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Toad for Oracle 11.5
Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

© 2012 Quest Software, Inc.
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Toad for Oracle 11.5
Beginner's Guide to Using Toad
March 30, 2012

Table of Contents
Welcome

About This Guide

Shortcut Keys

Popular Shortcut Keys

Toad Insight Pick List Shortcuts

Print List of Shortcut Keys

Help and Resources

Toad Advisor

Quick Search Bar

Additional Toad Resources

Create and Manage Connections
About Database Connections

15
15

Oracle Clients and Database Servers

Connection Files

Create New Connections

Basic Connection Contols

Automatically Connect on Startup

Use Previous Connections

Change Active Connection in Window

Save Connection Passwords

Commit or Rollback Changes

End Connections

Test Connections

Manage Multiple Connections

About Managing Multiple Connections

Display Connection and Window Bars

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Table of Contents

Organize the Database Connections Grid

Color Code the User Interface per Connection

Manage Oracle Homes

Select an Oracle Home

Edit the Oracle Home

Edit Oracle Connection Files

Edit SQLNET Files

Edit LDAP Files

Edit TNSNames Files

Create a Variable for the TNSNames.ora File

Limitations of the TNSNames Editor

Troubleshoot Connections

General Connection Issues

Database Login Window

Execute and Manage Code
About the Editor

36
36

Important Editor Settings

Customize the Editor Layout

Split the Editor Layout

Execute Statements and Scripts

Execute Single Statements

Execute Scripts in the Editor

Execute Scripts with Quest Script Runner

Work with Code

Change Current Schema

Save and Reuse SQL Statements

View Recently Executed SQL Statements

Format Code

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Table of Contents

Display Pick List (Automatically Complete Code)

Extract Procedures

Comment Out Code Block

Find Unused Variables

Rename Identifiers

Debug PL/SQL

About Debugging

Start Debugging

View DBMS Output

Work with Database Objects

About the Schema Browser

Schema Browser Panes

Customize the Schema Browser

Select the Left-Hand Side Display Style

Customize Schema Browser Tabs

Group Favorite Objects

Create Objects

Copy Objects to Another Schema

Use Existing Object as Template for New Objects

Helpful Features

Describe Objects

Jump to Objects in the Schema Browser

View Schema Browser Icon Legend

View Parent/Child Datasets in the Schema Browser

Filter Schema Browser Content

About Schema Browser Filters

Create Schema Browser Filters

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Table of Contents

Filter Data in the Schema Browser

Quickly Filter the Schema Browser Left-Hand Side

Clear Schema Browser Filters

Work with Data Grids

About Working with Data Grids

Edit Data

Understand Editable Resultsets

Post/Revert Edited Data

Insert and Delete Rows

Edit Data in Popup Editor

Use an External Editor

Access the Calculator

Customize Data Grid Display

Perform Calculations on Grid Cells

Sort and Group Data

Anchor Column in Data Grid

View a Single Record

Preview Selected Column

Hide Columns

Filter Results

Filter Data

Use Excel-Style Filtering

Export Data

Export Dataset

Export Data to Flat File

Customize Toad

About Customizing Toad

Customize the Editor

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Table of Contents

Customize the Schema Browser

Customize Shortcut Keys

Menu Hot Keys

Shortcut Keys

Customize Schema Drop-Downs

Customize Toolbars and Menus

About Customizing Toolbars and Menus

Create New Toolbars and Menus

Customize Toolbars and Menus

Display Additional Menus

Display/Hide Toolbars

Reset Default Toolbars and Menus

Search for Options

Appendix: Contact Quest

Contact Quest Support

Contact Quest Software

About Quest Software, Inc

Index

1
Welcome
Toad for Oracle provides an efficient and accurate way for database professionals of all skill and
experience levels to perform their jobs with an overall improvement in workflow and
productivity. With Toad for Oracle you can:
l

Understand your database environment through visual representations

Meet deadlines easily through automation and smooth workflows

Perform essential development and administration tasks from a single tool

Deploy high-quality applications that meet user requirements and perform reliably
in production

Validate database code to ensure the best-possible performance

Manage and share projects, templates, scripts, and more with ease

The Toad for Oracle solutions are built for you, by you. Over 10 years of development and
feedback from various communities like Toad World have made it the most powerful and
functional tool available. With an installed-base of over one million, Toad for Oracle continues
to be the standard tool for development and administration.

About This Guide
The purpose of this guide is to help you quickly start using Toad by learning basic features and
tasks. Toad is a very diverse and powerful tool, and there are many features that this guide does
not cover. Refer to the online help for additional information about Toad, which you can access
at any time by pressing F1.
In addition to the online help, Toad also has a variety of other resources to help you. See
"Additional Toad Resources" (page 14) for more information.

Shortcut Keys
Popular Shortcut Keys
This topic covers some of the most popular shortcut keys in Toad. Toad provides dozens of
standard shortcut keys, and you can assign new ones or customize the standard ones. Toad also
allows you to print out your current list of shortcut keys. Review the following for additional
information:
l

Print List of Shortcut Keys (page 12)

Customize Shortcut Keys (page 75)

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Welcome

Note: If you have customized your shortcut keys, you will not automatically be able to use new
shortcuts added in Toad upgrades. However, you can reset your shortcut keys to the default to
gain access to all new shortcuts. See "Shortcut Keys Options" in the online help for more
information.
General

Description

CTRL+D

Open Quick Describe window. See "Describe Objects"
(page 59) for more information.

CTRL+TAB

Cycle through a collection of "child windows" or tabs in a
window

Open the Toad documentation

Immediately describe object in popup window. See
"Describe Objects" (page 59) for more information.

F10

Display right-click menu

Debugger

Description

CTRL+F5

Add watch at cursor

CTRL+ALT+B

Display the PL/SQL Debugger Breakpoints window

CTRL+ALT+D

Display the PL/SQL Debugger DBMS Output window

CTRL+ALT+E

Display the PL/SQL Debugger Evaluate/Modify window

CTRL+ALT+C

Display the PL/SQL Debugger Call Stack window

CTRL+ALT+W

Display the PL/SQL Debugger Watches window

F11

Run (continue execution)

F12

Run to cursor

SHIFT+F5

Set or delete a breakpoint on the current line

SHIFT+F7

Trace into

SHIFT+F8

Step over

SHIFT+F10

Trace out

SHIFT+CTRL+F9

Set parameters

Editor

Description

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Welcome

ALT+UP

Display previous statement

ALT+DOWN

Display next statement (after ALT+UP)

CTRL+B

Comment block

CTRL+E

Execute Explain Plan on the current statement

CTRL+M

Make code statement.

CTRL+N

Find sum of the selected fields. You can also include
additional calculations, such as the average or count. See
"Perform Calculations on Grid Cells" (page 69) for more
information.

CTRL+P

Strip code statement.

CTRL+T

Display pick list drop-down
There are a variety of shortcut keys to use with the pick
list. See "Toad Insight Pick List Shortcuts" (page 11) for
more information.

CTRL+F9

Verify statement without execution (parse) in the Editor

CTRL+F12

Pass the SQL or Editor contents to the specified external
editor.

CTRL+PERIOD

Display code completion list

CTRL+ENTER

Execute current SQL (same as SHIFT+F9)

CTRL+ALT+PAGEUP

Navigate to the previous results panel tab

CTRL+ALT+PAGEDOWN

Navigate to the next results panel tab

Toggle full screen Editor

Execute as script. See "Execute Scripts in the Editor" (page
41) for more information.

Toggle between Editor and Results panel

Clear all text, trace into the Editor

Recall previous SQL statement in the Editor

Execute statement in the Editor

SHIFT+F2

Toggle full screen grid

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Welcome

Find and Replace

Description

CTRL+F

Find text

CTRL+G

Go to line number

CTRL+R

Find and replace

Find next occurrence

SHIFT+F3

Find previous occurrence

Toad Insight Pick List Shortcuts
There are a variety of shortcuts you can use to display the pick list and make a selection. Toad
also provides options for you to customize the pick list behavior. See "Code Assist Options" in
the online help for more information.
General

Description

CTRL+T

Display pick list for object (name) at caret. If a stored alias
exists by that name, then that alias' object is shown in the pick
list.

