted Database Objects (for Migration)

If you are migrating a third-party database to Oracle, the Captured Models and Converted Models navigators can display models that include database objects, such as tables and procedures. A captured object represents an object in the captured third-party database, and a converted object represents an Oracle model of that object as it will be created in the Oracle database.

The context menu for each captured object includes Convert to Oracle, which creates a corresponding converted object. The context menu for each converted object includes Generate, which creates the corresponding Oracle Database object. (The context menus will contain other items as appropriate for the object.)

For information about the related Oracle Database objects, see the following:

• Section 1.3.6, "Functions"

• Section 1.3.7, "Indexes"

• Section 1.3.13, "Procedures"

• Section 1.3.18, "Sequences"

• Section 1.3.20, "Tables"

• Section 1.3.21, "Triggers"

• Section 1.3.23, "Users (Other Users)"

• Section 1.3.24, "Views"

1.4.1 Using Folders to Group Connections

You can use folders in the Connections navigator to organize connections into groups: for example, one folder for connections on your local system, another for connections on the test system, and another for connections on the production system.

To create a folder to hold connections, right-click the name in the Connections navigator of a connection to be added to the folder, select Add to Folder and then New Folder, and specify the folder name (such as Local Connections).

To add more connections to a folder, right-click the name in the Connections navigator of a connection to be added to the folder, and select Add to Folder and then the name of the folder into which to add the connection.

To move a connection from one folder to another folder, right-click the connection name under its current folder, select Add to Folder, and then either the name of the destination folder or New Folder to move the connection to a new folder to be created.

To remove a connection from the folder, right-click the connection name under the folder and select Remove from Folder. (This does not delete the connection; it is moved to the top level in the Connections navigator hierarchy display.)

To remove a folder, right-click the folder name select Remove Folder. (This does not delete any connections that are in the folder; these connections are moved to the top level in the Connections navigator hierarchy display.)

To rename a folder, right-click the folder name, select Rename Folder, and specify the new name.

1.4.2 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.

1.4.3 Advanced Security for JDBC Connection to the Database

You are encouraged to use Oracle Advanced Security to secure a JDBC or OCI 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.

1.4.4 Connections with Operating System (OS) Authentication

When you create a connection to an Oracle database that is using operating system (OS) authentication, you can omit the user name and password; that is, specify a connection name and all the other necessary information, except do not specify a user name or password. For information about using external authentication, including the use of the OS_AUTHENT_PREFIX and REMOTE_OS_AUTHENT database initialization parameters, see Oracle Database Security Guide.

If you omit the user name and password trying to create a connection to a system that is not configured for external authentication, an error message is displayed.

1.4.5 Connections with Proxy Authentication

Proxy authentication enables one JDBC connection to act as a proxy for other JDBC connections. If you use the Proxy Connection option when you create a database connection, the connection will be used to connect as the specified user for the connection, but authenticated using the user name and either the password or distinguished name of the proxy user. For information about using a middle tier server for proxy authentication, see Oracle Database Security Guide.

For example, to create connection for a user named PROXY_USER but connecting using the user name and password of existing database user SCOTT, follow these steps.

1. Create the proxy user and grant it the appropriate privileges:

   CREATE USER proxy_user IDENTIFIED BY <password>;
   ALTER USER proxy_user GRANT CONNECT THROUGH scott AUTHENTICATED USING PASSWORD;
   GRANT create session TO proxy_user;
   . . .<Grant other privileges as needed.>
   

2. Create a new database connection. For example: connection name = proxy_conn, user name = scott, password = <password for scott>.

3. Enable (check) Proxy Connection.

4. In the Oracle Proxy Connection dialog box, select User Name for Proxy Type

5. For Proxy User, enter PROXY_USER; and for Proxy Password, enter the password for the PROXY_USER database user.

6. Click OK to close the Oracle Proxy Connection dialog box.

7. Complete any other necessary connection information, and click Connect to create the connection.

In this example, when you connect using the proxy_conn connection, the user name and password for user SCOTT are used to connect to the database, but the connection sees those database objects that the PROXY_USER user is permitted to see.

The preceding instructions cause two sessions to be started (one for the proxy user and one for the proxy client) when the connection is opened. If you want to have a single session (with no second password or distinguished name required) started, you can follow these steps instead after you create the proxy user and grant it appropriate privileges:

1. Create a new database connection. For example: connection name = proxy_conn, user name = proxy_user[scott], password = <password for proxy_user>.

2. For Connection Type, specify TNS.

   (Note: Do not enable Proxy Connection.)

3. For Network Alias, select the network alias for the database for the connection.

4. Complete any other necessary connection information, and click Connect to create the connection.

1.6.1 Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures

When you are editing a long function or procedure, you may find it convenient to create bookmarks in the code so that you can easily navigate to points of interest.

To create or remove a bookmark, click Navigate, then Toggle Bookmark. When a bookmark is created, an icon appears to the left of the thin vertical line.

To go to a specific bookmark, click Navigate, then Go to Bookmark. To go to the next or previous bookmark, click Navigate, then Go to Next Bookmark or Go to Previous Bookmark, respectively.

To remove all bookmarks from the currently active editing window for a function or procedure or from all open editing windows, click Navigate, then Remove Bookmarks from File or Remove All Bookmarks, respectively.

You can also go to a specific line or to your last edit by clicking Navigate, then Go to Line or Go to Last Edit, respectively.

1.6.2 Remote Debugging

To debug a function or procedure 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 4.8, "Debug a PL/SQL Procedure").

1.6.3 Displaying SQL Trace (.trc) Files

If you have any SQL Trace (.trc) output files, you can display them in SQL Developer as an alternative to using the TKPROF program to format the contents of the trace file. To open a .trc file in SQL Developer and see an attractive, effective display of the information, click File, then Open, and specify the file; or drag the file's name or icon into the SQL Developer window.

You can then examine the information in the List View, Statistics View, and History panes, with each pane including options for filtering and controlling the display.

For information about SQL Trace and TKPROF, see Oracle Database Performance Tuning Guide.

