Best PL/SQL Editor for Oracle Databases

Getting started with SQL Editor

Let's start by identifying which steps one needs to take in order to begin working with SQL Editor. You can launch SQL editor in several ways. For instance:

1. On the main menu, click File, point to New, and then click SQL.
2. On the Standard toolbar, click New SQL.
3. In Query Builder, switch to the Text View.

Context-sensitive code completion

SQL editor is designed to free the developer from remembering each and every minute code detail. By extracting the context-sensitive features from the code and the relations to other code elements, it can easily auto-complete the current code with the proper elements according to the pattern you choose.

SQL formatting
with rich options

You can improve readability, consistency and standardization with SQL formatting. The feature enables to define and share SQL coding standards among multiple developers easily. Based on your needs, you can select from the 3 types of formatting:

• Automatic code formatting significantly saves your time. By default, when you finish a statement with a delimiter, it is automatically formatted.
• Manual. In case you want to format SQL code manually, decide whether you want to format the whole code in your script or only a statement.
• Using SQL formatter wizard - to format multiple SQL files simultaneously.

Triggers in the SQL query editor

A trigger is a special kind of stored procedure that goes into effect when you modify data in a specified table using one or more data modification operations: UPDATE, INSERT or DELETE. Triggers can query other tables and can include complex SQL statements. They are primarily useful for enforcing complex business rules or requirements. For example, you could control whether to allow an order to be inserted based on a customer's current account status.

Triggers are also useful for enforcing referential integrity, which preserves the defined relationships between tables when you add, update, or delete the rows in those tables. However, the best way to enforce referential integrity is to define primary key and foreign key constraints in the related tables. If you use database diagrams, you can create a relationship between tables to automatically create a foreign key constraint.

Execution of scripts, selected SQL fragments, and statements

You can have full control of scripts and statements right from the editor. Create, edit, execute, and terminate scripts in a wink. Oracle SQL Editor:

• Provides you with rich editing and debugging experience when you are working with scripts.
• Supports IntelliSense as well as color-coding of syntax to improve the readability of complex statements.
• Supports Find and Replace, bulk commenting, custom fonts and colors, and line numbering.
• Allows you to change the database against which the script will be executed.

Parameter information for stored procedures and functions

The feature will help you quickly see the names and types of parameters that are used in a function or stored procedure script. All information is neatly displayed in the Parameter Info tooltip. The parameter in bold is the next parameter that is required for the function or stored procedure.

Quick information about schema objects

The Quick Info feature is a tooltip with brief information about database objects, parameters, and variables. The tooltip appears when you place the mouse pointer on the required item in the SQL script or press the shortcut Ctrl+K and then I. In the case of database objects, the tooltip shows their location and types. You will find this option useful while working with large scripts.