CTRL+SHIFT+T

Display pick list for object (name) at caret. This option ignores
aliases with the same name.

LEFT ARROW

Move the caret left while filtering the pick list.

RIGHT ARROW

Move the caret right while filtering the pick list.

Make Selection

Description

Double-click the
selection

Insert the selection and close the pick list.

ENTER

Insert the selection and close the pick list.

PERIOD

Insert the selection and a period after it. The pick list remains
open and displays child objects, if there are any.

SPACE

Insert the selection and a space after it.

TAB

Insert the a partial selection if possible and leave the pick list
open; if a partial selection is not possible, insert the selection
and close the pick list.
TAB accepts as much as possible without changing the list of
displayed objects. For example, if the pick list displays a list of
columns that all start with MY_COL, Toad would insert MY_

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Welcome

COL when you press TAB and leave the picklist open. If the
columns did not have a common preface, Toad would insert the
selected column and close the pick list.
(

Insert the selection and "(" after it.

OPEN PARENTHESIS
Close Pick List

Description

Click outside the pick
list

Close the pick list without making a selection.

ESC

Close the pick list without making a selection.

Print List of Shortcut Keys
You can print your list of shortcut keys to use as a reference.
To print the list of shortcut keys
1. Click

on the standard toolbar.

Tip: You can also select View | Toad Options.
2. Select Toolbars/Menus | Shortcuts.
3. Click the Category or Shortcut column to sort the list.
4. Click Print.

Help and Resources
Toad Advisor
Toad is self-diagnosing. If you are having difficulties with Toad that you cannot fix, the Toad
Advisor may be able to help you. It offers warnings, alerts, and hints concerning the current state
of your Toad installation. If you are in a managed environment, it specifies which features in
Toad are managed, and to what extent.
To use Toad Advisor
1. Select Help | Toad Advisor.
2. Review the results, which are divided into the following categories:
Warnings

Describe things that should be fixed immediately

Alerts

Describe things that may have an impact upon Toad's functionality

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Welcome

Hints

Provide information about your Toad installation that may affect
how Toad works

Performance
suggestions

Describe settings that could be changed to improve speed of
performance

Tip: Select a result for additional information in the bottom pane. You can double
click the performance suggestions to navigate direction to the relevant Toad option.

Quick Search Bar
You can find help about Toad quickly from various locations in Quest using the Quick Search
bar on the main toolbar. Each resource provides a different focus, such as Oracle technical
references, videos, frequently asked questions, and more. See "Additional Toad Resources" (page
14) for more information.
To search for Toad resources
1. Click the drop down arrow and select the locations you want to search.

2. Enter a search term in the box.
3. Press Enter or click

to search.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Welcome

Additional Toad Resources
There are many resources for you to learn more about Toad, and many of them can be searched
directly in the Quick Search bar. See "Quick Search Bar" (page 13) for more information.
Resource

Description

Helpfile

Provides step-by-step directions on how to use Toad. Press F1 in any
Toad window to open the helpfile to the relevant topic.

Knowledge Xpert
for Oracle

An extensive Oracle technical resource with thousands of insightful
topics and working examples.

Oracle
documentation

Oracle's database documentation.Since Toad is a tool to help you
manage Oracle databases, the more you understand Oracle the more
intuitive Toad becomes.

ToadForOracle.com

The main website for all things Toad for Oracle, including:
l

Forums—Connect with thousands of other Toad users to get
help.
Tip: Customers often use common Toad acronyms in the
forums.

ToadWorld.com

Documentation—Download the latest product documentation,
including the Install Guide, Release Notes, and other
documents.

Downloads—Download the latest update, beta, or trial
version.

Idea Pond—Submit ideas to improve Toad and vote on other
customer's ideas.

The parent site for all Toad family products, providing videos, tech
briefs, white papers, expert blogs, podcasts, user forums, and tech
tips.

2
Create and Manage Connections
About Database Connections
This topic provides a very general overview of how Toad connects to Oracle databases. Please
refer to Oracle's documentation for more information on Oracle connections.
Troubleshooting: If your previous connections do not display in the Database Login window,
ensure that the Show favorites only and Show selected home only fields in the bottom of the
Database Login window are not selected. See "Troubleshoot Connections" (page 34) for more
information.

Oracle Clients and Database Servers
To connect to a database server (referred to as "database"), Toad requires that you have a
database client ("client") installed on your computer. A client is simply software that accesses the
database through a network.
You can have multiple Oracle clients installed on your computer. The client location is also
referred to as the Oracle home, and you can select which one Toad uses on the Database Login
window. See "Select an Oracle Home" (page 28) for more information.
See the Release Notes for a complete list of the client and database versions that Toad supports.
Important: It is recommended that your client version be of the same release (or later) as your
database server. This is an Oracle recommendation to prevent performance issues.

Connection Files
The client installation generally includes connection files that are used to communicate between
your computer and the database. Toad uses the following connection files, depending on the
connection type you select:

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Connection
File

Description

SQLNET.ora

Specifies configuration details for Oracle's networking software, such as
trace levels, the default domain, session characteristics, and the
connection methods that can be used to connect to a database (for
example, LDAP and TNSNAMES). If a method is not listed, you cannot
use it.
Toad uses the SQLNET.ora file for all connection methods, and
consequently you must be able to access this file for any connection
method.

TNSNames.ora

Defines database addresses to establish connections to them. Toad must
be able to access the TNSNames.ora file for TNS connections.
Note: If you have multiple Oracle clients installed or want to use a
TNSNames.ora file on a network, you may want to use the TNS_NAMES
environment variable to simplify managing TNS connections. See
"Create a Variable for the TNSNames.ora File" (page 32) for more
information.

LDAP.ora

Defines directory access information using Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP). Toad must be able to access the LDAP.ora file for
LDAP connections.

Create New Connections
There are a few prerequisites you must have to connect to an Oracle database. See "About
Database Connections" (page 15) for more information.
Troubleshooting: There are some common issues and solutions for database connections. See
"Troubleshoot Connections" (page 34) for more information.
Notes:
l

To edit a login record, click

on the Database Login window toolbar.

You can import and export connection settings. See "Import/Export Connection Settings"
in the online help for more information.

To create a new connection
1. Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
2. Click

on the Database Login toolbar. The Add Login Record window displays.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Note: Instead of creating the connection in the Add Login Record window, you can
directly enter the connection information in the Database Login window. However, this
method forces you to connect to the database, and you cannot enter some of the
additional connection information until after you connect.
3. Complete the User/Schema and Password fields.
4. Select a connection method:
TNS

Select a database in the Database field. Toad uses the listings in
your TNSNames.ora file to populate the list.
You can edit the TNSNames.ora file directly in Toad. See "Edit
TNSNames Files" (page 30) for more information.
Note: If you have multiple Oracle clients installed or want to use a
TNSNames.ora file on a network, you may want to use the TNS_
NAMES environment variable to simplify managing TNS
connections. See "Create a Variable for the TNSNames.ora File"
(page 32) for more information.

Direct

Enter the Host, Port, and either the Service Name or SID of the
database to which you want to connect.

LDAP

Select the LDAP descriptor in the LDAP Descriptor field. You can
edit the LDAP.ora file directly in Toad. See "Edit LDAP Files"
(page 30) for more information.

Notes:
l

Toad must be able to access the SQLNET.ora file to use any of the connection
methods. Toad must also be able to access the LDAP.ora file for LDAP
connections and the TNSNames.ora file for TNS connections.

If Toad cannot connect to one of these files, a red X displays beside the editor
button for that file. For example, the following image indicates that Toad
cannot access the LDAP.ora file. You would have to resolve the issue before
you could make an LDAP connection.

5. Complete the remaining fields as necessary. Review the following for additional
information:
Connect as

Select the connection privilege level field.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Color

Select a color to border windows that use the active connection.
Note: The color displays in all Toad user interface elements that use
the connection, which is very helpful when you have multiple active
connections. See "Color Code the User Interface per Connection"
(page 27) for more information.

Connect
Using

Select the Oracle home.

Alias

Enter a description or nickname for the connection.

Note: You can only connect to one Oracle home at a time. This field
is disabled if you are already connected to a database. See "Select an
Oracle Home" (page 28) for more information.

