Top Ten Preferences You Must Tweak When Using SQL Developer

A free integrated development environment, The Oracle SQL Developer simplifies the development & management of the Oracle Database in traditional as well as Cloud deployments. The SQL Developer provides total end-to-end development of all your PL/SQL applications, a DBA console to manage the database, a worksheet to run queries and scripts, a complete solution for data modeling, a reports interface, and a unique migration platform to move your third party databases to Oracle. 

Let us have a look at the top ten preferences you can tweak when you use the SQL:

1. Code Editor – Fonts

Well, you will definitely be typing a LOT. So, make sure you set a font which is pleasing to the eye. Most people consider fixed width fonts which support Unicode. In fact, there are myriads of fonts out there you can choose from. The Droid fonts from Google are popular as well.

2. Database – Licensing

Most people like to run the Enterprise edition which is provided with all the database pack stuff; however, there are equal number of people that run the database’ lower licensed editions. You can choose to disable the Tuning & Diagnostic Packs of your SQL Developer in order to avoid using & licensing these features accidentally in the database. You can perhaps disable the packs even at the database level so as to protect yourself, however, if that seems impossible, you can at least perform it in the SQL Developer. The best part is that you can do as mentioned at the connection level instead of neutering the SQL Developer totally.

3. Database – Worksheet – SQL History Limit

Of course, the number of statements that you want to be saved is generally defaulted to 100. This is most likely on the low side. You can bump it up to 500 provided you want a several days more in your ‘backup.’

4. Database – Worksheet –Query Results shown in new tabs

It would surely be nice to keep around the query results from varied iterations of your query as and when you work through it. By means of enabling this feature, you can keep the query results open as and when you implement new queries. The more result sets are left open, the more memory will be needed by the SQL Developer. Hence, make sure you close them once you are finished.

5. Debugger – Start the Option ‘Debugging’

You can set this as ‘Step Over’ which enables you to start & run a debug session without any breakpoints. And, if you leave this at the default, you may see that starting a debug session would appear to ‘not work.’ And, this is because of the fact that the SQL Developer enters the debug mode and continues to run until it tends to find a breakpoint, exception or breaking condition. Moreover, if you have none, the SQL developer will go to the end point of your program. Hence, the ‘Step Over’ option tells the SQL Developer to prevent execution right at line 1 auto-magically!

6. External Editors

You should spend a few minutes & set up default editors for your XLS, JPG, XML, & PDF files. This will lead to working with BLOBs even more pleasant.

7. Shortcut Keys

Sort by ‘Category’ & scroll down to ‘Other’ category. In fact, some of the finest keyboard shortcuts seem to be ‘undocumented.’ Of course, provided you don’t like any of these shortcuts, customize them as per your liking. Mind the conflicts, however!

8. Open Object on a Single Click

This is good for the beginners but annoying to the experienced users.

9. Hide Database Object Types from Connection Trees

Of course, you won’t work with almost EVERYTHING in Oracle – therefore, set your trees so as to show just exactly what you require.

10. Connection Script Startup

If you wish your script page results to be in groups of 25, set up your connection startup script, ie, LOGIN.SQL.