1 Managing Database Objects with Object Browser

Object Browser enables developers to browse, create, and edit objects in a database. Oracle Application Express has many views defined to help you work with the underlying table structures. The views combine multiple base tables and use meaningful column names to minimize complexity and to be more intuitive to use. See Oracle Application Express API Reference for details of the views defined.

Topics:

See Also:

Oracle Database SQL Language Reference

1.1 Accessing Object Browser

To access Object Browser:

  1. Log in to the Workspace home page.

  2. Click SQL Workshop.

  3. Click Object Browser to drill down to the Object Browser home page.

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    Note:

    If the instance administrator has disabled RESTful Services for this Application Express instance, RESTful Services are not available for this instance and the RESTful Services icon does not display. See "Configuring SQL Workshop" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

1.2 About Object Browser

The Object Browser page is divided into two sections:

  • Object Selection pane displays on the left side of the Object Browser page and lists database objects of a selected type within the current schema. You can further narrow the results by filtering on the object name.

  • Detail pane displays to the right of the page and displays detailed information about the selected object. To view object details, select an object in the Object Selection pane. Click the tabs at the top of the Detail pane to view additional details about the current object. To edit an object, click the appropriate button.

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See Also:

"Searching for and Browsing Database Objects" and "About Creating Database Objects"

Selecting a Schema

A schema is a logical container for database objects. To access objects in another schema, make a selection from the Schema list in the SQL Workshop home page. Only schemas assigned to your workspace are listed.

Switching to Another SQL Workshop Component

You can navigate to another SQL Workshop component by selecting the corresponding icon located on the upper right side of the page.

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Available icons include:

1.3 Searching for and Browsing Database Objects

The Object Selection pane displays on the left side of the Object Browser page and lists database objects by type with the current schema. You can filter the view by selecting an object type or entering a case insensitive search term.

Topics:

1.3.1 Searching For and Selecting Database Objects

To search for a database object in the Object Selection pane:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Select an object type from the Object list.

    The list of objects that appears depends upon the available objects in the current schema. Note that any object having a red bar adjacent to it is invalid.

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  3. To search for an object name, enter a case insensitive search term in the Search field.

  4. To view all objects, leave the search field blank.

Once you locate the database object you want to view, simply select it. The selected object displays in the Detail pane. If no object is selected, the Detail pane is blank.

1.3.2 Hiding the Object Selection Pane

You can hide the Object Selection pane by selecting the Hide Objects control. This control displays on the right side of the Object Selection pane. If the Object Selection pane appears, selecting this control hides it. Similarly, if the Object Selection pane is hidden, selecting this control causes the pane to reappear.

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1.4 About Creating Database Objects

You can create database objects using the Create Database Object Wizard. Once you select an object, a set of tabs and buttons appears at the top of the Detail pane. Use the tabs to view different aspects of the current items (for example, the indexes of the table). Use the buttons to modify the current object.

To create an object:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create, located in the upper right corner of the Detail pane.

  3. From the list of object types, select the type of object you want to create.

  4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

1.5 Managing Tables

A table is a unit of data storage in an Oracle database, containing rows and columns. When you view a table in Object Browser, a table description appears that describes each column in the table.

Topics:

See Also:

1.5.1 Creating a Table

To create a table:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Table.

  4. Enter a table name.

    Table names must conform to Oracle naming conventions.

  5. To have the final table name match the case entered in the Table Name field, click Preserve Case.

  6. Enter details for each column. For each column:

    1. Enter the column name.

    2. Select the column type.

    3. Enter the following additional information as appropriate:

      • Precision

        The precision is the number of digits before the decimal point. Not all column types have this setting. Precision must be a positive integer. Only NUMBER, FLOAT, INTERVAL YEAR TO MONTH, and INTERVAL DAY TO SECOND have this setting. For example, if a column of type NUMBER has precision of 4, the column value can be 0 through 9999.

      • Scale

        The function of the scale setting depends on the column type. For NUMBER types, scale is the number of digits after the decimal point. For VARCHAR2 and CHAR types, scale is the number of stored characters. For TIMESTAMP types, scale is the fractional seconds precision and must be a number between 0 and 9. Scale must be a positive number. For example, if a column type TIMESTAMP has a scale of 3, seconds are between .000 seconds and .999 seconds.

    4. To specify a column must always have a value, select the check box in the Not Null column.

      To change the order of previously entered columns, click the Up and Down arrows in the Move column. To add additional columns, click Add Column.