1.6.4 Using the PL/SQL Hierarchical Profiler

For an Oracle Database Release 11.1 or later connection, you can use the PL/SQL hierarchical profiler to identify bottlenecks and performance-tuning opportunities in PL/SQL applications. Profiling consists of the two steps: running the PL/SQL module in profiling mode, and analyzing the reports. In addition, some one-time setup work is required the first time you use profiling in SQL Developer.

To initiate profiling, right-click the name of the function or procedure in the Connections navigator hierarchy and select Profile, or click the Profile button on the PL/SQL source editor toolbar. After the function or procedure is run in profiling mode, the profiler reports are located at the Execution Profiles tab of the object viewer window. You can review subprogram-level execution summary information, such as:

• Number of calls to the subprogram

• Time spent in the subprogram itself (function time or self time)

• Time spent in the subprogram itself and in its descendent subprograms (subtree time)

• Detailed parent-children information, including all subprograms that a given subprogram called (that is, children of the given subprogram)

For more information about using the PL/SQL hierarchical profiler, see Oracle Database Advanced Application Developer's Guide.

1.6.5 Setting Expression Watches

A watch enables you to monitor the changing values of variables or expressions as your program runs. After you enter a watch expression, the Watches window displays the current value of the expression. As your program runs, the value of the watch changes as your program updates the values of the variables in the watch expression.

A watch evaluates an expression according to the current context which is controlled by the selection in the Stack window. If you move to a new context, the expression is reevaluated for the new context. If the execution point moves to a location where any of the variables in the watch expression are undefined, the entire watch expression becomes undefined. If the execution point returns to a location where the watch expression can be evaluated, the Watches window again displays the value of the watch expression.

To open the Watches window, click View, then Debugger, then Watches.

To add a watch, right-click in the Watches window and select Add Watch. To edit a watch, right-click in the Watches window and select Edit Watch.

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]
autotrace
clear screen
conn[ect]
def[ine]
desc[ribe]
doc[ument]
echo
errors
esc[ape]
exec[ute]
exit
feed[back]
ho[st]
pagesize 
pau[se]
print
pro[mpt]
quit
rem[ark]
roll[back]
set pau[se] {ON | OFF}
sta[rt]
spo[ol] 
term[out]
timi[ng]
undef[ine]
user
var[iable]
ver[ify]
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[umn]
comp[ute]
copy
del
disc[onnect]
ed[it]
get
help
i[nput]
l[ist]
newpage
oradebug
passw[ord]
r[un]
recover
repf[ooter]
reph[eader]
sav[e]
startup
sho[w]
shu[tdown]
spo[ol]
startup
store
tti[tle]

1.7.2 Script Runner

The script runner emulates a limited set of SQL*Plus features. 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.

• For XMLType data, data in the column is displayed as "SYS.XMLDATA" if the database connection uses a JDBC Thin driver, but the expanded XML values are displayed if the connection uses an OCI (thick, Type 2) driver.

If you have SQL*Plus available on your system, you may want to use it instead of the script runner.

1.7.3 Execution Plan

The Execute Explain Plan icon generates the execution plan, which you can see by clicking the Explain Plan 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/Explain Plan. 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 and SELECT ANY DICTIONARY privileges.

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:

• Add New DBMS Output Tab: Prompts you to specify a database connection, after which a tab is opened within the DBMS Output pane for that connection, and the SET SERVEROUTPUT setting is turned on so that any output is displayed in that tab. (To stop displaying output for that connection, close the tab.)

• 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:

• Add New OWA Output Tab: Prompts you to specify a database connection, after which a tab is opened within the OWA Output pane for that connection, and entries written to the OWA output buffer are displayed in that tab. (To stop displaying output for that connection, close the tab.)

• 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.

1.7.7 SQL History

You can click View, then History (or press F8 in the SQL Worksheet) to view a dockable window with SQL statements and scripts that you have executed, and optionally select one or more statements to have them 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.

You can control the maximum number of statements in the history by setting the SQL History Limit preference (see Database: Worksheet preferences).

Append: Appends the selected statement or statements to any statements currently on the SQL Worksheet. You can also append the selected statement or statements by dragging them from the SQL History window and dropping them at the desired location on the SQL Worksheet.

Replace: Replaces any statements currently on the SQL Worksheet with the selected statement or statements.

Clear History: Removes the selected statement or statements (or all statements if no statements are selected) from the SQL history. (You will be asked to confirm this action.)

Filter: If you type a string in the text box and click Filter, only SQL statements containing that string are displayed.

1.7.8 Gauges: In the SQL Worksheet and User-Defined Reports

You can use graphical gauges to display query results in the SQL Worksheet and in user-defined reports. In both cases, you need to specify the name of the value column for the gauge data, and minimum and maximum values on the gauge, and the values to be shown as low and high on the gauge (usually between the minimum and maximum values). In the SQL Worksheet, the required structure for the value to be selected is:

'SQLDEV:GAUGE:<min>:<max>:<low>:<high>:' || <value-column>

For example, to display the last name and the salary in gauge format, where the gauge shows from 1000 to 30000 with below 10000 as low and above 18000 as high, for employees with ID numbers less than a number to be specified, connect to the supplied HR schema and execute the following query:

SELECT last_name, 'SQLDEV:GAUGE:1000:30000:10000:18000:' || salary 
  FROM employees WHERE employee_id < :employee_id

If you specify 104 as the bind variable value, the output appears as shown in the following figure:

For a user-defined gauge report, the query must specify only the value column, the minimum and maximum values, and the low and high values, and optionally a WHERE clause. The required structure for the query (before any optional WHERE clause) is:

SELECT <value-column>, <min>, <max>, <low>, <high> FROM <table-name>

For example, to create a report of salaries in gauge dial format, with the same values and WHERE clause as in the preceding query, right-click on User Defined Reports in the Reports navigator and select Add Report. In the Add Report dialog box, specify a report name; for Style, select Gauge; and for SQL, enter the following:

SELECT salary, 1000, 30000, 10000, 18000 FROM employees
  WHERE employee_id < :EMPLOYEE_ID;

Click the Chart Details tab near the bottom of the box; for Chart Type, select DIAL; for Query Based, select true; 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. For the bind variable value, specify 104. The report shows four semicircular dials, each with a label containing the salary amount and a "needle" pointing to an appropriate place on the dial.

