Using Other TOAD Utilities

TOAD contains many other useful utilities. These modules are covered in the next few sections: the schema browser, SQL Modeler, the DBA Module, SQL*Loader assistance, a NT scheduler, and source-code control.

The Schema Browser

The Schema Browser separates database objects in a selected schema by type, using tabs (or with a drop-down list that you can select through the options menu). The left panel lists the objects and the right panel displays the details (see Figure 16.15 and 16.16). To see the tables in a schema, click the Tables tab and a list of the tables displays in the objects panel. Object details are displayed in tabs in the Details panel. To see a table's columns, simply click the Columns tab in the Details panel. To see a table's data, click the Data tab. To manually edit, add, or delete data in the Schema Browser, simply double-click on the cell.

You can change the options and appearance of the schema browser via the menu bar View, Options and clicking the Schema Browser section or by right-mouse clicking on the Schema Browser itself.

The Status panel shows what session you have currently selected. The CNT on the Status panel shows how many objects are in the object list for the object tab that has been selected.

Some objects have object name and other filtering capability. On the Schema Browser page, Tables, Data tab and Views, Data tab, a four-way filter button displays a dialog box where you can sort and/or filter. The filter can display four states: empty (default), filtered (only display certain objects, ascending/descending filtered (only display certain objects in a particular order), ascending/descending empty (display all objects in a particular order).

TOAD can create scripts (through the Create Script buttons on the object tabs), for most objects that are displayed in the Schema Browser. You can copy object names and column data from the Schema Browser panels to a clipboard or another application.

The View, Options, Schema Browser page provides numerous options for the Schema Browser.

To Create a User using the Schema Browser:

1.	Open the Schema Browser window.
2.	Click the User tab on the object panel.
3.	Click the Create New User button on the User object panel.
4.	The Create User window will display. (You can also access the window through the Create, User menu item.)
5.	Fill in the user information on each tab: User, Tablespace, Roles, System Privileges, and Grants.
6.	When you are done, click OK.

This procedure copies column names from the list on the Tables/Columns tab or the Views/Columns tab via multi-select list and copy.

From Tables, Columns

1.	Click the Column you want to copy. To select more than one column, press CTRL while clicking the columns you want to select. To select a continuous block of columns, select the starting point, press SHIFT, and click the ending part of the blocked selection.
2.	Press CTRL+C or select Edit, Copy from the menu.

The selection is copied to the clipboard. In this example, the following selection is copied to the clipboard.

MOVIECOPYID, COPYFORMAT, COPYCONDITION

SQL Modeler

The SQL Modeler dialog box lets you quickly create the framework of a SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement allowing you to view the generated code, execute, and view the results.

The Table Model Area lets you graphically lay out a query, as shown in Figure 16.17. Drag-and-drop columns from one table to another to create joins between the tables. Click the Generated Query tab to view the generated SQL query. Click the Execute button, and the results will display in the Query Results tab near the bottom. Notice that there are various tabs to show the various outputs such as the explain plan, the data output, and so on.

To perform a join, drag-and-drop a column from one table to another table column. A line between the related tables is automatically drawn showing the relationship. Double-click the line to adjust the properties (inner join, outer join, and so on). See Figure 16.18.

TOAD DBA

The optional DBA module is designed to make common DBA tasks easy. It offers security, storage, and database object management (see Figure 16.19). You can compare and synchronize schemas. It has Oracle Import, Export, and SQL*Loader interfaces. The DBA module adds extra features to the Create menu, the Schema Browser, and the DBA menu. A TOAD Monitor feature lets you view database performance, (see Figure 16.20) and TOAD also contains a proportional spacemap showing you how objects appear in the tablespaces (see Figure 16.21).

You can create entire databases, alter libraries, profiles, roles, rollback segments, snapshots, tablespaces, and more.

SQL*Loader Wizard

The TOAD SQL*Loader is a utility that lets you graphically build a control file for use with the Oracle SQL*Loader, a database server application (see Figure 16.22). You configure the location of the utility in the View, Options, Executables page.

Throughout the SQL*Loader Interface, you can move your mouse pointer over a field to display microhelp for that field.

To Load a Data File:

1.	Click the DBA, SQL*Loader Interface menu item. The SQL*Loader Interface window displays with the Source File tab selected.
2.	In the Source File tab type click the Add button.
3.	The Add Input File window displays. Click the drill down next to the Input filename box to choose the data file. The Bad file and Discard file textboxes are automatically entered with their default extensions.
4.	Enter the rest of the data for the Source File. The Bad File box lists a file in which to place rejected records. The Discard box lists a file in which to place records that weren't inserted during the load, because they didn't match any of the selection criteria. Stream Format— the default. Lines are read until an end-of-record marker is found (end-of-line character, by default). Fixed Record Format— each record must be a fixed number of bytes in length. Variable Record Format— each record may be a different length as specified by a special field, the first field in each record. End of Record Box— If you leave this field empty, the end-of-line character will be the end-of-record by default. Discard Up to ____ Records Box— This field indicates the maximum number of records to put into the discard file. If you leave this box empty, it indicates that you want all records.
5.	Once you have entered all the data, click OK. The filename appears in the window under Input File.
6.	Click the Destination Tables tab. This is where you select the destination table(s).
7.	Click the Add button. The Table Name Select window displays.
8.	Select a schema from the drop-down list and click on a table and click OK to select a table from the list.
9.	Specify the parameters for your destination table(s) in the Table Parameters tab and Columns Parameters tab.
10.	Click the Parameters tab. Here, you can name the control file whatever you want. Fill in the desired options. Remember, move the mouse over a field to display the microhelp.
11.	When you are finished, click the Execute Now button. This will execute your control file.

TOAD Job Scheduler

The SQL*Loader has a scheduler that lets you schedule the load as a windows task. Clicking the Schedule button opens the NT Job Scheduler window. You can set the time for it to run and the frequency. Once you click OK, your job is added.

TOAD Source Code Control

TOAD supports Source Code Control through most major source control vendors (see Figure 16.23). Source Control is run through the Procedure Editor. The toolbar on the Procedure Editor contains the check-in and check-out buttons.