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The SQL Developer window generally uses the left side for navigation to find and select objects, and the right side to display information about selected objects.
Note: This text explains the default interface. However, you can customize many aspects of the appearance and behavior of SQL Developer by setting preferences (see SQL Developer Preferences). If you ever need to restore the default interface, see Restoring the Original "Look and Feel". |
Note: For migration of third-party databases to Oracle, see also SQL Developer User Interface for Migration. |
The menus at the top contain standard entries, plus entries for features specific to SQL Developer (see Menus for SQL Developer), as shown in the following figure.
You can use shortcut keys to access menus and menu items: for example Alt+F for the File menu and Alt+E for the Edit menu; or Alt+H, then Alt+S for Help, then Search. You can also display the File menu by pressing the F10 key (except in the SQL Worksheet, where F10 is the shortcut for Explain Plan).
To close a window that has focus (such as the SQL Developer main window, a wizard or dialog box, or the Help Center) and any of its dependent windows, you can press Alt+F4.
The main toolbar (under the menus) contains Icons to perform various actions, which by default include the following:
New creates a new database object (see Create New Object).
Open opens a file (see Open File).
Save saves any changes to the currently selected object.
Save All saves any changes to all open objects.
Back moves to the pane that you most recently visited. (Or use the drop-down arrow to specify a tab view.)
Forward moves to the pane after the current one in the list of visited panes. (Or use the drop-down arrow to specify a tab view.)
Open SQL Worksheet opens the SQL Worksheet (see Using the SQL Worksheet). If you do not use the drop-down arrow to specify the database connection to use, you are asked to select a connection.
However, you can add and remove main toolbar icons by clicking View, Show Toolbars, Customize Main Toolbar, then choosing desired options. To undo any main toolbar customization, select Reset Toolbars.
The left side of the SQL Developer window has panes for the Connections and Reports navigators (any other navigators that you might open), icons for performing actions, and a hierarchical tree display for the currently selected navigator, as shown in the following figure.
The Connections navigator lists database connections that have been created. To create a new database connection, import an XML file with connection definitions, or export or edit current connections, right-click the Connections node and select the appropriate menu item. (For more information, see Database Connections.)
The Files navigator (marked by a folder icon; not shown in the preceding figure) displays your local file system using a standard hierarchy of folders and files. You can double-click or drag and drop files to open them, and you can edit and save the files. For example, if you open a .sql file, it is displayed in a SQL Worksheet window. The Files navigator is especially useful if you are using versioning with SQL Developer (see Using Versioning).
The Reports navigator (not shown in the preceding figure) lists informative reports provided by SQL Developer, such as a list of tables without primary keys for each database connection, as well as any user-defined reports. (For more information, see SQL Developer Reports.)
Icons above the Connections node and metadata tree perform the following actions on the currently selected object:
Refresh queries the database for the current details about the selected object (for example, a connection or just a table).
Apply Filter restricts the display of objects using a filter that you specify. For example, you can right-click the Tables node and specify a filter of EM% to see only tables that start with EM and to have the Tables node label be changed to Tables (EM%). To remove the effects of applying a filter, right-click the node and select Clear Filter.
Note that for tables, the initial default node label is Tables (Filtered), to reflect the exclusion of tables that are in the Recycle Bin. To have such tables included in the display, clear the filter.
The metadata tree in the Connections pane displays all the objects (categorized by object type) accessible to the defined connections. To select an object, expand the appropriate tree node or nodes, then click the object.
The right side of the SQL Developer window has tabs and panes for objects that you select or open, as shown in the following figure, which displays information about a table named EMPLOYEES. (If you hold the mouse pointer over the tab label -- EMPLOYEES in this figure -- a tooltip displays the object's owner and the database connection.)
For objects other than subprograms, icons provide the following options:
Freeze View (the pin) keeps that object's tab and information in the window when you click another object in the Connections navigator; a separate tab and display are created for that other object. If you click the pin again, the object's display is available for reuse.
Edit displays a dialog box for editing the object.
Refresh updates the display by querying the database for the latest information.
Actions displays a menu with actions appropriate for the object. The actions are the same as when you right-click an object of that type in the Connections navigator, except the Actions menu does not include Edit.
To switch among objects, click the desired tabs; to close a tab, click the X in the tab. If you make changes to an object and click the X, you are asked if you want to save the changes.
For tables and views, this information is grouped under tabs, which are labeled near the top. For example, for tables the tabs are Columns, Data (for seeing and modifying the data itself), Indexes, Constraints, and so on; and you can click a column heading under a tab to sort the grid rows by the values in that column. For most objects, the tabs include SQL, which displays the SQL statement for creating the object.
You can export (unload) data from a detail pane or from the results of a SQL Worksheet operation or a report by using the context menu and selecting Export.
The Messages - Log area is used for feedback information as appropriate (for example, results of an action, or error or warning messages). If this area is not already visible, you can display is by clicking View and then Log.
The Compiler - Log area is used for any messages displayed as a result of a Compile or Compile for Debug operation.
Related Topics
Restoring the Original "Look and Feel"
Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures
SQL Developer Concepts and Usage
SQL Developer Tutorial: Creating Objects for a Small Database
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.
Application Express Listener Administration: Displays the Application Express Listener Administration window (see Application Express Listener Administration).
Breakpoints: Displays the Breakpoints pane, which shows breakpoints, both system-defined and user-defined (see Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures).
Cart: Displays the Cart window (see Using the Cart).
Change Management: Displays the Change Management window (see Change Manager Support in SQL Developer).