1.8.1 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".

1.10.1 About CVS and SQL Developer

CVS repositories can be created on a local PC or remote server. There can be more than one CVS repository. You need to create one or more CVS repositories.

Source files are held in a CVS repository. The source files in a CVS repository are grouped into modules. If you have new files, a wizard in SQL Developer will help you import them into the CVS repository and place them under version control. A copy is made of your original files and placed in a subdirectory (.backup) of the one from which you imported them.

Files to be worked on are checked out from the CVS repository. This makes a local copy of the files. You can see the contents of the CVS repository in the SQL Developer CVS Navigator and open read-only versions of files. You can then decide which files you want to check out and work on.

CVS creates a new directory populated with the copy of the source files. You can see the files in the System Navigator. You can also open them from here.

Source files have a status, depending on what operations have been carried out on them. A preference lets you choose whether the version control status of a file is shown in the System Navigator.

1.10.2 About Subversion and SQL Developer

Before you can work with a Subversion repository through SQL Developer, you must create a connection to it. When you create a local Subversion repository, a connection to it is automatically created, and this can be seen in the Subversion Navigator. You can subsequently edit the connection details.

Existing files must be imported into the Subversion repository to bring them under version control. Files are then checked out from the Subversion repository to a local folder known as the "Subversion working copy". Files created in (or moved into) SQL Developer must be stored in the Subversion working copy.

Files newly created within SQL Developer must be added to version control. Changed and new files are made available to other users by committing them to the SQL Developer repository. The Subversion working copy can be updated with the contents of the Subversion repository to incorporate changes made by other users.

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 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.

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.

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.

Public Database Links: Lists all public database links.

Public Synonyms: Lists all public synonyms.

1.11.3 Application Express reports

If you select a connection for a schema that owns any Oracle Application Express 3.0.1 (or later) applications, the Application Express reports list information about applications, pages, schemas, UI defaults, and workspaces. For information about Oracle Application Express, see the documentation for that product.

1.11.4 ASH and AWR reports

The ASH and AWR reports list information provided by the Active Session History (ASH) and Automated Workload Repository (AWR) features, which require special licensing. For information about using AWR, including how to use ASH reports, see the information about automatic performance statistics in Oracle Database Performance Tuning Guide.

1.11.5 Charts reports

Charts reports include a chart showing the distribution of objects of various object types (number of tables, indexes, and so on).

1.11.6 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.)

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

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

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

Locks: Provide information about locks, including the user associated with each.

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

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

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.

Waits and Events: Provide information about waits and events, selected by criteria related to time and other factors. For Events in the Last x Minutes, specify the number of minutes in the Enter Bind Values dialog box.

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

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

1.11.8 Jobs reports

Jobs reports list information about jobs running on the database.

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.

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

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.

1.11.9 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).

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.

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).

1.11.10 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).

Auditing: Lists information about audit policies.

Encryption: Lists information about encrypted columns.

Grants and Privileges: Includes the following reports:

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Policies: Lists information about policies.

Public Grants: Lists information about privileges granted to the PUBLIC role.

1.11.11 Streams reports

Streams reports list information about stream rules.

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.

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.

1.11.12 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.

Columns: For each table, lists each column, its data type, and whether it can contain a null value. Also includes 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: Includes the following reports related to constraints:

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

• 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.

• 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).

• 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.

• 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.

Indexes: Includes information about all indexes, indexes by status, indexes by type, and unused indexes.

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

Quality Assurance: (See Quality Assurance reports.)

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: Lists information about the table count by tablespace and the tables in each tablespace.

Triggers: Lists information about all triggers, disabled triggers, and enabled triggers.

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

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).

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.

1.11.13 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.

1.11.14 Migration reports

Migration reports list information related to migrating third-party databases to Oracle. For more information, see Section 2.13, "Using Migration Reports".

1.11.15 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 5.41, "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 5.42, "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 1.11.15.1, "User-Defined Report Example: Chart"

• Section 1.11.15.2, "User-Defined Report Example: Dynamic HTML"

• Section 1.7.8, "Gauges: In the SQL Worksheet and User-Defined Reports"

1.11.15.1 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). Note that the expected syntax for the SQL statement for a chart report is:

SELECT <group>,<series>,<value> FROM <table(s)>

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.

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;

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 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.

Autopin PL/SQL Editors: Keeps the current PL/SQL editor open when you open another function, procedure, or package.

Max Open PL/SQL Editors: Specifies the maximum number of PL/SQL editors that can be kept open ("pinned").

Auto-Indent New Lines: Automatically indents a new line when you press Enter at the end of a line. The new line will automatically be indented at the same initial indentation as the line preceding it.

Perform Block Indent or Outdent for Selections: Performs a block indent or block outdent on a selection when your press Tab or Shift+Tab, respectively. With this option selected, when you press Tab on a selected block of text, the entire block will be indented to the current tab size. Shift+Tab on the same block would outdent it, as a block, to the current tab size.

Use Smart Home: Contextualizes the cursor's understanding of home (the beginning of the line). With this setting selected, pressing Home positions the cursor at the start of the line after any leading spaces or tabs. Pressing Home again repositions the cursor at the start of the line before any leading spaces or tabs. Continuing to press Home toggles the cursor between these two locations.

With this setting deselected, pressing Home simply places the cursor at the start of the line.

Use Smart End: Contextualizes the cursor's understanding of end of line. The behavior is analogous to that for Smart Home, except that the cursor responds to the End key, and its behavior regarding the end of the line and any trailing spaces is altered.

Use Jump Scrolling for Keyboard Navigation: Implement jump scrolling, which involves behavior of the keyboard arrow keys. With this setting selected, when you navigate off-screen using the keyboard arrow keys, the editor view will "jump" to recenter the cursor location in the middle of the editor view.