    5. If you are running Oracle Database 12c, select an identity option for NUMBER and FLOAT columns. Options include:

      • Always - The Oracle Database always uses the sequence generator to assign a value to the column. If you attempt to explicitly assign a value to the column using INSERT or UPDATE, then an error is returned.

      • Default - The Oracle Database uses the sequence generator to assign a value to the column by default, but you can also explicitly assign a specified value to the column.

      • Default on Null - The Oracle Database uses the sequence generator to assign a value to the column when a subsequent INSERT statement attempts to assign a value that evaluates to NULL.

    6. Click Next.

    Next, define the primary key for this table (optional). A primary key is a single field or combination of fields that uniquely identifies a record.

  7. For Primary Key, select the appropriate option and click Next:

    • No Primary Key - No primary key is created.

    • Populate from a new sequence - Creates a primary key and creates a trigger and a sequence. The sequence is used in the trigger to populate the selected primary key column. The primary key can only be a single column.

    • Populated from an existing sequence - Creates a primary key and creates a trigger. The selected sequence is used in the trigger to populate the selected primary key column. The primary key can only be a single column.

    • Not populated - Defines a primary key but does not have the value automatically populated with a sequence within a trigger. You can also select this option to define a composite primary key (that is, a primary key made up of multiple columns).

    Next, add foreign keys (optional). A foreign key establishes a relationship between a column (or columns) in one table and a primary or unique key in another table.

  8. To add a foreign key:

    1. Name - Enter a name of the foreign key constraint that you are defining.

    2. Select Key Column(s) - Select the columns that are part of the foreign key, then click the Add icon to move them to Key Column(s).

    3. References Table - Select the table which is referenced by this foreign key. Then, select the columns referenced by this foreign key. Once selected, click the Add icon to move the selected columns to Referenced Column(s).

    4. Select the appropriate option:

      • Disallow Delete - Blocks the delete of rows from the referenced table when there are dependent rows in this table.

      • Cascade Delete - Deletes the dependent rows from this table when the corresponding parent table row is deleted.

      • Set to Null on Delete - Sets the foreign key column values in this table to null when the corresponding parent table row is deleted.

    5. Click Add.

    6. Click Next.

    Next, add a constraint (optional). You can create multiple constraints, but you must add each constraint separately.

  9. To add a constraint:

    1. Specify the type of constraint (Check or Unique).

      A check constraint is a validation check on one or more columns within the table. No records can be inserted or updated in a table which violates an enabled check constraint. A unique constraint designates a column or a combination of columns as a unique key. To satisfy a unique constraint, no two rows in the table can have the same values for the specified columns.

    2. Enter the constraint in the field provided. For unique constraints, select the column(s) that are to be unique. For check constraints, enter the expression that should be checked such as flag in ('Y','N').

    3. Click Add.

  10. Click Next.

    A confirmation page appears.

  11. Click Create.

See Also:

"Using the Table Finder" in Oracle Application Express Application Builder User's Guide and "Overview of Tables" in Oracle Database Concepts for information about tables.

1.5.2 Browsing a Table

When you view a table in Object Browser, the table description appears. While viewing this description, you can add a column, modify a column, rename a column, drop a column, rename the table, copy the table, drop the table, truncate the table, or create a lookup table based upon a column in the current table. Additionally, you have access to other reports that offer related information including the table data, indexes, data model, constraints, grants, statistics, user interface defaults, triggers, dependencies, and SQL to create the selected table.

To view a table description:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, ensure Tables is selected.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a table.

    The table description appears.

1.5.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the table. Table 1-1 describes all available views.

Table 1-1 Available Views for Tables

View Description

Table

Displays details of the first 57 columns including the column name, data type, nullable status, default value, and primary key. While viewing table details you can add, modify, delete, or rename a column. Additionally, you can drop, rename, copy, or truncate the table only if the referencing table has no records and create a lookup table.

To export the data as a comma-delimited file (.csv) file, click the Download link.

To print the data in a portable document format (.pdf) file, click the Print link. Please note, this option must have a Report Server configured at the instance level. See "Configuring Instance Settings" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

See Also: "Editing a Table"

Data

Displays a report of the data in the current table. Actions you can perform include:

  • Query - Enables you to sort by column. To restrict specific rows, enter a condition in the Column Condition field. Use the percent sign (%) for wildcards. From Order by, select the columns you want to review and click Query.

  • Count Rows - Displays a report of the number of rows in the current table.

  • Insert Row - Enables you to insert a row into the table.

  • Download - Exports all data in the table to a spreadsheet. Click the Download link at the bottom of the page to export all data in the selected table.