By default the alias only displays in the connections grid, but you
can have Toad display the alias instead of the database name. To
enable this option, select View | Toad Options | Windows and select
the Use alias instead of database checkbox.
Execute
Action
upon
Connection

Select to execute an action whenever Toad connects to the database.
Then, click
by the Action field to select the action. See
"Automation Designer Overview" in the online help for more
information.
You can also select a parameter file. See "Action Parameter Files" in
the online help for more information.
Note: Toad only executes actions upon connection when you execute
through the user interface. Toad does not execute actions when it is
executed through command line.

Custom
Columns

Complete the custom fields, if you have defined any. See "Add
Custom Columns" (page 25) for more information.

Save
Password

Select to have Toad remember the password for only this connection.

Auto
Connect

Select to have Toad automatically make the selected connection on
startup.

Favorite

Select this checkbox to mark the connection as one of your favorites.
You can have the Database Login window only display your
favorites by selecting Show favorites only at the bottom of the
window.

Read Only

Select this checkbox to make the connection read only, meaning that
you cannot make any changes to the database. This option is
especially helpful when you want to access data for a production
database but you do not want to accidentally make any changes.

If Save passwords is selected in the Database Login window, then
this field is selected by default. See "Save Connection Passwords"
(page 20) for more information.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

6. Save the login record. Review the following for additional information:
l

To save the record without connecting to the database, click OK

To save the record and connect to the database, select the Connect checkbox
and click OK.

To save the record and reuse the field values to quickly enter new connections,
click Post.

7. Optional: Manage multiple connections. See "About Managing Multiple Connections"
(page 21) for more information.

Basic Connection Contols
Automatically Connect on Startup
To select connections to automatically make when Toad starts
1. Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
2. In the connections grid, select the checkbox in the Auto Connect column.

Use Previous Connections
Toad saves your previous connections so you can easily connect to them again. You can also
change the active connection in open windows. See "Change Active Connection in Window"
(page 19) for more information.
To open a previous connection
»

Select one of the following:
l

Click
in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window, and
then double-click the previous connection from the grid.

Click the arrow beside
connection from the list.

in the standard toolbar, and then select a

Change Active Connection in Window
You can easily change the connection in an open window to a connection you currently have
open or a connection that you have recently used.
Tip: Toad provides a variety of features and options to help you manage multiple open
connections. See "About Managing Multiple Connections" (page 21) for more information.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

To change the active connection in a window
»

Click the arrow beside
from the drop-down.

in the window toolbar and select an open or recent connection

Save Connection Passwords
You can have Toad save all passwords automatically or individually save passwords for selected
connections. Passwords are saved in an encrypted file called connectionpwds.ini. The encryption
is tied to the currently logged in user profile, and it supports roaming profiles and Citrix
installations.
Important: To save a connection password, you must connect to the database first, and then you
can save the password in the connections grid.
Note: If the Save Password field is disabled, your ability to save passwords may have been
removed during installation. See the Toad for Oracle Installation Guide for more information.
To automatically save all passwords
1. Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
2. Select the Save passwords checkbox in the bottom of the window.
To save passwords for individual connections
1. Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
2. Clear the Save passwords checkbox in the bottom of the window, if it is selected.
3. Select the Save Pwd checkbox for the connection in the connection grid.
Note: If the connection is not listed in the connection grid, ensure that the Show
favorites only and Show selected home only fields are cleared. If it still does not display,
connect to the database again.
4. Enter the password in the Password field on the right.
5. Click Connect.

Commit or Rollback Changes
You can commit or rollback recent changes to the database from the Session menu at any time
while working with Toad.
Note: You can configure Toad to either automatically commit changes or prompt to commit on
exit. See "Oracle Transaction Options" in the online help for more information.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

To commit or rollback your changes
»

Select Session | Commit or Session | Rollback.
Tip: You can also right-click the connection in the Connection Bar, and select
Commit or Rollback.

End Connections
To end one connection
»

Select Session | End Connection.
Or
Click
in the standard toolbar to end the currently active session. You can also
click the arrow by the button to select a different open connection to end.

To end all connections
»

Select Session | End All Connections.

Test Connections
To test connections if the session has dropped
»

Select Session | Test Connections (Reconnect).

To test connections in the Database Login window
»

Select connections in the grid and click
. Toad opens a new session to test the
connection and lists any errors that occur.

Manage Multiple Connections
About Managing Multiple Connections
When working with Toad you may have multiple connections open at once. Trying to keep
track of which open window is related to which connection can be difficult. Toad provides a
variety of features and options to help you manage multiple open connections.
Method

Description

Organize the
Database
Connections Grid
(page 24)

The Database Login window displays all of your previous
connections in the connections grid. You can reduce the number of
connections that display and organize how they display in a variety
of ways.

Color Code the

You can use connection colors to help you distinguish between

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Method

Description

User Interface per
Connection (page
27)

open connections. The color coding displays prominently
throughout Toad's user interface. For example, you may use red for
all production databases and yellow for all test databases.

Display Connection
and Window Bars
(page 22)

You can use the Window and Connection bars to help you keep
track of your open windows and connections. The active window
and connection are selected in the bars (they display with a lighter
color), which is helpful so you can always tell which connection
you are using.

You may also find the following general connection management features helpful:
l

Automatically Connect on Startup (page 19)

Change Active Connection in Window (page 19)

Commit or Rollback Changes (page 20)

Customize Schema Drop-Downs (page 76)

Use Previous Connections (page 19)

Display Connection and Window Bars
You can use the Window and Connection bars to help you keep track of your open windows
and connections. The active window and connection are selected in the bars (they display with a
lighter color), which is helpful so you can always tell which connection you are using.

1) Connection Bar 2) Window Bar
Notes:
l

Toad provides a variety of features and options to help you manage multiple open
connections. See "About Managing Multiple Connections" (page 21) for more
information.

You can rearrange the order of items in the Connection and Window bars. Right-click the
bar and select Connection/Window Bar Button Order. Then, use the arrows to determine
the order for items to display. Toad remembers these settings. For example, if you list

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Editor first, then Editor windows always display in front of other windows (even if the
Editor was opened last).
l

You can customize the display settings, such as displaying connection strings or allowing
the bars to span multiple lines. See "Toolbar Options" in the online help for more
information.

Connection Bar
The Connection bar lists all of the connections that you have open. Right-clicking one of the
connections in the Connections bar gives you helpful options, including:
l

Opening a new Editor or Schema Browser window for the connection

Ending the connection, which closes all windows that use the connection

Rearranging the order of connections in the Connection bar
Tip: Select Show All to display connections that are not currently open.

Committing or rolling back changes

Viewing a list of all of the windows that use the connection, which you can click to
bring the window to the front

To display the Connection bar
»

Right-click the file menu area and select Connection Bar.

Window Bar
The Window bar lists all of the windows that you currently have open. Right-clicking one of the
windows in the Windows bar gives you helpful options, including:
l

Rearranging the order of windows in the Window bar
Tip: Select Show All to display windows that are not currently open.

Only displaying windows for the active connection, which can be very helpful when you
have numerous windows open for one connection
Note: To use this feature, right-click a blank area in the Window bar and select Show
Buttons for Current Connection.

Closing all open windows

To display the Window bar
»

Right-click the file menu area and select Window Bar.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Organize the Database Connections Grid
The Database Login window displays all of your previous connections in the connections grid.
You can reduce the number of connections that display and organize how they display in a
variety of ways:
l

Display Only Favorite Connections (page 24)

Add Custom Columns (page 25)

Group Connections (Create Tree View) (page 25)

Hide/Display Columns (page 26)

Display Only Connections for Selected Oracle Home (page 26)

Display Tabs for Each Server or User (page 26)

Delete Previous Connections (page 27)

Tips:
l

Toad provides a variety of features and options to help you manage multiple open
connections. See "About Managing Multiple Connections" (page 21) for more
information.

Click

at the top of the Database Login window to refresh the connections grid.

Access the Database Login Window
All of the organization options are configured from the Database Login window.
To access the Database Login window
Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
Display Only Favorite Connections
If you have a long list of connections but only use a few of them regularly, you can mark the
connections that you use frequently as favorites and hide the other connections. You can still
view the other connections by displaying all connections instead of just favorites.
To select favorite connections
»

In the connections grid, select the Favorite check box of the connection you want to
make a favorite.