With this setting deselected, the editor view will scroll the editor view the minimum amount to bring the cursor back into view.

Use Change of Case As Word Boundary: Has change of case regarded as the boundary of a word, for example, when you double-click to select a word.

Enable Cut or Copy of Current Line with No Selection: Applies all cut and copy operations to the current line whenever there is no text selection in the editor.

Automatically Copy Paste Imports: Automatically add imports when references are introduced to objects that have not yet been imported.

Adjust Indentation When Pasting: Corrects the indentation of a pasted in item that includes indentation.

Reformat Code Block When Pasting: Reformats the code correctly when you paste it into a new location.

Escape When Pasting in String Literals: Includes the correct escape characters in pasted-in string literals.

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: Completion Insight

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

When you pause for the auto-popup time (if the auto-popup is enabled) or 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 or continue typing.

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

Generate Column/Table Aliases Automatically: Automatically generates table aliases if you select multiple tables from the popup window; and if you then edit the column list, each column name in the popup window is prefixed with a table alias.

Autogenerate GROUP BY Clause: Automatically generates a GROUP BY clause if you manually enter (not copy/paste) a SELECT statement containing a COUNT function, and then edit the SELECT query.

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: 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. (To go to a line number while you are using the SQL Worksheet, press Ctrl+G.)

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: Save Actions

The Save Actions pane specifies actions to be performed automatically during a save operation.

Code Editor: PL/SQL Syntax Colors

The PL/SQL 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.

1.12.3 Compare and Merge

The Compare and Merge pane defines options for comparing and merging two source files. For more information, see, see Comparing Source Files.

For each type of option, you can specify a Maximum File Size (KB): the maximum size of the file (number of kilobytes) for which the operation will be performed.

Ignore Whitespace: If this option is enabled, leading and trailing tabs and letter spacing are ignored when comparing files. Carriage returns are not ignored. Enabling this option makes comparing two files easier when you have replaced all the space with hard tabs, or vice versa. Otherwise, every line in the two documents might be shown as different in the Compare window.

Show Character Differences: If this option is enabled, characters that are present in one file and not in another are highlighted. Red highlighting indicates a character that has been removed. Green highlighting indicates a character that has been added. The highlighting is shown only when you click into a comparison block that contains character differences.

Enable XML Compare: If this option is enabled, XML files can be compared.

Enable XML Merge: If this option is enabled, XML files can be merged.

Reformat Result: If this option is enabled, merged XML files can be reformatted.

Validate Result (May require Internet access): If this option is enabled, merged XML files will be validated.

Comparing Source Files

You can compare source files in the following ways:

• A file currently being edited with its saved version: Place the focus on the current version open in the editor, then select the History tab in the editor window. The saved file opens side by side with the file in the editor buffer.

• One file with another file outside the project: Place the focus on the file in the editor to be compared; from the main menu, choose File, then Compare With Other File; in the Select File to Compare With dialog, navigate to the file and click Open.

• Two files within the same project: In the navigator, select the two files to be compared; then from the main menu, choose File, then Compare With Each Other.

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.

Default path to store export in: 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.

Filename for connection startup script: File name for the startup script to run when an Oracle database connection is opened. You can click Browse to specify the location. The default location is the default path for scripts (see the Database: Worksheet preferences pane).

Database: Advanced

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

You can also specify Kerberos thin driver configuration parameters, which enables you to create database connections using Kerberos authentication and specifying the user name and password. For more information, see the Kerberos Authentication explanation on the Oracle tab in the Create/Edit/Select Database Connection dialog box. For information about configuring Kerberos authentication, see Oracle Database Advanced Security Administrator's Guide.

Use OCI/Thick driver: If this option is checked, and if an OCI (thick, Type 2) driver is available, that driver will be used instead of a JDBC (thin) driver for basic and TNS (network alias) database connections. If any connections use a supported Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) server, check this option.

Kerberos Thin Config: Config File: Kerberos configuration file (for example, krb5.conf). If this is not specified, default locations will be tried for your Java and system configuration.

Kerberos Thin Config: Credential Cache File: Kerberos credential cache file (for example, krb5_cc_cache). If this is not specified, a cache will not be used, and a principal name and password will be required each time.

Tnsnames Directory: Enter or browse to select the location of the tnsnames.ora file. If no location is specified, SQL Developer looks for this file as explained in Section 1.4, "Database Connections". Thus, any value you specify here overrides any TNS_ADMIN environment variable or registry value or (on Linux systems) the global configuration directory.

Database: Autotrace/Explain Plan

The Autotrace/Explain Plan pane specifies information to be displayed on the Autotrace and Explain Plan panes in the SQL Worksheet.

Database: Drag and Drop

The Drag and Drop Effects pane determines the type of SQL statement created in the SQL Worksheet when you drag an object from the Connections navigator into the SQL Worksheet. The SQL Developer preference sets the default, which you can override in the Drag and Drop Effects dialog box.

The type of statement (INSERT, DELETE, UPDATE, or SELECT) applies only for object types for which such a statement is possible. For example, SELECT makes sense for a table, but not for a trigger. For objects for which the statement type does not apply, the object name is inserted in the SQL Worksheet.

Database: NLS

The NLS 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. The Data Editor Options affect the behavior when you are using the Data tab to edit table data.

Data Editor Options

Post Edits on Row Change: If this option is checked, posts DML changes when you perform edits using the Data tab (and the Set Auto Commit On option determines whether or not the changes are automatically committed). If this option is not checked, changes are posted and committed when you press the Commit toolbar button.

Set Auto Commit On (available only if Post Edit on Row Changes is enabled): If this option is checked, DML changes are automatically posted and committed when you perform edits using the Data tab.

Clear persisted table column widths, order, sort, and filter settings: If you click Clear, then any customizations in the Data tab display for table column widths, order, sort, and filtering are not saved for subsequent openings of the tab, but instead the default settings are used for subsequent openings.

Database: 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.

