Using OraDeveloper Tools
This article provides basic information about OraDeveloper Tools. The article explains what
is OraDeveloper Tools, where to download, how to install and start using it. For thorough
information on OraDeveloper Tools please refer to its own documentation.
This article consists of the following sections:
Introduction
OraDeveloper Tools is a powerful tool designed to automate and simplify Oracle database development
process. It integrates into Visual Studio and Delphi making all database
development and administration tasks available from your favorite IDE. Using OraDeveloper Tools, you can:
- Create, modify and delete database connections
- Display server specific database schema information in tree view
- Create, modify and drop various database objects
- Create and execute SQL statements using SQL editor
- Visually design queries using Query Builder
- Open and save SQL documents
- Examine SQL query execution plan
- View and edit table data using grid based editor
- Easy export data and database objects
- Create new components by dragging items from explorer
- Take advantage of component designers' extended capabilities
Versions and Compatibility
Devart issues OraDeveloper Tools for integrating into different versions of
Microsoft Visual Studio (2002 - 2008) and Delphi (2005 - 2007). There
are also versions that do not require an IDE (dbForge Studio for Oracle) and that are
designed for MySQL server (MySQL Developer product line). Full list of Devart database
tools you can find on web site.
All registered customers of dotConnect for Oracle Developer Edition are granted right to
download and use OraDeveloper Tools for Visual Studio.
This version of dotConnect for Oracle is compatible with OraDeveloper Tools 2.x.
Downloading and Installing
Before installing OraDeveloper Tools make sure that no old version of the software is
installed for target IDE. Note that OraDeveloper Tools previously was shipped with
Professional Edition of dotConnect for Oracle (version 3.20 and older). If you had such data
provider you should remove it as well.
Download appropriate OraDeveloper version from dedicated page:
http://devart.com/dbforge/oracle/tools/download.html.
After you download the file, close all open IDE instances, launch downloaded installer and
follow instructions of the wizard.
Basic Usage Instructions
DbExplorer displays database connections at the top level of tree hierarchy.
After a connection is established, you can open it to retrieve and manipulate
the data provided.
To add a database connection in DbExplorer
- On the DbExplorer window toolbar press "Add new database
connection" button or select appropriate item from popup menu.
- On the Data Source tab of the Database Connection Properties
dialog box, choose a database server from list.
- On the Connection tab of the Database Connection Properties
dialog box, provide main logon information required to connect to the server.
- On the Parameter tab of the Database Connection Properties
dialog box, provide all specific connection properties you need.
- Optionally you can perform connection test by clicking Test Connection button.
- Click OK to establish the database connection.
The Database Connection Properties dialog box closes, and the new database
connection appears at the top level of the tree and database can be accessed.
You can modify database connection properties from Database Connection
Properties dialog box. It opens by choosing Modify Connection from node popup
menu. After you apply changes to existing connection by pressing OK button
database connection closes and reopens.
You can rename database connection using tree view inplace editor.
To drop database connection choose Delete from node popup menu.
After database connection is created and opened you can explore database schema
hierarchy by expanding tree nodes. DbExplorer allows you to view, edit, create
and drop database objects. To see what actions are available for specific node
press right mouse button on it to display popup menu.
As other users modify the database, you can refresh the list of database
objects displayed in DbExplorer and their properties by pressing Refresh
button.
You can easily create database objects using popup menu or "Create New Database
Object" button on OraDeveloper Tools toolbar.
Most of database objects displayed in DbExplorer tree can be modified.
There are two kinds of object editors: popup dialog box and
toolwindow based editor. When you launch popup dialog editor from tree view
changes are applied to database right after you click OK button. Unlike dialog
box, editor based on a toolwindow can post or discard changes several times
without closing the editor. In addition, OraDeveloper Tools allows you to open more
than one toolwindow based editor simultaneously.
For every object that has some properties special window is available where you
can see all the properties of a given element such as tables, indexes,
connections and so on.
To drop a database object, navigate to it and choose "Delete" from popup menu.
OraDeveloper Tools allows you to execute all kinds of queries. Click "Create New SQL
Editor" button on the toolbar to create a new SQL document. Type your query in
it and click "Execute SQL" button to have it performed. Results of the query
are redirected to common Output window as well as error messages. You can see
dataset returned from SELECT query in Data tab (on View menu, click Data if it
is not visible yet).
You can switch to Design mode to construct a query using Query Builder. In this
mode you can create SELECT statements in very easy and quick manner. On View
menu, click Design to open Visual Query Builder. Notice that if you have had
correct SELECT statement in SQL editor, it is automatically inserted into Query
Builder. Now you can drag and drop tables from DbExplorer, use special tabbed
editor to easily setup JOIN options as well as WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING and
ORDER BY clauses.
You can save your SQL document at any time for future use. SQL
editor documents are saved with extension "sql"; Query Builder
documents have extension "qry". When opened, Query Builder table controls
restore their original position on the data diagram.
When you develop SQL queries the most important thing to care about is query performance.
With OraDeveloper Tools you can be sure you have built a good query because you can inspect it visually
in Plan view. Just paste your query to SQL document and switch to Plan view to see even most
compound statements parsed by Oracle and presented in tree with explanations on what every
plan step does.
Database objects representing tables and views allow you to view and
edit their data using special data editor. It is accessible from object popup
menu. When you open editor it is automatically filled with data from table
(view). To apply inserting of new row in a table press Enter; to cancel changes
press Escape. To refresh data from table click Refresh from popup menu.
You can drag connections, tables and stored procedures from DbExplorer and drop
them onto Visual Studio designers, the integrated development
environment (IDE) automatically creates new components that reference the
resources selected. For example, if you drag a table from DbExplorer onto
a Visual Studio designer, the IDE automatically creates new instances of
OracleConnection and OracleDataAdapter components preconfigured to reference that
particular table.
OraDeveloper extends functionality of component designers by adding new verbs to
provide you easy access to useful operations. Click on a verb to open
corresponding wizard and setup the component. This feature makes common
operations far more handy. For example, OracleConnection designer has new "Open
in DbExplorer" verb; OracleCommand has capabilities of editing SQL statement
using "SQL Editor..." and "Query Builder..." as well as editing target object
using "Object Editor..." verb; OracleDataAdapter and OracleDataTable designers have handy
"Query Builder..." verb that brings up Query Builder. You can quickly
setup connection string for OracleConnection by clicking on "Connection
String..." verb and choosing existing connection to inherit its parameters.
Complete Documentation
OraDeveloper Tools has own comprehensive documentation that describes every aspect
of using the software, contains walkthroughs and reference information. There are several ways
to open the documentation:
- Use appropriate shortcut in start menu, for instance,
Start - Programs - Devart OraDeveloper Tools - Documentation.
- Use command in the IDE:
Tools - Devart OraDeveloper Tools - Help.
- Focus on any OraDeveloper Tools part (for example, on DbExplorer) and press F1.