To view only favorites in the connections grid
»

Below the connections grid, select the Show favorites only checkbox.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

To view all connections in the connections grid
»

Below the connections grid, clear the Show favorites only checkbox.

Add Custom Columns
You can add columns to the connections grid. For example, you may want to add a Locations
column if you manage databases in multiple physical locations, or you may want to add an
Environment column to distinguish between Test and Production databases.
Tip: You can also group the connections grid by custom fields. See "Group Connections (Create
Tree View)" (page 25) for more information.
To add a custom column
1. Click

in the Database Login window toolbar.

2. Click Add.
3. Enter the name for your custom field.
Group Connections (Create Tree View)
You can group connections by column header to create a tree view. You can add multiple
column headers to add grouping levels.
To group connections in the data grid
1. Drag a column header into the grey area above the grid.
2. Drag additional column headers to add grouping levels.

Tip: The image above is grouped by a custom column. See "Add Custom Columns" (page
25) for more information.
To remove grouping
»

Drag the column header into the connections grid.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Hide/Display Columns
If you have a small screen area, you can hide some of the columns that display in the
connections grid.
To hide or show columns
1. Click

in the left-hand side of the grid headers.

2. Select the columns you want to display, or clear the checkbox for columns you
want to hide.

Display Only Connections for Selected Oracle Home
If you have many connections using different Oracle homes, you may want to display only those
using a particular home in the grid.
To limit connections to one Oracle home
1. Select the Oracle home you want to display in the Connect using field on the right side
of the Database Login window.
Note: You can only connect to one Oracle home at a time. This field is disabled if you
are already connected to a database. See "Select an Oracle Home" (page 28) for more
information.
2. Click the Show selected home only checkbox at the bottom of the window.
Display Tabs for Each Server or User
By default, the connections grid does not contain tabs; it is a unified grid that displays all
connections. You can change the grid to display separate tabs for each server or user. Each tab
contains a grid of its database connections.
To display tabs for each server or user
»

Click
at the top of the Database Login window and select Tabbed by Server or
Tabbed by User.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Delete Previous Connections
To permanently remove connections from the Database Login window
»

Select the connection and press the DELETE key.

Color Code the User Interface per Connection
You can use connection colors to help you distinguish between open connections. The color
coding displays prominently throughout Toad's user interface. For example, you may use red
for all production databases and yellow for all test databases. The color coding would
display as follows:
l

Any open window related to that connection

Window and Connection bar buttons

1) Connection Bar 2) Window Bar
l

Status bars

Tip: Toad provides a variety of features and options to help you manage multiple open
connections. See "About Managing Multiple Connections" (page 21) for more information.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

To select a connection color
1. Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
2. Select a color in the Color column in the connection grid.

Manage Oracle Homes
Select an Oracle Home
Only one Oracle home can be in use at one time. This means that once a connection is made, all
future connections use the same Oracle home, regardless of default home. If you want to use a
different Oracle home, you must close all open connections first.
Default homes can be assigned for a connection or for Toad. When a default Oracle home is
assigned to a particular connection, any time you make that connection from the connection grid,
Toad automatically uses that Oracle home. When a default Oracle home is assigned to Toad,
Toad automatically uses that Oracle home any time you create a connection to a new database.
Toad searches for Oracle homes in several different ways. See "How Toad Finds Oracle Homes"
in the online help for more information.
Notes:
l

If you have multiple Oracle clients installed or want to use a TNSNames.ora file on a
network, you may want to use the TNS_NAMES environment variable to simplify
managing TNS connections. See "Create a Variable for the TNSNames.ora File" (page 32)
for more information.

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

To select an Oracle home
1. Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
2. With no open connections, select an Oracle home in the Connect using field.
Note: To see more information about the home you have selected or change the SID,
NLS_LANG, or SQLPATH, click
to open the Oracle Home Editor. See "Edit the
Oracle Home" (page 29) for more information.
3. To set this as the default Oracle home for all connections, select Make this the Toad
default home.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Edit the Oracle Home
You must restart Toad to have changes made here take effect.
Note: This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.
To edit the Oracle home
1. Click

beside the Connect using box on the Database Login window.

2. Select an Oracle home by clicking on its node. You can then:
l

Click Clipboard. This will copy the selected information to the clipboard so you
can past it into an email, or another document.

Click Advice. This will tell you if you have a proper Net8 installation for this
home, or suggest changes to your installation.

Right-click and choose to edit one of the following:
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SID for the selected home

NLS_LANG for the selected home

SQLPATH for the selected home

Edit Oracle Connection Files
Edit SQLNET Files
From the SQLNET editor you can easily edit your SQLNET.ora parameters. The parameters on
this window are standard Oracle parameters. See Oracle's documentation for more information.
To edit your SQLNET.ora file
1. Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
2. Click SQLNET Editor.
3. To back up your file before editing it, click Create Backup File.
Note: It is recommended that you create a backup file before you make any changes. This
assures that if something goes wrong you can restore the original settings.
4. Make any necessary changes.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Note: If you are using a multi-threaded server and plan to use the PL/SQL Debugger,
make sure you check the USE_DEDICATED_SERVER checkbox. This allows the
PL/SQL Debugger to work.
5. To view the SQLNET.ora file after you update parameters, click View File as Modified.

Edit LDAP Files
You can use the LDAP editor to edit your LDAP parameters. Toad supports both Oracle LDAP
and Windows LDAP servers.
The parameters on this window are standard Oracle parameters. See Oracle's documentation for
more information.
To edit your LDAP.ora file
1. Click

in the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

Note: You can also select Session | New Connection.
2. Click LDAP Editor.
3. To back up your file before editing it, click Create Backup File.
Note: It is recommended that you create a backup file before you make any changes. This
assures that if something goes wrong you can restore the original settings.
4. Make any necessary changes.
Note: The directory server types apply to all servers listed in the Directory Servers area.
5. To view the file after you update parameters, click View File.

Edit TNSNames Files
From the TNSNames Editor, you can easily edit your TNSNames files. You can add a new
service, edit a service, delete a service, or work with two files and transfer services back and forth
between the two.
Notes:
l

The TNSNames Editor supports much of the standard Oracle syntax, but there are certain
old or advanced features that it does not support. See "Limitations of the TNSNames
Editor" (page 32) for more information.

An incorrect TNSNames.ora entry may block all valid entries after it. You can copy
names to the top of the list until you find the incorrect entry.

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

To edit TNSNames files
1. Select Utilities | TNSNames Editor to open the TNSNames Editor.
2. Open a TNSNames file in one or both sides of the window.
Note: If you are working with two TNSNames files at the same time, the TNSNames
Editor does not prevent duplicate entries in the tnsnames.ora file. This allows you to copy
a service and then edit it. Use the arrows in the middle of the screen to copy entries
between the two files.
3. Make changes as necessary. Review the following for additional information:
Add new
service

Click

Clone a
service

To clone a service:

and complete the required fields.

a. Right-click the service and select Clone Service.
Note: When you clone a service, the new service entry will
have a blank Net Service Name and displays at the top of
the service list.
b. Select the new service and click
modifications.

Copy and
paste entries

to make necessary

You can paste entries directly into either side of the TNSNames
Editor from either the Project Manager or from a text file. To copy
connections to the TNS Names Editor:
a. Copy the text of the connection information from the email,
file, or Project Manager.
Note: To copy from the Project Manager, right-click the
connection in the Connections tab and select TNSNames
information to clipboard.
b. Click
in the pane containing the TNSNames.ora where
you want the information.

Test a
connection

To test a connection:
a. Save the file to the location where your TNSping
executable reads files.
b. Select the connection and click

Tip: Click
to check the syntax of your TNSNames file from the editor. If there are
errors, Toad lists them in the Message tab and suggest ways to fix them.
Note: You can add a UR tag to a CONNECT_DATA tag of a TNS entry. This is
available ONLY through the text edit area of the editor, not the Edit Service

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

window. This tag is supported as a patch to Oracle 10g and is no longer necessary in
Oracle 11 and later.

