![Getting used to Oracle SQL Developer 20188367001]({"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"http:\/\/seattletimes.nwsource.com\/ABPub\/2012\/08\/02\/2018836700.jpg","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"} "Getting used to Oracle SQL Developer 1")
It took a few months, but I finally start appreciating the Oracle
SQL Developer developed by Oracle (The Project Formerly Known As Raptor).
There are still some bugs, for instance with debugging through a
firewall (hey, didn’t we have the same problem with JDeveloper?) and
some features are missing, but it’s quite usable. Especially when there
is no TOAD or PLSQL/Developer at the site.
I’ve provided a POAQ (Probably Often Asked Questions) here.
I have the latest release of Raptor. Is there any need for an upgrade?
It
is very advisable. Some bugs are fixed (like not remembering changed
preferences) and the startup speed has improved. You will
loose your saved connections, but you can recover them very easy:
right click "connections", choose import connections, select <raptor_path>\jdev\system\oracle\oracle.onlinedb.10.1.3.xxx\IDEConnections.xml. All connections will be restored.
I don’t like the baby-blue user interface and want a Windows look-and-feel!
Go to Menu|Tools -> preferences -> Environment -> Look and Feel = Windows
Why are my open tabs replaced when I click on another object?
That is because you need to ‘freeze’ a tab with the red freeze view
button at the left upper hand of the tab (a red pin). You can toggle it
on and off, and when it’s frozen it will not be replaced by another
object.
How do I export query results in SQL Developer? In TOAD this was so straightforward!
It’s straightforward here too once you know where to find it. Click on actions (in the upper right corner, next to the filter field). You can select Export
there and choose CSV, XML, SQL Load or SQL insert. Each option provides
a popup with additional options, like copy to clipboard or file. You
can filter out columns or add a where clause too. Just as you were used
in TOAD!
When I click on “Actions” beside the filter, there is not option for exporting, is this something we have to enable?
Hi Gary, thanks for your reply. I suspected already that JDeveloper and SQL Developer shared the same code. The GUI and LAF are too similar to be a coincendence also.
Patrick,
You were asking about having the same firewall issue as with JDeveloper. There is a good reason for that: my understanding is that Oracle stripped code right out of JDeveloper to create SQL Developer!
Harm, this blogpost is not about demonstrating how good SQL Developer is. I am not trying to convince people to switch from TOAD or any other tool to SQL Developer. This tool is however an option for some people, and it does have potential in my opinion. So please do not disqualify it because it does not suit your needs.
Getting used…to not seeing your data properly?
SQL Developer is *bagger* from the upper shelf. It does a very poor job when working with xmltype data types and functions or working with AQ, to name a few. Even iSQLPlus does a better job at these points. At least in iSQLPlus (and the good old SQLPlus) shows the XML when queriing an xmltype column, in SQL Developer it shows (XMLTYPE).
I checked various combinations of portranges: 79-80, 80-80, 80-81, 79-81. In all cases it avoids port 80, and if 80 is the only choice it uses “0”. I’m not sure if this is done deliberately (security?) or if ithe protocol itself is not suitable to use port 80 for debugging.
Funny, I just sent out a mass e-mail to our Java developers and DBAs at work today to use this as an alternative to TOAD. I noticed most of the developers were pretty green about database technologies, so SQL Developer would be more than what they need.
The DBAs thought it was cool cause they all hate TOAD. They prefer DBartisain, and for DBA work I would have to say that is the tool to go with.
Patrick:
Have you tried using port 79-80? It might us 80 if it tends to choose the higher port #. Let us know.
That is true, you can also select themes like Desert Green and Sky Red!
By the way, I tried to force the debugger to communicate on port 80 in order to circumvene the FW bug. This is not possible though. When I select range 80 through 80 it uses port “0” (and throws an error!) and with the range 80 through 81 is uses port 81. Too bad, but it was worth a try.
Cool ;o)
Even if you stay with the Oracle LAF, you can swap between a lot of themes.