Indexes

Displays indexes associated with this table. Actions you can perform include Create and Drop.

See Also: "Managing Indexes"

Model

Displays a graphical representation of the selected table along with all related tables. Related tables are those that reference the current table in a foreign key and those tables referenced by foreign keys within the current table.

You can position the cursor over an underlined table name to view the relationship between that table and the current table. Click an underlined table name to view the model of the related table.

Constraints

Displays a list of constraints for the current table. Actions you can perform include Create, Drop, Enable, and Disable.

Grants

Displays a list of grants on the current table, including the grantee, the privilege, and grant options. Actions you can perform in this view include Grant and Revoke.

Statistics

Displays collected statistics about the current table, including the number of rows and blocks, the average row length, sample size, when the data was last analyzed, and the compression status (enabled or disabled). Click Analyze to access the Analyze Table Wizard.

UI Defaults

Displays user interface defaults for forms and reports. User interface defaults enable developers to assign default user interface properties to a table, column, or view within a specified schema.

Click Edit to edit defined user interface defaults. Click Create Defaults to initialize user interface defaults for tables that do not currently have user interface defaults defined.

See Also: "Managing User Interface Defaults"

Triggers

Displays a list of triggers associated with the current table. Actions you can perform include Create, Drop, Enable, and Disable.

To view trigger details, click the trigger name.

See Also: "Managing Triggers"

Dependencies

Displays report showing objects referenced by this table, objects this table references, and synonyms for this table.

SQL

Displays the SQL necessary to re-create this table, including keys, indexes, triggers and table definition.

1.5.3 Editing a Table

While viewing a table description, you can edit it by clicking the buttons above the table description.

To edit a table:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, ensure Tables is selected.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a table.

    The table description appears.

  4. Click the appropriate button described in Table 1-2.

    Table 1-2 Edit Table Buttons

    Button Description

    Add Column

    Adds a column to the table. Enter a column name and select a type. Depending upon the column type, specify whether the column requires a value, the column length, precision, and scale.

    Modify Column

    Modifies the selected column.

    Rename Column

    Renames the selected column.

    Drop Column

    Drops the selected column.

    Rename

    Renames the selected table.

    Copy

    Copies the selected table.

    Drop

    Drops the selected table.

    See Also: "Using the Recycle Bin to View and Restore Dropped Objects"

    Truncate

    Removes all rows from the selected table. Truncating a table can be more efficient than dropping and re-creating a table. Dropping and re-creating a table may invalidate dependent objects, requiring you to regrant object privileges or re-create indexes, integrity constraints, and triggers.

    Create Lookup Table

    Creates a lookup table based on the column you select. That column becomes a foreign key to the lookup table.

1.5.4 Dropping a Table

To drop a table:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, ensure Tables is selected.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a table.

    The table description appears.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

See Also:

"Using the Recycle Bin to View and Restore Dropped Objects"

1.6 Managing Views

A view is a logical representation of another table or combination of tables. A view does not contain or store data but derives its data from the views or tables on which it is based. These tables are called base tables. All operations performed on a view affect the base table of the view. In order to be updatable, a view cannot contain any of the following constructs: SET or DISTINCT, operators, aggregate or analytic functions, GROUP BY, ORDER BY, CONNECT BY, START WITH clause, subquery or collection expression in a SELECT list.

For an example where using a view might be preferable to a table, consider the HR.EMPLOYEES table which has several columns and numerous rows. To allow users to see only five of these columns or only specific rows, a view is created as follows:

CREATE VIEW staff AS
SELECT employee_id, last_name, job_id, manager_id, department_id
FROM employees

Topics:

See Also:

Oracle Database Administrator's Guide

1.6.1 Creating a View

To create a view:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select View.

  4. Define the view:

    • View Name - Enter a name for the View.

    • Query - Specify a query to define the view.

      To access Query Builder or SQL Command Processor, click the appropriate link at the bottom of the page. The selected tool appears in a pop-up window. Once you create the appropriate SQL, click Return to automatically close the popup window and return to the wizard with the SQL.

  5. Click Next.

    A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the view.

  6. Click Create View.

See Also:

"Building SQL Queries with Query Builder" and "Using SQL Commands"

1.6.2 Browsing a View

When you access a view in Object Browser, the Detail pane displays a report listing the columns in that view.

To browse a view:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Views.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a view.

    The view definition appears displaying the appropriate columns.

1.6.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports. Table 1-3 describes all available views.