Create a Variable for the TNSNames.ora File
If you have multiple Oracle clients installed or want to use a TNSNames.ora file on a network,
you may want to use the TNS_NAMES environment variable to simplify managing TNS
connections. This variable specifies the location of your TNSNames.ora file, and all installed
Oracle clients use this file for connections. If the TNS_ADMIN variable is not defined, then each
Oracle client must have its own TNSNames.ora file. Consequently, using the TNS_NAMES
variable allows you to maintain one TNSNames.ora file instead of maintaining multiple copies
for the clients.
To create an environment variable for the TNSNames.ora file
1. Access the Environment Variables window:
Windows 7
Windows Vista
Windows XP

2. Click New beneath the System variables field.
3. Enter TNS_ADMIN in Variable name the field. This must be an exact match.
4. Enter the TNSNames.ora file location in the Variable value field.
Note: This file is generally located in the following directory: ORACLE_
HOME\NETWORK\ADMIN.

Limitations of the TNSNames Editor
The TNSNames Editor supports much of the standard Oracle syntax. There are, however, certain
old or advanced features that it does not support:
l

Multiple Description Lists
Note: Multiple Description entries are supported, and a DESCRIPTION_LIST will be
created automatically to encompass them.

Multiple Address Lists

No ADDRESS_LIST keyword (The editor parses it correctly, but it adds the ADDRESS_
LIST parameter back in to the entry, which produces a completely equivalent
configuration. Existing entries with multiple ADDRESS_LIST tags are preserved, even if
edited in the Editor window. )

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

In all of these cases, the TNSNames Editor will not change the entry unless the user chooses to
edit that particular entry. If you do not try to change a non-supported entry, the file will remain
useable.
If you do try to edit a service name with one of these unsupported features, the editor does its
best to parse the entry into the Edit Service dialog box. It will write the entry into a structure it
does support, if you click OK in the Edit Service dialog box and then save the file.
Whenever the TNSNames Editor overwrites a file, it first makes a backup of that file in the same
directory. So if you do accidentally cause problems to your file, you can revert to the backup.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Troubleshoot Connections
General Connection Issues
Problem

Description and Possible Solution

Cannot connect to
Oracle

You must have a full install of a 32-bit version of Net8.
Connecting by SQL*Plus is not verification that Net8 is
installed.
Confirm that the registry setting specifies the correct folder
where your TNSNames.ora file lives:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Oracle\TNS_ADMIN

If you cannot connect to Oracle using Toad, your Oracle client
software may not be installed correctly. Re-install the Net8
client from the Oracle setup disks. Or, if you have installed
OEM, NetAssist, Oracle Lite, or any other Oracle software
recently, remove that software and see if you can connect using
Toad.
This issue can also be caused by an error in the TNSNames file.
See "Edit TNSNames Files" (page 30) for more information.
Toad is connecting with
the wrong Oracle Home

The default home that Toad uses matches the one you have
chosen in the Oracle Home Selector, unless you have
previously selected the checkbox: Make this the Toad default
home.
Only one Oracle home can be in use at one time. This means
that once a connection is made, all future connections use the
same Oracle home, regardless of default home. If you want to
use a different Oracle home, you must close all open
connections first.

OCI/DLL Not Found
(Cannot load OCI DLL:
)

This problem commonly occurs when customers use a 64-bit
Oracle client, which is not supported. Toad requires a 32-bit
client. See the Toad for Oracle Installation Guide for more
information.
If you have a 32-bit client, make sure that the Oracle BIN
directory is in your system path. This directory will be
ORAWIN\BIN, or ORANT\BIN, or something similar.
To check your path, Open a command line window, type
PATH, and then press Enter.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Create and Manage Connections

Database Login Window
Problem

Description and Possible Solution

There's an X beside
TNSNames Editor or
SQLNet Editor.

Toad can't find the TNSNames.ora file or the appropriate
SQLNet file. Make sure they are in the appropriate directory,
and that your path points to them.

All of my past
connections are not
visible in the grid.

Clear the Show favorites only and Show selected home only
fields in the bottom of the Database Login window.

Toad is/is not saving the
password for a
connection.

Make sure the Save Password column is selected or cleared as
appropriate in the row for that connection. If Toad is saving all
passwords and you do not want them saved, make sure the
Save passwords checkbox beneath the grid is cleared.
Note: If the Save Password field is disabled, your ability to
save passwords may have been removed during installation. See
the Toad for Oracle Installation Guide for more information.

3
Execute and Manage Code
About the Editor
The Toad Editor lets you edit many types of statements and code, and Toad provides many
options to customize the Editor's behavior. See "Important Editor Settings" (page 37) for more
information.
The Editor attaches itself to the active connection in Toad, but if you do not have a connection
you can still use it as a text editor. You can also change the schema to execute against from the
Current Schema toolbar. See "Change Current Schema" (page 43) for more information.
Tips:
l

The Editor's right-click menu contains many options to help you work with code. When
you are trying to figure out how to do something, try right-clicking the Editor to see if it
is available in the menu.

Select an object and press F4 to display the object's properties. See "Describe Objects"
(page 59) for more information.

If you press CTRL and click a PL/SQL object, the object opens in a new Editor tab. If
you press CTRL and click a non-PL/SQL object, the object opens in the Describe
Objects window.

Editor Panels
The Editor is organized into the following areas:
Area

Description

Navigator
Panel

The Navigator Panel is a desktop panel that displays an outline of the Editor
contents in the active tab. You can click on the items listed to navigate to that
statement in the Editor. The Navigator Panel is displayed on the left-hand side
by default, but you can change where it is docked.

Editor

The main Editor window displays code in separate tabs. You can create tabs
for different bits of code, or different types of code. SQL and PL/SQL can go
in the same tab. Toad can tell where the cursor is located and compile PL/SQL
or run SQL as required.
Note: If you have multiple statements in the Editor, you must trail them with a
valid statement terminator such as a semi-colon.

Desktop
Panels

The desktop panels contain many options for tab display, depending on what
kind of code you are working with and what you want to do with it. In

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

Area

Description
addition, you can configure how these panels display to make Toad work for
you. See "Customize the Editor Layout" (page 38) for more information.

Important Editor Settings
Toad provides many options to let you customize the Editor's behavior. The following table
describes some of the most popular or important Editor options:
Option

Description

Navigate

Code
templates

Select code template settings. Code templates use a manual
keystroke (CTRL+SPACE) to perform substitutions. See
"Code Completion Templates" in the online help for more
information.

View | Toad
Options |
Editor |
Behavior

Commit
after every
statement

Commit every time a statement is run, after any posted edits
are made in the grid, and after a row is deleted in the grid.

View | Toad
Options |
Oracle |
Transactions

Font

Select the Editor display font.

View | Toad
Options |
Editor |
Display

Syntax
highlighting

Select syntax highlighting settings. See "Syntax
Highlighting" in the online help for more information.

View | Toad
Options |
Editor |
Behavior

Tab stops

Enter the number of spaces entered when you press TAB.

View | Toad
Options |
Editor |
Behavior

When
closing
connections

Commit, rollback, or prompt when closing connections. This
field is disabled if you select Commit after every
statement.

View | Toad
Options |
Oracle |
Transactions

Enabling this option makes it very easy to accidentally
change or delete data. It is recommended that you do not
select this option, and you should never have it enabled
when you are working on a production database.

Selecting Commit makes it very easy to accidentally
change or delete data. It is recommended that you select
Prompt.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

Customize the Editor Layout
You can easily configure which panels display on your Editor desktop and where they
display. You can select panels to display one at a time or in groups. When you have
configured it, you can save the desktop with its own name, returning to it whenever the need
arises. In addition, you can turn on Auto-save current desktop, and however you have the
desktop set when you change tabs or close Toad will be how your desktop is defined the next
time you open the Editor.
You can split the Editor to easily compare code revisions. See "Split the Editor Layout" (page
38) for more information.
Note: This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.
To display panels one at a time
1. Right-click the Editor and select Desktop.
2. Select the panel you want to display or hide.
To configure your desktop
1. Right-click the panel area near the bottom of the window.
2. Select Desktop | Configure Desktop Layout.
3. Select the panels you want to display in the Show column, and click the drop down
menus in the Dock Site column to change where the panel is docked. By default, all
except the Navigator will be docked below the Editor.
To save your desktop
1. Click

on the Desktops toolbar.