Optimization Level: 0, 1, or 2, reflecting the optimization level that will be used to compile PL/SQL library units. The higher the setting of this parameter, the more effort the compiler makes to optimize PL/SQL library units. However, for a module to be compiled with PL/SQL debugging information, the level must be 0 or 1.

PLScope Identifiers: Specifies the amount of PL/Scope identifier data to collect and use (All or None).

Database: Reports

The Reports pane specifies options relating to SQL Developer Reports.

Close all reports on disconnect: If this option is checked, all reports for any database connection are automatically closed when that connection is disconnected.

Database: SQL Editor Code Templates

The SQL Editor Code Templates pane enables you to view, add, and remove templates for editing SQL and PL/SQL code. Code templates assist you in writing code more quickly and efficiently by inserting text for commonly used statements. You can then modify the inserted text.

The template ID string is not used by SQL Developer; only the template content (Description text) is used, in that it is considered by completion insight (explained in Code Editor: Completion Insight) in determining whether a completion popup should be displayed and what the popup should contain. For example, if you define code template ID mydate as SELECT sysdate FROM dual, then if you start typing select in the SQL Worksheet, the auto-popup includes SELECT sysdate FROM dual.

Add Template: Adds an empty row in the code template display. Enter an ID value, then move to the Template cell; you can enter template content in that cell, or click the ellipsis (...) button to open the code editor to enter the template content.

Remove Template: Deletes the selected code template.

Database: 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.

Import: Lets you import code style profile settings that you previously exported.

Export: Exports the current code profile settings to an XML file.

Autoformat PL/SQL in Procedures, Packages, Views, and Triggers: If this option is checked, the SQL Formatter options are applied automatically as you enter and modify PL/SQL code in procedures, packages, views, and triggers; if this option is not checked, the SQL Formatter options are applied only when you so request.

Panes for product-specific formatting options: Individual panes let you specify formatting options for Oracle and for other vendors (Microsoft Access, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase Adaptive Server). In each of these panes, you can click Edit to specify input/output, alignment, indentation, line breaks, CASE line breaks, white space, and other options.

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 IBM DB2, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, or Sybase Adaptive 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 IBM DB2: the db2jcc.jar and db2jcc_license_cu.jar files, which are available from IBM

• For MySQL: a file with a name similar to mysql-connector-java-5.0.4-bin.jar, in a directory under the one into which you unzipped the download for the MySQL driver

• For Microsoft SQL Server or Sybase Adaptive Server: jtds-1.2.jar, which is included in the jtds-1.2-dist.zip download

• For Teradata: tdgssconfig.jar and terajdbc4.jar, which are included (along with a readme.txt file) in the TeraJDBC__indep_indep.12.00.00.110.zip or TeraJDBC__indep_indep.12.00.00.110.tar download

To find a specific third-party JDBC driver, see the appropriate Web site (for example, http://www.mysql.com for the MySQL Connector/J JDBC driver for MySQL, http://jtds.sourceforge.net/ for the jTDS driver for Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase Adaptive Server, or http://www.teradata.com/DownloadCenter/Forum54-1.aspx for the JDBC driver for Teradata). For MySQL, use the MySQL 5.0 driver, not 5.1 or later, with SQL Developer release 1.5.

You must specify a third-party JDBC driver or install a driver using the Check for Updates feature 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. These extensions can be for user-defined reports, actions, editors, and navigators. (For more information about extensions and checking for updates, see Section 1.12.6, "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.

For more information about creating user-defined extensions, see:

• How To create an XML User Defined Extension: http://wiki.oracle.com/page/SQL+Dev+SDK+How+To+create+an+XML+User+Defined+Extension

• Creating XML Extensions for Oracle SQL Developer: http://www.oracle.com/technology/obe/sqldev_obe/extension/extensions.htm

Database: Worksheet

The Worksheet pane specifies options that affect the behavior of the SQL Worksheet.

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.

Close all worksheets on disconnect: If this option is checked, all SQL Worksheet windows for any database connection are automatically closed when that connection is disconnected.

Prompt for Save File on Close: If this option is checked, you are prompted to save changes when you close a SQL Worksheet if it contains any unsaved changes. If this option is not checked, any unsaved changes are discarded.

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

SQL History Limit: Maximum number of statements that can be stored in the SQL History. Must be greater than 0 (zero). If you enter an invalid value, no value is stored in this field.

Default path to look for scripts: The default directory where SQL Developer looks when you run a script (using @). If you type a path, you can specify multiple delimited locations; if you click Browse, you can select a single location. In addition to any path that you specify, SQL Developer looks in the location specified by the SQLPATH environment variable.

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.

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: ToolTip

The ToolTip pane enables you to control the columns to appear in the debugger ToolTip pane.

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 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.

For Versioning Support, the settings (selected or not, and configuration options if selected) affect whether the Versioning menu is displayed and the items on that menu.

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.

1.12.7 External Editor

The External Editor pane determines which external editor is called by SQL Developer when you try to edit binary large object (BLOB) data, such as image files, video files, and other files created by certain applications. For each combination of MIME type and file extension, you can specify the executable application to be used to open and edit associated files.

MIME Type: MIME type of the data.

File Extension: File extension for files that contain BLOB data and that are associated with the MIME type.associated

Editor Location: Path to the editor to be used to open and edit files associated with this MIME type and file extension. To edit an existing path or to specify one if the cell is empty, click in the cell, and either modify the existing text or click Browse to find and select the executable file for the editor.

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 Global Ignore List

The Global Ignore List pane specifies filters that determine which files and file types will not be used in any processing.

New Filter: A file name or file type that you want to add to the list of files and file types (in the Filter box) that SQL Developer will ignore during all processing (if the filter is enabled, or checked). You can exclude a particular file by entering its complete file name, such as mumble.txt, or you can exclude all files of the same type by entering a construct that describes the file type, such as *.txt.

Add: Adds the new filter to the list in the Filter box.

Remove: Deletes the selected filter from the list in the Filter box.

Restore Defaults: Restores the contents of the Filter box to the SQL Developer defaults.