Table 1-3 Available Views for Views

View Description

View

(Default) Displays the columns in the current view. Actions you can perform include:

  • Compile

  • Drop

See Also: "Editing a View", "Compiling a View", and "Dropping a View"

Code

Displays the code editor.

See Also: "Editing a View".

Data

Displays a report of the data in the columns in the view. Actions you can perform include:

  • Query - Enables you to sort by column. To restrict specific rows, enter a condition in the Column Condition field. Use the percent sign (%) for wildcards. From Order by, select the columns you want to review and click Query.

  • Count Rows - Enables you to count rows in the table.

  • Insert Row - Enables you to insert a row into the table.

Grants

Displays a list of grants associated with the columns in the view. Grant details include grantee, privilege, and grant options. Actions you can perform include Grant and Revoke.

UI Defaults

Displays user interface defaults for forms and reports. User interface defaults enable developers to assign default user interface properties to a table, column, or view within a specified schema.

Click Edit to edit existing user interface defaults. Click Create Defaults to initialize user interface defaults for views that do not currently have user interface defaults defined.

See Also: "Managing User Interface Defaults"

Dependencies

Displays a report showing objects referenced by this view, objects this view references, and synonyms for this view.

SQL

Displays the SQL necessary to re-create this view.

1.6.3 Editing a View

When you edit a view you can edit the code manually, perform a search and replace, and compile the view. Additionally, you can save the view as a file or drop it.

1.6.3.1 Editing a View Manually

To edit a view manually:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Views.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a view.

  4. Select the Code tab.

    The code editor appears.

    If you edit and make changes to a view, you must compile. See "Compiling a View".

1.6.3.2 Using Find and Replace

Click Find & Replace to perform a basic search and replace.

1.6.3.3 Downloading a View

Click Download Source to save the current view as a file.

1.6.4 Compiling a View

If you edit and make changes to a view, you must compile to save your changes. Note that there is no save function since this is just a view of the object within the database.

Click Save & Compile to re-create the current view.

1.6.5 Dropping a View

To drop a view:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Views.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a view.

  4. Select the View tab or the Code tab.

  5. Click Drop.

  6. To confirm, click Finish.

1.7 Managing Indexes

An index is an optional structure associated with tables and clusters. You can create indexes on one or more columns of a table to speed access to data on those columns.

When you view an index in Object Browser, the Detail pane displays a report containing the index name, index type, table owner, table type, uniqueness, compression, prefix length, tablespace name, status, last analyzed and a listing of the indexed columns.

Topics:

1.7.1 Creating an Index

To create an index:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Index.

  4. Select a table and select the type of index you want to create. Available index types include:

    • Normal - Indexes one or more scalar typed object attributes of a table

    • Text - Creates a text index (Oracle Text)

  5. Click Next.

  6. Create the index definition. Specify an index name, select one or more columns to be indexed, and click Next.

    A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the index.

  7. To confirm, click Create Index.

1.7.2 Browsing an Index

To browse an index:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Indexes.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select an index.

    The index appears displaying the index name, type, table owner, table type and a listing of indexed columns.

1.7.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the index. Table 1-4 describes all available views.

Table 1-4 Available Views for Indexes

View Description

Object Details

Displays the index name, index type, table owner, table name, table type, uniqueness, compression, prefix length, tablespace name, status, last analyzed and also a listing of the indexed columns. Actions you can perform while viewing Object Details include:

  • Disable - Disables the current index

  • Drop - Drops the current index

  • Rebuild - Rebuilds the current index

Statistics

Displays collected statistics about the current view, including the number of rows, sample size, when the data was last analyzed, and the compression status (enabled or disabled). Click Analyze to refresh the displayed statistics.

SQL

Displays the SQL necessary to re-create this index.

1.7.3 Dropping an Index

To drop an index:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Indexes.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select an index.

  4. Under Object Details, click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

1.8 Managing Sequences

A sequence generates a serial list of unique numbers for numeric columns of a database table. Database sequences are generally used to populate table primary keys.

Topics:

1.8.1 Creating a Sequence

To create a sequence:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Sequence.

  4. Specify the following and click Next:

    • Sequence Name - Enter the name of the sequence.

    • Preserve Case - To have the final sequence name match the case entered in the Sequence Name field, click Preserve Case.

    • Start With - Enter the number of the first sequence. The first reference to sequence_name.nextval returns this number.

    • Minimum Value - Enter the minimum value this sequence can return.

    • Maximum Value - Enter the maximum value this sequence can return.