Components: Displays the Component Palette: Configure Component Palette dialog box.
Connections: Displays the Connections navigator.
DBA: Displays the DBA navigator (see Using DBA Features in SQL Developer).
Data Miner: Lets you display the Data Miner Navigator, Workflow Jobs, Workflow Property Inspector, and Component Palette. (For information about Oracle Data Miner, click Help, then Data Mining.).
Data Modeler: Lets you display the Browser and Thumbnail Diagram panes of the Data Modeler in SQL Developer.
DBMS Output: Displays the output of DBMS_OUTPUT package statements (see DBMS Output Pane).
Debugger: Displays panes related to debugging (see Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures).
Extension Diagnostics: Displays the Extensions - Log pane.
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 Finding Database Objects).
Log: Displays the Messages - Log pane, which can contain errors, warnings, and informational messages.
Map View: Displays the Map View pane (see Map Visualization of Spatial Data).
Migration Projects: Lets you display any captured models and converted models (see SQL Developer User Interface for Migration).
OWA Output: Displays Oracle Web Agent (MOD_PLSQL) output (see OWA Output Pane).
Processes: Displays the Processes pane.
Properties: Displays the Property Inspector.
RESTful Services: Displays the RESTful Services Administration Pane pane.
Recent Objects: Displays a pane with names of recently opened objects. You can double-click a name in the list to go to its editing window (see Using Recent Objects).
Reports: Displays the Reports navigator (see SQL Developer Reports).
SQL 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 SQL History).
Snippets: Displays snippets (see Using Snippets to Insert Code Fragments).
Task Progress: Displays the Task Progress pane.
Unit Test: Displays the Unit Test navigator (see SQL Developer: Unit Testing).
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 following toolbars: Main toolbar (under the SQL Developer menus), the Connections Navigator toolbar, the DBA navigator toolbar, the Data Miner Workflow Property Inspector toolbar, and (if a package or subprogram is open) the Code Editor toolbar.
OLAP: Lets you display the OLAP Templates and Snippets pane.
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 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 Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures).
Remove All Bookmarks: Removes bookmarks from open editing windows for functions and procedures (see Using Bookmarks When Editing Functions and Procedures).
Go to Bookmark: Displays a dialog box so that you can go to a specified bookmark (see 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 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 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 Running and Debugging Functions and Procedures.
Team 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 Using Versioning for more information.
The commands on the Team 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 in SQL Developer if it not already active; otherwise, contains the commands About Data Modeler, Design Rules, and General Options (user preferences).
Data Miner: Enables you to show the Data Miner navigator and drop the Data Miner repository. (For information about Data Miner, click Help, then Data Mining).
OLAP: Enables you to create a view that pivots an Oracle OLAP fact table so that the measures identify rows instead of columns. (For information about Oracle OLAP, click Help and check for related topics in the Table of Contents.)
Database Copy: Enables you to copy objects, schemas, or a tablespace from one database to another (see the Database Copy wizard).
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 Differences interface).
Database Export: Enables you to export (unload) 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 Database Export (Unload Database Objects and Data) interface).
Manage Libraries: Lets you manage libraries for JDBC driver classes.
Migration: Displays the Migration Submenu, which contains commands related to migrating third-party databases to Oracle.
Monitor SQL (requires the Oracle Tuning Pack): 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.)
SQL Worksheet: Displays a worksheet in which you can enter and execute SQL and PL/SQL statements using a specified connection (see Using the SQL Worksheet).
Unit Test: Displays the Unit Test Submenu, which contains commands related to unit testing.
Manage APEX Listener Connections: Lets you add and remove Application Express Listener connections. (See Connecting to Application Express Listener Server.)
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 Create/Edit External Tool). The Tools menu also contains items for any user-defined external tools.
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.
Features: Displays the Manage Features and Updates dialog box.
Preferences: Enables you to customize the behavior of SQL Developer (see SQL Developer Preferences).
Window menu
Contains options relating to the appearance and behavior of the user interface.
Team: Lets you display the Versions and Pending Changes.
Switch Window Layout: In relevant contexts, lets you switch between editing and debugging mode.
Configure Window: Lets you perform operations on the selected window or window group, such as maximizing, floating, minimizing, and docking.
Reset Windows to Factory Settings: Restores the SQL Developer interface to the way it was after SQL Developer was installed; however, this does not undo any main toolbar customizations. (See also Restoring the Original "Look and Feel", and Reset Toolbars in the Customize Toolbars dialog box.)
Assign File Accelerator: Lets you create SQL Worksheet Bookmarks.
Close Window: Closes the currently selected window in the SQL Worksheet.
Close All Documents: Closes all open windows in the SQL Worksheet.
Close Other Documents: Closes all open windows in the SQL Worksheet except for the currently selected window.
Documents: Displays a Documents dialog box for performing operations on open windows.
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. It contains the tabs Get Started and Community (the latter including the SQL Developer discussion forum).
Data Mining: Displays an introductory help topic about Oracle Data Mining and its graphical user interface, Data Miner, which is integrated into SQL Developer.
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.
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 window to the way it was after SQL Developer was installed by clicking Window, then Reset Windows to Factory Settings. (However, if you have customized the main toolbar and want to restore it, you must either also select Reset Toolbars in the Customize Toolbars dialog box or restore the entire user interface.)
To restore the entire user interface (for example, including undoing all changes to user preferences), follow these steps.
If you are running SQL Developer, exit.
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 a build-specific directory or folder under the following:
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 Location of User-Related Information), 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.)
Delete the original (not the backup) folder or directory where your user information is stored (explained in step 2).
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.