2. Enter the name you want to use for this desktop.
To use a saved desktop
»

From the drop-down desktop menu, select the desktop you want to use.

To restore a desktop
»

Click the drop-down arrow on
Default Desktop.

and select Revert to Last Saved Desktop or Restore

Split the Editor Layout
You can split the Editor to easily compare code revisions.
Tip: To remove the split layout, right-click in the Editor and select Split Editor Layout
| Not Split.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad
Execute and Manage Code

To split the Editor
1. Right-click the Editor and select Split Editor Layout.
2. Select one of the following options:
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Left-Right

Top-Bottom

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

Execute Statements and Scripts
Toad provides many different options for you to execute scripts:
If you want
to...

Review the following:

Execute a
script in the
Editor

Use Execute as script (F5) in the Editor. See "Execute Scripts in the
Editor" (page 41) for more information.

Execute a
long-running
script without
tying up Toad
(execute a
script outside
of Toad)

Execute
multiple scripts

Considerations:
l

Long-running scripts can tie up the Editor.

Does not support bind variables and cannot produce editable data.
Alternately, you can execute the code as a statement. See
"Execute Single Statements" (page 41) for more information.

Fetches all matching records at the same time, which may cause it
to execute slower and use more resources.

Use Quest Script Runner for scripts that may take a long time to execute
or to execute a script in an external application. See "Execute Scripts
with Quest Script Runner" (page 42) for more information.
Considerations:
l

Compared to executing a script in Toad, Quest Script Runner does
not offer all of the Editor's features

You can also use SQL*Plus to externally execute scripts.
SQL*Plus does not have data grids or other Toad features, and it
does not support Unicode. See "Execute SQL via SQL*Plus" in
the online help for more information.

You can use the Automation Designer or Script Manager. Review the
following topics in the online help for more information:
l

Automation Designer Overview

Script Manager Overview

Schedule
execution

Create a Toad Action and schedule it to run. See "Scheduling Actions
and Apps" in the online help for more information.

Execute
through the
command line

Execute scripts or Toad Actions with scripts from the command line.
Review the following topics in the online help for more information:
l

Command Line Syntax

Execute Actions from the Command Line

Automation Designer Overview

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

Execute Single Statements
You can easily execute a single statement in the Editor. Toad's parser identifies and executes the
statement or compiles the PL/SQL at the cursor.
Note: If you select code and execute, Toad ignores the parser results and executes the
portion that is selected. This may cause errors, especially if you select more than one
statement. It is better to place your cursor in the statement you want to execute and let
Toad select the statement.
This method fetches matching records in batches to improve performance. The default is 500
records, but you can change the default by editing the OCI Array Buffer size option. See
"General Oracle Options" in the online help for more information.
Notes:
l

Executing a statement can produce editable data. See "Understand Editable Resultsets"
(page 67) for more information.

Toad provides several options to execute a full script or multiple statements. See "Execute
Statements and Scripts" (page 40) for more information.

You can easily execute a SQL statement embedded within PL/SQL. See "Execute SQL
Statements within PL/SQL" in the online help for more information.

To execute a statement in the Editor
»

Place the cursor in the statement and click
Note: To cancel the execution, click

on the Execute toolbar (F9).

in the Execute toolbar.

Execute Scripts in the Editor
Toad's Execute as script command is generally the best method when you want to execute
multiple statements or a script in the Editor. However, there are some important differences
between executing scripts and a single statement (Execute Single Statements (page 41)). For
example, executing scripts:
l

Does not support bind variables

Cannot produce editable datasets

Fetches all matching records at the same time, which may cause it to execute slower and
use more resources than executing a single statement

If you want to execute a script that may take a long time to run, executing with Quest Script
Runner may be the best choice. Quest Script Runner is an external execution utility, which
allows you to keep working in Toad while the script executes in the background. See "Execute
Scripts with Quest Script Runner" (page 42) for more information.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

Notes:
l

Toad does not support all SQL*Plus commands. See "SQL*Plus Commands" in the online
help for more information.

Linesize in Toad defaults to 80, just as in SQL*Plus. If you want to change this to a
longer amount, you can do it using the SET LINESIZE command in your script.

To load and immediately execute a script file, select Editor | Load and Execute a
Script File.

To execute the contents of the Editor as a script
»

Click

on the Execute toolbar (F5).

Caution: If any changes have been made, the script in the current window is
automatically saved, and then executed as a script.
Note: To cancel the execution, click

in the Execute toolbar.

Execute Scripts with Quest Script Runner
Quest Script Runner (QSR) looks and operates the same way as the Toad Editor, but it only
includes a subset of the Editor's features. Quest Script Runner is a small script execution utility
that can run in the background or from the command line. Quest Script Runner can be helpful
when you need to run long scripts and want to perform other tasks in Toad. In addition, several
instances of Quest Script Runner can run at one time because of its small size.
The Quest Script Runner window is divided into the following regions:
l

Editor (top)—Displays the script for you to review and edit. You can use the toolbar to
save the script, open a different one, search, manage your connection, and other options.

Script output (bottom)—Displays the script output and variable settings. See "Script
Output Tabs" in the online help for more information.

Notes:
l

Quest Script Runner is not completely SQL*Plus compatible; however, most DDL and
DML scripts should be supported. See "SQL*Plus Commands" in the online help for more
information.

If you change data in the script session, the changes will not reflect in Toad until you
commit the changes in the script session. Also, any session control statements executed in
the script session (such as ALTER SESSION) are not visible to the Toad session.

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

To execute scripts from Toad in Quest Script Runner
1. Open the script in the Toad Editor.
2. Select Editor | Execute SQL via QSR. Quest Script Runner opens using your current
connection and executes the script.
Note: You can also click the drop-down beside the

icon and select Execute in QSR.

To execute scripts within QSR
1. Open the script in the Quest Script Runner Editor.
2. Click

on the Quest Script Runner toolbar.

Work with Code
Change Current Schema
The Current Schema drop-down lets you work with a schema other than the one to which you
are connected. This can be useful if, for example, you have tested a SQL statement in your test
schema and now want to execute it on several other schemas without disconnecting and
reconnecting.
By default, the current schema is set to your current connection. When you use this drop-down,
Toad issues an ALTER SESSION SET current_schema command. After you execute, Toad
issues the ALTER SESSION SET current_schema command again to return to the original
connection schema.
Note: You must have the ALTER SESSION system privilege to use this feature. If you do not
have the privilege, the drop-down is disabled.
To change the current schema
»

Select a different schema in the Current Schema toolbar.

Change the Schema in Scripts
The Current Schema drop-down does not work with script execution or debugging commands.
However, because Execute as Script is designed to mimic SQL*Plus, you can use a set schema
command to change the schema.
To change the schema in scripts
»

Include the following command at the beginning of your script:
ALTER SESSION SET current_schema = "USERNAME"

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Save and Reuse SQL Statements
You can save SQL statements and easily insert them into the Editor at any time. The best way to
save SQL statements is with the Named SQL feature. Toad also allows you to export and import
your saved SQL. See "Import/Export Saved SQL" in the online help for more information.
Toad lists saved and recently executed SQL statements in the SQL Recall pane. See "View
Recently Executed SQL Statements" (page 45) for more information.
Notes:
l

If you want a quicker way to save SQL statements, you can save them as Personal SQL
statements by selecting Editor | Add to Personal SQLs. This bypasses the dialog to
name the SQL. However, the only way to reuse Personal statements is from the SQL
Recall pane.

Toad stores all saved SQL in User Files\SavedSQL.dat.

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

To save statements from the Editor
1. Select the statement in the Editor.
2. Select Editor | Add to Named SQLs.
3. Enter a name for the SQL statement.
Note: The name is case sensitive. For example, you can save both "sql1" and "SQL1".
To use a saved statement in the Editor
1. Select one of the following options:
l

Press CTRL+N in the Editor and select the statement from the pick list.

Enter ^MyNamedSQL in the Editor, where MyNamedSQL is the name of your
saved SQL statement. Toad replaces the SQL name with the saved statement
at execution.