    • Increment By - Each call to sequence_name.nextval returns a value greater than the last, until the maximum value is reached. Enter the value used to increment to the next sequence number.

    • Cycle - Select this option to restart the sequence number to the minimum value when the maximum value is reached. This is not recommended if using the sequence for primary key creation.

    • Number to Cache - For faster access, specify how many sequence values are stored in memory.

    • Order - Specify ORDER to guarantee that sequence numbers are generated in order of request. This option is necessary if using Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC).

    A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the sequence.

  5. Click Create Sequence.

1.8.2 Browsing a Sequence

To browse a sequence:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Sequences.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a sequence.

    The Object Details view appears.

1.8.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the sequence. Table 1-5 describes all available views.

Table 1-5 Available Views for Sequences

View Description

Object Details

Displays details about the current sequence. Actions you can perform in this view include Alter and Drop.

Grant

Displays a list of grants associated with the sequence. Grant details include grantee, privilege, and grant options. Actions you can perform include Grant and Revoke.

Dependencies

Displays a list of objects that use (or depend) upon this sequence.

SQL

Displays the SQL necessary to re-create this sequence.

1.8.3 Dropping a Sequence

To drop a sequence:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Sequences.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a sequence.

    The Object Details view appears.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

1.9 Managing Types

A type is a user-specified object or collection definition. Oracle Application Express currently only supports collection definitions. There are two categories of Oracle collections (SQL collections):

  • Variable-length arrays (VARRAY types)

  • Nested tables (TABLE types)

VARRAY types are used for one-dimensional arrays, while nested table types are used for single-column tables within an outer table.

Topics:

See Also:

Oracle Database Concepts and Oracle Database PL/SQL Language Reference for information about collection types

1.9.1 Creating a Type

To create a collection type:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Type.

  4. Specify a name and click Next.

  5. Select a type, data type, limit, and click Next.

    A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the type.

  6. Click Create Type.

1.9.2 Browsing a Type

To browse a collection type:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Types.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a type.

    The Object Details view appears.

1.9.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports. Table 1-6 describes all available views.

Table 1-6 Available Views for Types

View Description

Object Details

Displays details about the selected type. To drop a type, click Drop.

Synonyms

Displays a list of synonyms for the current type.

Grants

Displays a list of grants associated with the type. Grant details include grantee, privilege, and grant options. Actions you can perform include Grant and Revoke.

SQL

Displays the SQL necessary to re-create this type.

1.9.3 Dropping a Type

To drop a collection type:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Types.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a type.

    The Object Details view appears.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

1.10 Managing Packages

A package is a database object that groups logically related PL/SQL types, items, functions and procedures. Packages usually have two parts, a specification and a body. The specification is the interface to your application. The body implements the specification.

Topics:

See Also:

1.10.1 Creating a Package

To create a package:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Package.

  4. Select the type of package you want to create, then click Next:

    • Specification

    • Body

    • Package with methods on database tables

  5. If you select Specification:

    1. Enter a name and click Next.

      The wizard creates a dummy package specification and displays it for editing.

    2. Edit the specification and click Finish.

  6. If you select Body:

    1. Select the package you want to create the body for and click Next

      The wizard creates a package body with stubbed out calls identified in the specification and displays it for editing.

    2. Edit the package body and click Finish.

  7. If you select Package with methods on database tables:

    1. Enter a name and click Next.

    2. Select up to ten tables and click Next.

      The wizard creates a specification and body with insert, update, delete, and GET APIs for the selected tables. Note that you have the option to show or download the specification or body.

    3. To confirm, click Finish.

1.10.2 Viewing a Package

When you access a package in Object Browser the specification appears.

To view a specification:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Packages.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a package.

    The Specification appears. You can also edit the code in this view.

1.10.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the package. Table 1-7 describes all available views.

Table 1-7 Available Views for Packages

View Description

Specification

Displays the package specification. This defines the interface to your application. Actions you can perform include:

  • Edit the code manually

  • Save & Compile

  • Find & Replace

  • Undo

  • Redo

  • Download Source

  • Drop

Body

Displays the package body, if one exists, for the selected package. Actions you can perform include:

  • Edit the code manually

  • Save & Compile

  • Find & Replace

  • Undo

  • Redo

  • Download Source

  • Drop

Dependencies

Displays objects that use (or depend on) on the current package and objects the package depends on.

Errors

Displays errors related to the current package.

Grants

Lists details of grants for the current package, including privilege, grantee, grantable, grantor, and object name.

1.10.3 Editing a Package

When you edit a package, you can edit the code manually, perform a search and replace, and compile the package.