Filter: Contains the list of files and file types. For each item, if it is enabled (checked), the filter is enforced and the file or file type is ignored by SQL Developer; but if it is disabled (unchecked), the filter is not enforced.

1.12.10 Migration

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.

Online for all. Offline for MySQL, SQL Server, and Sybase Adaptive Server: Options that can be used for online data migration for all supported third-party databases, and for offline data migration for MySQL, SQL Server, and Sybase Adaptive Server.

Representation for 0 Length String: The value to which Oracle converts zero-length strings in the source data. Can be a space (' ') or a null value (NULL). Specific notes:

• For Microsoft Access offline migrations, a null value and a space are considered the same.

• For Sybase offline migrations, '' is considered the same as a space (' ').

• For MySQL offline migrations, a null value is exported as 'NULL', which is handled as type VARCHAR2. You can specify another escape character by using the --fields-escaped-by option with the mysqldump command (for example, specifying \N for null or \\ for \). For information about the mysqldump command, see Section 2.9.1.3, "Creating Data Files From MySQL".

  For MySQL offline migrations, the data is exported to a file named table-name.txt; so if you are moving data from two or more tables with the same name but in different schemas, rename files as needed so that they are all unique, and modify the SQL*Loader .ctl file accordingly.

Online: The online data move options determine the results of files created when you click Migration, then Migrate Data.

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.

Date Mask: Format mask for dates.

Timestamp Mask: Format mask for timestamps.

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 or A file per object: 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.

Least Privilege Schema Migration: For migrating schema objects in a converted model to Oracle, causes CREATE USER, GRANT, and CONNECT statements not to be generated in the output scripts. You must then ensure that the scripts are run using a connection with sufficient privileges. You can select this option if the database user and connection that you want to use to run the scripts already exist, or if you plan to create them.

Generate Data Move User: For data move operations, creates an additional database user with extra privileges to perform the operation. It is recommended that you delete this user after the operation. This option is provided for convenience, and is suggested unless you want to perform least privilege migrations or unless you want to grant privileges manually to a user for the data move operations. This option is especially recommended for multischema migrations, such as when not all tables belong to a single user.

Generate Failed Objects: Causes objects that failed to be converted to be included in the generation script, so that you can make any desired changes and then run the script. If this option is not checked, objects that failed to be converted are not included in the generation script.

Generate Stored Procedure for Migrate Blobs Offline: Causes a stored procedure named CLOBtoBLOB_sqldeveloper (with execute access granted to public) to be created if the schema contains a BLOB (binary large object); this procedure is automatically called if you perform an offline capture. If this option is not checked, you will need to use the manual workaround described in Section 2.9.1.4, "Populating the Destination Database Using the Data Files". (After the offline capture, you can delete the CLOBtoBLOB_sqldeveloper procedure or remove execute access from public.)

Migration: Identifier Options

The Identifier Options pane contains options that apply to object identifiers during migrations.

Prepended to All Identifier Names (Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, and Sybase Adaptive Server migrations only): A string to be added at the beginning of the name of migrated objects. For example, if you specify the string as XYZ_, and if a source table is named EMPLOYEES, the migrated table will be named XYZ_EMPLOYEES. (Be aware of any object name length restrictions if you use this option.)

Is Quoted Identifier On (Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase Adaptive Server migrations only): If this option is enabled, quotation marks (double-quotes) can be used to refer to identifiers (for example, SELECT "Col 1" from "Table 1"); if this option is not enabled, quotation marks identify string literals. Important: The setting of this option must match the setting in the source database to be migrated, as explained in Section 2.5.2, "Before Migrating From Microsoft SQL Server or Sybase Adaptive Server".

Migration: Translators

The Translators pane contains options that relate to conversion of stored procedures and functions from their source database format to Oracle format. (These options apply only to migrations from Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, and Sybase Adaptive Server.)

Default Source Date Format: Default date format mask to be used when casting string literals to dates in stored procedures and functions.

Query Assignment Translation: Option to determine what is generated for a query assignment: only the assignment, assignment with exception handling logic, or assignment using a cursor LOOP ... END LOOP structure to fetch each row of the query into variables.

1.12.11 Mouseover Popups

The Mouseover Popups pane specifies text to be displayed on hover-related mouse actions over relevant object names.

Popup Name: The type of information to be displayed: Data Values (value of the item under the mouse pointer, such as the value of a variable during a debugging operation), Documentation (documentation on the item under the mouse pointer, such as Javadoc on a method call), or Source (source code of the item under the mouse pointer, such as the source code of a method).

Activate Via: Use action with the mouse cursor to activate the display: Hover, or Hover while pressing one or two specified modifier keys.

Description: Description of the associated Popup Name entry.

Smart Enabled: If this option is checked, then the text for the relevant type of information is displayed if Smart Popup is also checked.

Smart Popup: If this option is checked, the relevant text for the first smart-enabled popup is displayed for the item under the mouse pointer.

1.12.12 Shortcut Keys (Accelerator Keys)

The Shortcut Keys pane enables you to view and customize the shortcut key (also called accelerator key) mappings for SQL Developer.

Hide Unmapped Commands: If this option is checked, only shortcut keys with mappings are displayed.

More Actions:

• Export: Exports the shortcut key definitions to an XML file.

• Import: Imports the shortcut key definitions from a previously exported XML file.

• Load Keyboard Scheme: Drops all current shortcut key mappings and sets the mappings in the specified scheme. (This option was called Load Preset in previous releases.) If you have made changes to the mappings and want to restore the default settings, select Default.

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

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

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

New Shortcut: The new shortcut 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 shortcut key, they are listed in the Current Assignment box.

Conflicts: A read-only display of the current action, if any, that is mapped to the shortcut key that you specified in the New Shortcut box.

1.12.13 Unit Test Parameters

Unit Test Parameters preferences affect the behavior of the SQL Developer unit testing feature (described in Chapter 3).

Configuration set to use for lookups: Lookup category to be used for automatically generating test implementations when you create a unit test, as explained in Section 3.6.2. The list includes the default category and any user-added categories (see the Unit Testing: Add Category dialog box).