Double-click or drag the statement from the SQL Recall pane.

To view saved statements
»

Select View | SQL Command Recall | Named.

To edit statements in the SQL Recall pane
»

Select a statement and click

on the SQL Recall toolbar.

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View Recently Executed SQL Statements
Toad saves recently executed statements in the History tab of the SQL Recall pane. This list is
organized with the most recent SQL at the top by default. You can select a statement from this
list and run it, save the statement for easy recall, or remove a statement from this list.
The SQL Recall pane also lists your saved SQL statements in the Named and Personal tabs. See
"Save and Reuse SQL Statements" (page 44) for more information.
Notes:
l

You can change the number of statements that SQL Recall saves in the History (500 is
default) or save only SQL statements that executed successfully. You can select these
options and other SQL Recall settings on the Code Assist options page. See "Code Assist
Options" in the online help for more information.

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

To view previously executed SQL statements
»

Select View | SQL Command Recall | History (F8).
Tip: You can also press ALT+UP ARROW or ALT+DOWN ARROW in
the Editor.

To open SQL statement directly in the Editor
»

Double-click or drag the statement from the SQL Recall pane.

To save statements in the History tab
1. Select a statement and click

in the SQL Recall toolbar.

2. Select Named in the Type field and enter a name for the statement in the Name field.
To edit statements in the SQL Recall pane
»

Select a statement and click

on the SQL Recall toolbar.

Format Code
You can have Toad format your code in the Editor. The following images display part of a script
before and after formatting:

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

Before

After

You can customize how Toad formats the code, such as inserting spaces instead of tabs or
changing the case for SQL commands. See "Formatter Options" in the online help for more
information.
Note: Format multiple scripts at one time from the Project Manager. See "Format Files" in the
online help for more information.
To format a statement
»

Select the statement you want to select and click

on the Edit toolbar.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

To format an entire script
»

Click

on the Edit toolbar.

Tip: You can also right-click the script and select Formatting Tools |
Format Code.

Display Pick List (Automatically Complete Code)
The Toad Insight feature helps you write code by displaying a pick list with relevant object or
column names. For example, if you start typing SYS and invoke the pick list, the SYSTEM user
would be included in the pick list:

Toad provides options for you to customize Code Insight's behavior, such as adjusting the length
of time before the pick list displays. See "Code Assist Options" in the online help for more
information.
To display the pick list
»

Press CTRL+T, or begin typing a name and pause 1.5 seconds.
Note: There are additional shortcut keys you can use with Toad Insight. See "Toad
Insight Pick List Shortcuts" (page 11) for more information.

Extract Procedures
You can extract a procedure from existing code into a new stored procedure or locally defined
procedure.
Creating the new procedure and call depend heavily on the parser to determine which identifiers
in the text selection must be declared as parameters in the new procedure. If Toad cannot parse
the code, no extraction occurs.
Note: This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.
To extract procedures
1. Select the code you want to extract in the Editor.
2. Right-click and select Refactor | Extract Procedure.
3. Select a procedure type.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

Note: If you select stored procedure, you can choose to either include the "CREATE OR
REPLACE" in the DDL instead of just "CREATE".
4. Enter the procedure name.
Tip: The new procedure and the resulting procedure call are created an inserted so that
the code is syntactically correct, but no formatting is done to the code. You can have
Toad format the code by pressing SHIFT+CTRL+F.

Comment Out Code Block
These commands add or remove comments from the selected block of text by adding or removing
"--" from the beginning of each line.
To comment code
1. Select the code block.
2. Right-click and select Refactor | Comment Block.
Tip: You can also press CTRL+B.
To uncomment code
1. Select the code block.
2. Right-click and select Refactor | Uncomment Block.
Tip: You can also press SHIFT+CTRL+B.

Find Unused Variables
Toad can find unused variables and identifiers in PL/SQL with code refactoring. If Toad find
unused variables, it displays the variables and lets you jump to the occurrence in the Editor.
Notes:
l

Toad only searches the object in the Editor, and does not evaluate other PL/SQL objects
that may reference it. Be careful when removing unused variables from package
specifications, as they maybe be referenced in other PL/SQL that is not searched.

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

To find unused variables
1. Right-click code in the Editor.
2. Select Refactor | Find Unused Variables.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

Rename Identifiers
You can easily rename identifiers (variables, parameters, or PL/SQL calls) for PL/SQL in the
Editor with code refactoring.
Notes:
l

Toad only searches the PL/SQL object in the Editor. Be careful when renaming
identifiers in package specifications, as they maybe be referenced in other PL/SQL that is
not searched.

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

To rename identifiers
1. Right-click an identifier in the Editor and select Refactor | Rename Identifier.
2. Enter the new name in the Name field.

Debug PL/SQL
About Debugging
You can debug PL/SQL, SQL scripts, and Java in Toad. Toad's documentation includes tutorials
on how to debug. See "Debugging a Procedure or Function Tutorial" in the online help for more
information.
Notes:
l

There are minimum Oracle database requirements for using this feature. See "Minimum
Oracle Database Requirements" in the online help for more information.

The debugger is not designed to work with word-wrapped lines, since the Editor will
then have a different set of line numbers than what is stored in Oracle. Toad provides a
warning message about this if you open the procedure Editor while word-wrapping is
enabled. To disable word-wrap, select View | Toad Options | Editor | Behavior and
clear Word wrap.

Types of Debugging
Debugging in Toad requires you to select one type of debugging at a time for all database
instances open per instance of Toad. For example, if you have three database connections in one
instance of Toad, they must all be in the same debugging state. If you then opened another
instance of Toad, with the same or different connections, they could be in a different debugging
state. Review the following about the debugging types:
DBMS
Debugger

Debugs PL/SQL. Using the Debugger, you can set breakpoints, watches, and
see call stacks. In addition, you can view DBMS output.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

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Note: When using the PL/SQL Debugger and connecting to a RAC instance,
you must have the TNSNAMES entry for the instance with the server directed
the use connection or session here. Or, you must connect directly to an
instance of the cluster without letting the server assign an instance.
Script
Debugger

Debugs SQL scripts. You can set breakpoints, run to cursor, step over, trace
into, and halt execution of your scripts.

You can also use Toad's Auto Debugger, which automatically inserts DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_
LINE statements into the DDL. Once you compile the code and inspect the contents of the
DBMS_OUTPUT buffer, you can remove all instances of DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE with the
click of a button. See "Automatically Insert DBMS_OUTPUT Statements (Auto Debugger)" in
the online help for more information.
Compile with Debug Information
To use the debugger fully with PL/SQL or Java packages, you need to compile your object with
debug information. If you have not compiled with debug information, in databases in versions
before 10g you can step into a unit, step over and so on, but you cannot see watches unless the
object is compiled with debug. In a 10g database you cannot step into code or step over unless
the object was compiled with debug. You can only execute.
In addition, if you are debugging an object that has dependent objects, you cannot step into the
dependents unless they, too, are compiled with debug information. See "Dependencies and
References" in the online help for more information.
To enable compile with debug
»

Click

on the main toolbar or select Session | Toggle Compiling with Debug.

Note: You can have Toad enable Toggle Compiling with Debug by default for
each new session. See "Execute and Compile Options" in the online help for more
information.

Start Debugging
You can debug PL/SQL objects in the Editor. When you open a complete package or type in the
Editor, the spec and body open in separate tabs by default. However, Toad provides options to
control how objects are split, reassembled, and saved. See "Editor Options: Open/Save" in the
online help for more information.
Note: This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Execute and Manage Code

To start the Debugger
1. Open a PL/SQL object in the Editor.
2. Click
on the main toolbar or select Session | Toggle Compiling with Debug. This
enables debugging.
3. Compile the object on the database.
4. Select one of the following options on the Execute toolbar to begin debugging:
l

Execute PL/SQL with debugger (

Step over (

Step into (

Run to cursor (

)

)
)
)

View DBMS Output
Oracle provides a specifically designed package called DBMS_OUTPUT with functions for
debugging PL/SQL code. It uses a buffer that your PL/SQL code writes into and then a separate
process queries the buffer out and displays the contents.
You must enable DBMS Output before executing the PL/SQL. In Toad, output displays after
the procedure has completed execution, not while you are stepping through the code. In nested
procedure calls, all procedures must have run to completion before any DBMS Output content
is displayed.
Troubleshooting
If you do not see DBMS Output, try the following suggestions:
l

Right-click the lower pane and select Desktop Panels | DBMS Output.