1.10.3.1 Editing a Package Manually

To edit a package manually:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Packages.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a package.

    The Specification appears. You can edit the code in this view.

  4. Click Find & Replace to perform a basic search and replace.

1.10.4 Compiling a Package

If you edit and make changes to a package, you must compile to save your changes. There is no save function because this is just a view of the object within the database.

To compile a package:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Packages.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a package.

    The Specification appears.

  4. Click Save & Compile to compile the current package.

    Compiling re-creates the object in the database. If the compilation fails, an error message displays above the code.

1.10.5 Downloading a Package

To download a package:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Packages.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a package.

    The Specification appears.

  4. Click Download Source to save the current package as a file.

1.10.6 Dropping a Package

To drop a package while viewing the Specification:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Packages.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a package.

    The Specification appears.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

To drop a package while viewing the Body:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Packages.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a package.

    The Specification appears.

  4. Click the Body tab.

  5. Click Drop.

  6. To confirm, click Finish.

1.11 Managing Procedures

A procedure is a subprogram that performs a specific action. You can use Object Browser to view, create, edit, download, and drop procedures.

Topics:

See Also:

Oracle Database PL/SQL Language Reference

1.11.1 Creating a Procedure

To create a procedure:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Procedure.

  4. Enter a procedure name and click Next.

  5. Define the arguments by specifying the following information (optional):

    • Argument Name

    • In/Out (the parameter mode)

    • Argument Type (datatype)

    • Default (value)

    To add additional arguments, click Add Argument.

  6. Click Next.

  7. Enter PL/SQL block you want to use as the procedure body and click Next.

    A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the procedure.

  8. Click Create Procedure.

1.11.2 Browsing a Procedure

To browse a procedure:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Procedures.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a procedure.

    The Code view appears, displaying the source code for the procedure. You can edit the code in this view.

1.11.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the procedure. Table 1-8 describes all available views.

Table 1-8 Available Views for Procedures

View Description

Code

(Default) Displays the source code for the procedure. You can edit the code in this view. Actions you can perform in this view include:

  • Edit the code manually

  • Save & Compile

  • Find & Replace

  • Undo

  • Redo

  • Download Source

  • Drop

See Also: "Editing a Procedure", "Compiling a Procedure", "Downloading a Procedure", and "Dropping a Procedure"

Dependencies

Displays objects that use (or depend) on the current procedure and objects the procedure depends on.

Errors

Lists errors related to the current procedure.

Grants

Lists details of grants for the current procedure, including privilege, grantee, grantable, grantor, and object name.

1.11.3 Editing a Procedure

When you edit a procedure you can edit the code manually or perform a search and replace.

1.11.3.1 Editing a Procedure Manually

To edit a procedure manually:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Procedures.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a procedure.

    The Code view appears. You can edit the code in this view.

  4. Click Find & Replace to perform a basic search and replace.

1.11.4 Compiling a Procedure

If you edit and make changes to a procedure, you must compile to save your changes. There is no save function because this is just a view of the object within the database.

To compile a procedure:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Procedures.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a procedure.

  4. Click Save & Compile to compile the current procedure.

    Compiling re-creates the object in the database. If the compilation fails, an error message displays above the code.

1.11.5 Downloading a Procedure

To download a procedure:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Procedures.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a procedure.

  4. Click Download Source to save the current procedure as a file.

1.11.6 Dropping a Procedure

To drop a procedure:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Procedures.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a procedure.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

1.12 Managing Functions

A function is a subprogram that can take parameters and return a single value.

Topics:

See Also:

Oracle Database SQL Language Reference for information about PL/SQL functions and Oracle Database PL/SQL Language Reference

1.12.1 Creating a Function

To create a function:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Function.

  4. Enter a function name, specify the return datatype, and click Next.

  5. Define the arguments and click Next (optional):

    • Argument Name

    • Argument Type (datatype)

    • Default (value)

    To add additional arguments, click Add Argument.

  6. Enter PL/SQL block you want to use as the function body and click Next.

    A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the function.

  7. Click Create Function.

1.12.2 Browsing a Function

To view a function in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Functions.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a function.

    The Code view appears. You can edit the code in this view.

1.12.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the function. Table 1-9 describes all available views.

Table 1-9 Available Views for Functions

View Description

Code

(Default) Displays the source code for the function. You can edit the code in this view. Actions you can perform in this view include:

  • Edit the code manually

  • Save & Compile

  • Find & Replace

  • Undo

  • Redo

  • Download Source

  • Drop

See Also: "Editing a Function", "Compiling a Function", "Downloading a Function", and "Dropping a Function"

Dependencies

Displays objects that use (or depend) on the current function and objects the function depends on.