1.12.14 Versioning

Versioning preferences affect the behavior of the version control and management systems that you can use with SQL Developer. You can specify preferences for CVS and Subversion. For information about using versioning with SQL Developer, see Section 1.10, "Using Versioning".

Versioning: CVS

The CVS pane specifies options for use with CVS (Concurrent Versions System).

CVS Client: Internal to Oracle SQL Developer (installed with SQL Developer) or External Executable (separately installed CVS client, for which you must specify the name or path).

• Name on System Path: Name of the CVS server executable. The default (cvs) is correct for most installations. This option assumes that the name of the CVS server executable is on the system path.

• Path from Environment: Location of the CVS server executable, especially if there is more than one on the system path. The selection area will list all instances of the CVS server executable known to the local system. You may have more than one version of CVS installed: this option lets you specify which of them to use with SQL Developer.

• Other Path: Location of the CVS server executable, if it is not on the system path at all.

Run CVS in Edit/Watch Mode: If this option is enabled, you coordinate access to files by declaring an editor for them through CVS, after which they may be modified. Only those files that you check out after changing this preference will be affected. If this option is disabled, the edit and watch commands on the Versioning menu are disabled.

State Overlay Scheme: Scheme for the icons displayed alongside folder and file names in the navigators to indicate their versioning status.

Versioning: CVS: Commands

The CVS: Commands pane sets options for CVS source control. Some options are not available when using the internal CVS client.

Enable Advanced Controls: If this option is enabled, advanced CVS controls are shown in dialog boxes. If you find that you use only basic CVS features, you might wish to use SQL Developer without advanced controls, to reduce complexity and save screen space.

Global Options: Run Quietly: If this option is enabled, informational messages are suppressed.

Global Options: Do not Log Commands: If this option is enabled, CVS commands are not logged in the repository command history.

Global Options: Encrypt: If this option is enabled, all communication between the client and the server is encrypted. Encryption support is not available in CVS by default; it must be enabled using a special configuration option when you build CVS.

Set Compression Level (z): If this option is enabled, you can set the compression level for files sent between client and server. The level can be set from Minimum (high speed, low compression) to Maximum (low speed, high compression).

Keyword Substitution Mode: CVS uses keyword substitution modes to insert revision information into files when they are checked out or updated. This option controls the mode of replacement for keyword substitution in versioned files:

• Automatic: The default, recommended option.

• Keyword-Only Mode: Generates only keyword names in keyword strings and omits their values. This option is useful for disregarding differences due to keyword substitution when comparing different revisions of a file.

• Keyword-Value Mode: Generates keyword strings using the default form.

• Keyword-Value-Locker Mode: Like the keyword-value mode, except that the name of the locker is always inserted if the given revision is currently locked.

• Old-Contents Mode: Generates the old keyword string, present in the working file just before it was checked in.

• Value-Only Mode: Generates only keyword values for keyword strings. This can help generate files in programming languages where it is hard to strip keyword delimiters from a string. However, further keyword substitution cannot be performed once the keyword names are removed, so this option should be used with care.

On Commit: Use Comment Templates: If this option is enabled, your commit comments will be entered through template forms. The forms are set up by the CVS system administrator. There may be different forms for different circumstances and installations, and it may be that none of them are suitable for your commit comments. In this case, this preference lets you disable the use of all forms.

On Commit: Automatically Add Files: If this option is enabled, local files are added to the CVS repository whenever you perform a commit action.

Create Backup Files on Remove: If this option is enabled, backup copies are made of files that are removed through actions of the source control system.

Versioning: CVS: General

The CVS: General pane specifies environment settings and the operation timeout.

Use Navigator State Overlay Icons: If this option is enabled, state overlay icons are used. State overlay icons are small symbols associated with object names in the navigators. They indicate the state of version-controlled files (for example, "up to date").

Use Navigator State Overlay Labels: If this option is enabled, state overlay labels are used. State overlay labels are tooltips associated with object names in the navigators.

Automatically Make Files Editable: If this option is enabled, an editor is automatically used on a data file when you start to change it. (If you edit a file unintentionally, immediately use Versioning, then Unedit to revert.)

Operation Timeout: Maximum time allowed for CVS operations to complete.

Versioning: CVS: Navigator Labels

The CVS: Navigator Labels pane specifies formatting for CVS information appears on navigator nodes and tool tips. For a full explanation of keyword substitution modes, see the CVS documentation.

Versioning: CVS: Version Tools

The CVS: Version Tools pane specifies options for the pending changes window and the merge editor.

Use Outgoing Changes Commit Dialog: Enables you to make optimum use of limited screen space when the Pending Changes window is open. You can save screen space by not showing the Comments area of the Pending Changes window, but you might still want to add comments before a commit action. You can choose the circumstances under which the Commit dialog is opened: always, only when the Comments area of the Pending Changes window is hidden, or never.

Incoming Changes Timer Interval: The frequency at which the change status of files is checked.

Merge Editor: Specifies whether files are merged locally or at the server.

Versioning: Subversion

The Subversion pane specifies the Subversion client to use with SQL Developer.

Versioning: Subversion: Comment Templates

The Subversion: Comment Templates pane specifies templates for comments to be used with commit operations. For example, a template might contain text like the following:

Problem Description (with bug ID if any):
Fix Description:

You can add, edit, and remove comment templates, and you can export templates to an XML file or import templates that had previously been exported.

Versioning: Subversion: General

The Subversion: General pane specifies environment settings and the operation timeout.

Use Navigator State Overlay Icons: If this option is enabled, state overlay icons are used. State overlay icons are small symbols associated with object names in the navigators. They indicate the state of version-controlled files (for example, "up to date").

Use Navigator State Overlay Labels: If this option is enabled, state overlay labels are used. State overlay labels are tooltips associated with object names in the navigators.

Automatically Make Files Editable: If this option is enabled, an editor is automatically used on a data file when you start to change it. (If you edit a file unintentionally, immediately use Versioning, then Unedit to revert.)

Operation Timeout: Maximum time allowed for Subversion operations to complete.