Make sure the Toggle Output On/Off button is on ( ) in the DBMS Output tab. Then,
set the interval in the Polling Frequency box. If the toggle is on, Toad periodically scans
for and displays DBMS Output content.

Contact your Oracle DBA to make sure the DBMS_OUTPUT package is enabled on
your database.

4
Work with Database Objects
About the Schema Browser
The Schema Browser allows you to view, add, and modify database objects. It also displays
detailed information about a selected object. For example, the detailed information for a table
includes its subpartitions, columns, indexes, data, grants, and so on.
Notes:
l

Some Schema Browser features may not be available unless you have the commercial
version of Toad with the DB Admin Module.

You can set the Schema Browser to open automatically when a new connection is made.
Select View | Toad Options | Windows and select the Auto Open checkbox of the
Schema Browser row.

Schema Browser Panes
The Schema Browser is divided into two panes to help you review objects and their details:
Pane

Description

List of objects
(left-hand side)

The left-hand side of the Schema Browser provides a list of objects that
you can view. In general, you select a schema and an object type, and
the list refreshes to display the relevant objects. You can filter the objects
and save your filters for future use. See "About Schema Browser Filters"
(page 62) for more information.
The list can display additional information about the objects, such as the
tablespace and number of rows. To view additional information, rightclick a column in the left-hand side and select additional columns to
display. (This feature is unavailable with the tree view display.)
Tip: In drop-down mode, you can hide leading characters of object
names in the left-hand side. Right click a column and select Hide
leading characters of name. The display resets when you change the
schema or connection.

Object details
(right-hand
side)

The right-hand side initially displays the same list of objects as the lefthand side. When you select an object on the left-hand side, Toad
displays its details in the right-hand side. This format makes it easy for
you to compare details between objects of the same type.
Note: You can use Toad's Describe Objects feature to display an object's
details in a new window. The Describe Objects window displays the

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Work with Database Objects

Pane

Description
same information you would see in the right-hand side of the Schema
Browser. See "Describe Objects" (page 59) for more information.
From the Schema Browser you can drop most objects, enable/disable
applicable objects, and disable triggers for a table or for an entire schema.
You can recompile procedures, functions, packages, triggers, and views,
or they can be extracted from the database and loaded into the clipboard
or Editor.

Tips:
l

To reset the right-hand side to mirror the list of objects on the left-hand side, click
in the toolbar or select multiple objects on the left-hand side.

Many of the panes within the Schema Browser have icons to identify the objects. See
"View Schema Browser Icon Legend" (page 60) for more information.

Many of the objects and panes have enhanced right-click menus. Right-click an
object or its details to see what options are available.

Customize the Schema Browser
You can customize how the Schema Browser displays to better suit the way you work. The most
common customization is to change how object types display in the left-hand side. See "Select
the Left-Hand Side Display Style" (page 53) for more information.
Toad also provides dozens of options to further customize the display and behavior of the
Schema Browser. Select View | Toad Options | Schema Browser to view the options.

Customize the Schema Browser
Select the Left-Hand Side Display Style
You can customize how the Schema Browser displays to better suit the way you work. The most
common customization is to change how object types display in the left-hand side. Once you
select a basic display style, you can rename, hide, or rearrange the object types on the left-hand
side and detail tabs on the right-hand side. See "Customize Schema Browser Tabs" (page 55) for
more information.
Tips:
l

To hide the right-hand side of the Schema Browser, press F12. You can press F12 again to
display it again.

To hide or display images and tips in the left-hand side, click
toolbar and select the appropriate option.

In drop-down mode, you can hide leading characters of object names in the left-hand side.

in the Schema Browser

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad
Work with Database Objects

Right click a column and select Hide leading characters of name. The display resets
when you change the schema or connection.
To select the left-hand side display style
1. Click

in the Schema Browser toolbar.

2. Select one of the following options:
Drop-down

Displays object types in an alphabetical drop-down field.

Tabbed
(single row of
tabs)

Displays object types as a single line of tabs. You must scroll
through the tabs to view all object types.

Tabbed
(multi line
tabbed)

Displays multiple rows of tabs instead of the scroll bar.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Work with Database Objects

Tree view

Displays object types in a tree view.

Note: You may need to close any open instances of the Schema Browser for the new
browser style to display.

Customize Schema Browser Tabs
The Schema Browser displays object types on the left-hand side and detail tabs on the right-hand
side. You can rename, rearrange, and hide the object types that display in the left-hand side or
the tabs on the right-hand side.
Note: This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.
To customize tabs and object types
1. Click

on the Schema Browser toolbar.

2. Select Configure LHS Object Types to customize the left-hand side, or select Configure
RHS Tabs to customize the right-hand side.
3. Customize the display settings. Review the following for additional information:

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Work with Database Objects

If you want to...

Complete the following:

Rename an object
type or tab

Enter a new name in the Caption field.

Hide an object type or
tab

Clear the Visible field.

Rearrange tabs

Select a tab and click the up or down arrow on the right.
Note: You can only rearrange the order of object type tabs
if you are in a tabbed view. See "Select the Left-Hand Side
Display Style" (page 53) for more information.

Tip: To restore the default settings, click

at the bottom of the window.

4. To save the left-hand side settings as a configuration file, click
of the window.

at the bottom

Notes: You can save and load different configurations. This gives you more flexibility
when you are working, because you can easily change the display to suit different tasks.

Group Favorite Objects
You can group objects that you use frequently into a tab on the Schema Browser. These different
objects can be grouped into one or several folders. Folders are specific to an instance (not a
connection or a schema).
Notes:
l

The configuration file for this tab is saved as Projects.lst in the User Files folder.

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

To group favorite objects
1. Click

on the Standard toolbar to open the Schema Browser.

2. Select Favorites in the object list in the left-hand side.
3. Add one or more folders to group the objects:
a. Click

on the Favorites toolbar.

b. Enter a folder name.
4. Add objects to a folder. Review the following for additional information:
To search for and
select objects

Complete the following:
a. Click

on the Favorites toolbar.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Work with Database Objects

b. Search for objects. See "Object Search" in the online
help for more information.
c. Highlight the objects you want to add in the Results
tab and click
.
d. Select the folder where you want the object.
To add objects
directly

Complete the following:
a. Right-click an object in the left-hand side and select
Add to SB Favorites List.
b. Select the folder where you want the object.

To add
scripts/files

Complete the following:
a. Right-click the folder where you want the item in the
Favorites list and select Add Files.
b. Select the file and click Open.
Note: Multi-select files to add more than one at a time.
c. Select the folder where you want the object.

Tips:
l

To remove objects from a folder, select the object in the Favorites list and
click
.

To empty or remove favorites folders, right-click the folder and select Remove
Folder to remove the folder and its contents or Empty Folder to leave the
folder in the list but remove its contents.

Create Objects
Toad lets you select Oracle object parameters and generate a DDL statement to create or alter
objects. It is generally a good idea to review the DDL statement before executing it. When you
execute the statement, Toad passes it to the database, and the object is created or altered.
The options to create or alter an object in Toad follow the parameters defined by Oracle. If you
need clarification on what an option means or how it should be used, see Oracle's documentation
for more information. Oracle provides detailed documentation about objects, including their
purpose, properties, and restrictions.
Notes:
l

You can also find detailed information about parameters in Knowledge Xpert.
Knowledge Xpert is an extensive Oracle technical resource which you can search in the
Quick Search bar. See "Quick Search Bar" (page 13) for more information.

You can use an existing object as a template when creating a new one. See "Use Existing
Object as Template for New Objects" (page 59) for more information.

Beginner's Guide to Using Toad

Work with Database Objects

This topic focuses on information that may be unfamiliar to you. It does not include all
step and field descriptions.

To create an object
1. Click

on the Standard toolbar to open the Schema Browser.

2. Select the object type in the left-hand side and click

Note: You can also create an object by selecting Database | Create |

Toad For Oracle User Guide Beginners

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