Errors

Displays errors related to the current function.

Grants

Lists details of grants for the current function, including privilege, grantee, grantable, grantor, and object name.

1.12.3 Editing a Function

When you edit a function you can edit the code manually, perform a search and replace, and compile the function.

1.12.3.1 Editing a Function Manually

To edit a function manually:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Functions.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a function.

    The Code view appears. You can edit the code in this view.

  4. Click Edit to activate manual edit mode.

  5. Click Find & Replace to perform a basic search and replace.

1.12.4 Compiling a Function

If you edit and make changes to a function, you must compile to save your changes. There is no save function because this is just a view of the object within the database.

To compile a function in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Functions.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a function.

    The Code view appears.

  4. Click Save & Compile to compile the current function.

    Compiling re-creates the object in the database. If the compilation fails, an error message displays above the code.

1.12.5 Downloading a Function

To save a function to a file in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Functions.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a function.

    The Code view appears.

  4. Click Download Source to save the current function as a file.

1.12.6 Dropping a Function

To drop a function in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Functions.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a function.

    The Code view appears.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

1.13 Managing Triggers

A database trigger is a stored subprogram associated with a database table, view, or event. The trigger can be called once, for example when an event occurs, or many times, for example for each row affected by an INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement.

Topics:

See Also:

1.13.1 Creating Triggers

To create a trigger in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Trigger.

  4. Select a table name and click Next.

  5. Select the appropriate trigger attributes, enter the trigger body, and click Next.

    A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the trigger.

  6. Click Create Trigger.

1.13.2 Browsing a Trigger

To browse a trigger in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Triggers.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a trigger.

    The Object Details view appears.

1.13.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the trigger. Table 1-10 describes all available views.

Table 1-10 Available Views for Triggers

View Description

Object Details

(Default) Lists of the details about the current trigger. Actions you can perform include:

  • Compile

  • Download

  • Drop

  • Disable

Code

Displays the source code for the trigger. You can edit the code in this view. Actions you can perform in this view include:

  • Edit the code manually

  • Save & Compile

  • Find & Replace

  • Undo

  • Redo

  • Download Source

  • Drop

See Also: "Editing a Trigger", "Compiling a Trigger", "Downloading a Trigger", and "Dropping a Trigger"

Errors

Displays errors related to the current trigger.

SQL

Displays the SQL necessary to re-create the trigger.

1.13.3 Editing a Trigger

When you edit a trigger you can edit the code manually, perform a search and replace, and compile the trigger.

1.13.3.1 Editing a Trigger Manually

To edit a trigger manually:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Triggers.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a trigger.

    The Code view appears. You can edit the code in this view.

  4. Click Find & Replace to perform a basic search and replace.

1.13.4 Compiling a Trigger

If you edit and make changes to a function, you must compile to save your changes. There is no save function because this is just a view of the object within the database. Compiling re-creates the object in the database.

To compile a trigger in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Triggers.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a trigger.

    The Details view appears.

  4. To compile the current trigger:

    • Under Object Details, click Compile.

    • Under Code, click Save & Compile.

    If the compilation fails, an error message displays above the code.

1.13.5 Downloading a Trigger

To save the current trigger as a file:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Triggers.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a trigger.

    The Details view appears.

  4. Click Download Source to save the current trigger as a file.

  5. To download the current tripper:

    • Under Object Details, click Download.

    • Under Code, click Download Source.

    If the compilation fails, an error message displays above the code.

1.13.6 Dropping a Trigger

To save drop a trigger in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Triggers.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a trigger.

    The Details view appears.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

1.14 Managing Database Links

A database link is a schema object in one database that enables you to access objects in another database. Once you create a database link, you can access the remote objects by appending @dblink to the table or view name, where dblink is the name of the database link.

Topics:

1.14.1 Creating a Database Link

To create a database link:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Database Link.

  4. Specify the following information and click Next.

    • Database Link Name

    • Connect To Schema

    • Password

    • Remote Hostname or IP

    • Remote Host Port

    • SID or Service Name

    A confirmation page appears.

  5. Click Create.

1.14.2 Browsing a Database Link

To browse a database link:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Database Links.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a database link.

    The Object Details view appears.

1.14.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the database link. Table 1-11 describes all available views.