Edit Subversion Configuration File: To modify the Subversion file directly, click Edit "server".

Versioning: Subversion: Version Tools

The Subversion: Version Tools pane specifies options for the pending changes window and the merge editor.

Use Outgoing Changes Commit Dialog: Enables you to make optimum use of limited screen space when the Pending Changes window is open. You can save screen space by not showing the Comments area of the Pending Changes window, but you might still want to add comments before a commit action. You can choose the circumstances under which the Commit dialog is opened: always, only when the Comments area of the Pending Changes window is hidden, or never.

Incoming Changes Timer Interval: The frequency at which the change status of files is checked.

Merge Editor: Specifies whether files are merged locally or at the server.

1.12.15 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.

1.17.1 SQL History Shortcuts

Using Ctrl+up-arrow or Ctrl+down-arrow in the SQL Worksheet replaces the contents of the SQL Worksheet with lines of code from the SQL History. You can step up and down through the SQL History.

To view the SQL History in the SQL Worksheet, press F8 or click View, then History.

1.17.2 Unshared Worksheets

To create a separate unshared worksheet for a connection, press Ctrl+Shift+N.

1.17.3 SQL Worksheet Bookmarks

If you have many SQL Worksheets open, you can assign a bookmark number to each and then easily navigate among them. To create a bookmark, click the worksheet's tab and press Alt+Shift+number (for example, Alt+Shift+1). The number now appears as a small superscript in the tab.

To switch to a worksheet that has a bookmark, press Alt+number (for example, Alt+1).

1.17.4 Formatted Display of SQL Trace (.trc) Files

To see a formatted display of a SQL Trace file, drag the *.trc file onto the area above the SQL Worksheet (or open it by clicking File, then Open).

1.17.5 Folders for Organizing Connections

You can group connections into folders. Right-click a connection name and select Add to Folder. See the help topic Using Folders to Group Connections.

1.17.6 Third-Party Databases and SQL Developer

In addition to Oracle databases, SQL Developer works with several third-party databases, such as MySQL, Sybase, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, and IBM DB2.

For information about connecting to third-party databases, or about migrating a third-party database to Oracle, see the help topics Database Connections and Migrating Third-Party Databases.

1.17.7 Debugger Ports and Firewalls

The SQL Debugger by default uses ports 40000 to 49000. If you cannot get the debugger to start, make sure that you are not being blocked by a firewall on these ports.

1.17.8 Viewing Multiple Tables

You can have tabs open for more than one table. Just click the Freeze View button (it looks like a push pin) when you are viewing a table; and when you click to display another table, the tab for the first table will remain open.

1.17.9 Customizing SQL Developer Appearance

You can use the Look and Feel (platform) and Theme (color scheme) options under Environment preferences to customize the appearance of the SQL Developer window.

1.17.10 Maximizing Tab Panes

You can often maximize a display pane (such as a SQL Worksheet) by double-clicking its tab.

To restore the SQL Developer window to its original display, double-click the tab again.

1.17.11 Default Path for Running Scripts

You can set a default path for SQL Developer to use if you run a SQL script file (for example, @my_script.sql) without specifying the path. See the Database: Worksheet Parameters preferences.

1.17.12 Shutting Down and Restarting the Database

A user with SYSDBA privileges can shut down and restart the database from within SQL Developer, if a listener is running with a static listener configured for the database. Right-click the connection name and select Manage Database.

1.17.13 Feature Requests

Do you have a SQL Developer feature request? Log it at the Oracle Technology Network: go to http://sqldeveloper.oracle.com and select the Feature Requests link.

1.17.14 Discussion Forum

Would you like to share and search information, questions, and comments about SQL Developer? Visit our discussion forum at:

http://forums.oracle.com/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=260 

1.17.15 Help Text Font Size

You can use a button in the Help Center window display pane (right side) to change the help text display size: click Increase Font Size or Decrease Font Size (repeatedly if necessary) until the size is right for you. (If the text appears blurry, try decreasing the size.)

Suggestion: Don't close the Help Center window, because font size changes will be in effect only for as long as the current window is open. Consider using the Keep on Top toggle in the Help Center window.

1.17.16 Procedure and Function Signatures

To see the signature (format, including parameters) of a procedure or function in a PL/SQL package, expand the package (under Packages in the Connections navigator), and place the mouse pointer over the procedure or function name.

1.17.17 Type-Ahead in Navigators

Many navigators that use a tree support type-ahead to find and open an object. For example, expand the Tables node under a connection and start typing a table name.

Note: This works only on nodes when the child nodes are visible. For example, if the Tables node is not expanded to display the individual tables, typing the name of a table will not find and open it.

1.17.18 Extended Paste

If you have cut or copied multiple things to the clipboard and want to paste something other than the most recent copy, you can use extended paste to display a dialog box to select which one to paste. Press Ctrl+Shift+V; or click Edit, then Extended Paste.

1.17.19 Closing Tabbed Windows Using the Mouse Wheel

To close a a tabbed editor or display window, click its tab with the mouse wheel.

1.17.20 Go to Last Edit Location

If you have made edits in several editing windows and are now in a different window, and if you want to return to where you made the last edit, press Ctrl+Shift+Backspace; or click Navigate, then Go to Last Edit.

1.17.21 Closing Tabbed Windows Using the Context Menu

To close a a tabbed editor or display window, right-click and select Close from the context menu.

1.17.22 List of All Open Windows

To see a list of all open tabbed windows, click the small button with the drop-down arrow, located to the right of the tabs and over the tabbed window vertical scroll bar.

To go to one of the listed windows, select it from the drop-down list.

1.17.23 Go to Subprogram Implementation from Package Window

In the window for a package definition, you can press Ctrl+click on a procedure or function name to perform the Open Declaration command, which opens the procedure or function implementation (body specification) in a new window.

1.17.24 Select Multiple Table or Column Names in Completion Insight

When entering or editing a SELECT query, you can select multiple tables and columns from the completion insight popup window. Aliases are provided for column and table names if the Generate Column/Table Aliases Automatically preference for Code Editor: Completion Insight is enabled.