Table 1-11 Available Views for Database Links

View Description

Object Details

(Default) Displays details about the database link. Actions you can perform include:

  • Drop - Deletes the database link

  • Test - Tests the database link

Dependencies

Displays a list of objects that use (or depend) upon this database link.

SQL

Displays the SQL necessary to re-create this database link.

1.14.3 Dropping a Database Link

To drop a database link in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Database Links.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a database link.

    The Object Details View appears.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

1.15 Managing Materialized Views

A materialized view provides indirect access to table data by storing the results of a query in a separate schema object. Unlike an ordinary view, which does not take up any storage space or contain any data, a materialized view contains the rows resulting from a query against one or more base tables or views. A materialized view can be stored in the same database as its base tables or in a different database.

Materialized views are often used to improve performance, especially when storing data locally that is sourced from tables or views using a database link. Similarly, materialized views are often used instead of views when there are extensive calculations or summarizations, especially on particularly large data sets. Materialized views are refreshed at specified intervals which means the data is not always up-to-date but queries against them are significantly faster for the examples given above.

Topics:

See Also:

Oracle Database Concepts for information about materialized views

1.15.1 Creating a Materialized View

To create a materialized view:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Materialized View.

  4. Define the materialized view:

    1. Materialized View Name - Enter a name.

    2. Query - Specify a query to define the view.

      To access Query Builder or SQL Command Processor, click the appropriate link at the bottom of the page. The selected tool appears in a pop-up window. Once you generate the appropriate SQL, click Return to automatically close the popup window and return to the wizard with the SQL.

    3. Click Next.

      A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the materialized view.

  5. Click Create Materialized View.

See Also:

"Building SQL Queries with Query Builder" and "Using SQL Commands"

1.15.2 Browsing a Materialized View

To view a materialized view:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Materialized Views.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a view.

    The Materialized View appears.

1.15.2.1 Summary of Available Views

Click the tabs at the top of the page to view different reports about the materialized view. Table 1-12 describes all available views.

Table 1-12 Available Views for Materialized View

View Description

Materialized View

(Default) Displays details about the columns in the materialized view, including:

  • Column Name

  • Data type

  • Nullable flag

  • Default value

  • Primary key

Click Drop to delete the current materialized view.

Data

Displays a report of the data in the columns. Actions you can perform include:

  • Query - Enables you to sort by column. To restrict specific rows, enter a condition in the Column Condition field. Use the percent sign (%) for wildcards. From Order by, select the columns you want to review and click Query.

  • Count Rows - Displays a report of the data in the current table.

  • Download - Click this link to export the data as a comma-delimited file (.csv) file.

Details

Displays object details stored in DBA_SNAPSHOTS such as updatable and status.

Grants

Displays a list of grants on the current view, including grantee, privilege, and grant options. Actions you can perform in this view include Grant and Revoke.

Dependencies

Displays a list of objects that use (or depend) upon this materialized view.

SQL

Displays the SQL necessary to re-create this materialized view.

1.15.3 Dropping a Materialized View

To drop a materialized view in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Materialized Views.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a view.

    The Materialized View appears.

  4. Click Drop.

  5. To confirm, click Finish.

1.16 Managing Synonyms

A synonym is an alias for a schema object. Synonyms can provide a level of security by masking the name and owner of an object and by providing location transparency for remote objects of a distributed database. Also, they are convenient to use and reduce the complexity of SQL statements for database users.

Topics:

See Also:

Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for information about synonyms

1.16.1 Creating Synonyms

To create a synonym:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. Click Create.

  3. From the list of object types, select Synonym.

  4. Define the synonym:

    1. Synonym Name - Enter a name.

    2. Public or Private - Specify whether the synonym should be public or private.

    3. Schema - Select the database schema (or user name) which owns the object upon which you want to create your synonym.

    4. Object - Enter the name of the object upon which you want to create a synonym.

    5. Database Link - Enter the name of the database link to use if the synonym is to be created on a remote object.

    6. Click Next.

    A confirmation page appears, which displays the SQL used to create the synonym.

  5. Click Create Synonym.

1.16.2 Viewing a Synonym

To view a synonym:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Synonyms.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a synonym.

    The Object Details view appears displaying the following:

    • Synonym Owner

    • Synonym Name

    • Object Owner

    • Object Name

    • Object Type

    • Status

1.16.3 Dropping a Synonym

To drop a synonym in Object Browser:

  1. On the Workspace home page, click SQL Workshop and then Object Browser.

    Object Browser appears.

  2. From the Object list, select Synonyms.

  3. From the Object Selection pane, select a synonym and click Drop.

  4. To confirm, click Finish.