2 Using SQL Commands

2.4.1 Running a SQL Command

To execute a SQL Command:

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

   The SQL Commands page appears.

2. Enter the SQL command you want to run in the command editor.

3. Click Run (Ctrl+Enter) to execute the command.

   Tip:

   To execute a specific statement, select the statement you want to run and click Run.

   The results appear in the Results pane.

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

2.4.2 About Transactions in SQL Commands

To disable transactional SQL commands in SQL Commands, check the Autocommit check box. Attempting to use any transactional SQL commands such as COMMIT or ROLLBACK when transactional mode is disabled returns an error message.

To enable transactional SQL commands, clear the Autocommit check box. Oracle Application Express verifies that the necessary system resources are available before entering the transactional mode. If resources are unavailable, an error message is displayed.

Transactional mode is a stateful transaction mode where you can, for example, perform an update, select data for review, and COMMIT or ROLLBACK changes. It is implemented using DBMS_JOBS.

Consider the following behavior in transactional mode:

• Actions are not committed to the database until you enter an explicit COMMIT command.

• Exiting SQL Commands terminates and rolls back the current transaction.

• A session timeout terminates and rolls back the current transaction.

  Note that the Environment Setting, SQL Commands Maximum Inactivity in minutes, sets the time before an inactive session times out. The default timeout is 60 minutes. See "Configuring SQL Workshop" in Oracle Application Express Administration Guide.

• The CSV Export option is not available.

2.4.3 About Unsupported SQL*Plus Commands

SQL Commands does not support SQL*Plus commands. If you attempt to enter an SQL Command Line command such as SET ECHO or DEFINE in SQL Commands, an error message displays.

2.4.4 About Command Termination

You can terminate a command in SQL Commands using a semicolon (;), a slash (/), or with nothing. Consider the following valid alternatives:

SELECT * from emp;

SELECT * from emp
/

SELECT * from emp

The first example demonstrates the use of a semicolon (;), the second example demonstrates using a slash (/), and the final example demonstrates a command with no termination.

2.4.5 Using Bind Variables

Bind variables are supported. You are prompted to enter values for bind variables during command execution. Bind variables are prefixed with a colon.

For example

SELECT * FROM emp WHERE deptno = :dept

Run the following SQL command to check your Workspace ID:

SELECT v('WORKSPACE_ID') FROM dual

2.4.6 Using the Find Tables Icon

The Find Tables icon resembles a flashlight. Click this icon to view tables within the currently selected schema.

To view tables within the current schema:

1. Navigate to SQL Commands.

2. From the Schema list, select a schema (optional).

3. Click the Find Tables icon.

   The Table Finder appears. A search bar displaying the selected schema displays at the top of the page and contains the following controls:

   • Search. Search for a table name. Enter case insensitive keywords in the Search field and click Go. To view all tables, leave the Search field blank and click Go.

   • Views. Select the Views check box and click Go to include views in the resulting report.

   • Rows. Determine how many rows display in the resulting report. To change the number of rows that display, make a selection from the list and click Go.

   The Table Finder report appears displaying the table name, the number of rows, last analyzed date, and the object type.

4. Select a table name.

   The Table Finder report appears.

   
   Description of the illustration table_finder.gif
   
   

   This report displays the column names, data type, length, precision, scale and the SQL necessary to re-create the table that appears at the bottom of the page.

5. Click Append to append SQL from the page to the existing command in the command editor. Click Replace to replace existing command in the command editor with the SQL from the page.

2.7.1 Accessing the Results Pane

To display SQL command results:

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

   The SQL Commands page appears.

2. Click the Results tab.

   The HTML formatted results appear in the display pane.

3. Click DBMS Output to display plain text DBMS output results.

   The DBMS Output control only appears if there are DBMS output results.

2.7.2 About the Results Pane

The Results pane displays SQL command results as HTML formatted table. The number of rows returned appears after the output, and the time taken. DBMS output appears as plain text after the HTML formatted results.

On the Results pane you can:

• Display DBMS output. Automatically displays HTML output or DBMS output depending on type of SQL command entered, SQL or PL/SQL block with DBMS output.

• Export results. Click Download to export results to a comma-delimited file on your local file system. You are prompted to enter a name and directory for the file. Only available for HTML output.

2.8.1 Viewing an Explain Plan

To view the Explain Plan:

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

   The SQL Commands page appears.

2. Enter or load the command whose plan you want to view.

3. Click the Explain tab.

   The explain plan used by the optimizer appears in the display pane.

2.8.2 About Explain Plan Pane

The Explain Plan pane shows the plan used by the Oracle Optimizer to run your SQL command. It typically displays the Query Plan, Index Columns and Table Columns used.

On the Explain Plan pane you can:

• View object definitions. Click the object name in Query Plan to display the object definition in the Object Browser.

• View index definitions. Click the index name in Table Columns to display the index definition in the Object Browser.

2.9.1 Accessing Saved Commands

To access saved SQL commands:

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

   The SQL Commands page appears.

2. Click the Saved SQL tab.

   The Saved SQL list of commands appears in the display pane.

3. Click the title of the command to load it into the command editor.

   The command appears in the editor.

4. Click Run to execute the command.

2.9.2 About the Saved SQL Pane

The Saved SQL pane displays a list of all commands saved under the current workspace. The list displays commands saved from SQL Commands and SQL commands saved from Query Builder. Saved SQL commands must have unique names in the current workspace. The same name cannot be used in the Query Builder and SQL Commands.

Each command entry shows the owner name, the command name, a description if it exists, the first characters of the SQL command, who last updated the command and when.

On the Saved SQL pane you can:

• Show commands by owner. Make a selection from the Owner list to specify the user whose commands you want to display. To view all scripts select -All Users-.

• Search for a command. Enter a command name or partial name, or enter a code snippet in the Find field and click Go. To view all scripts, leave the Find field blank and click Go. You control how many rows display by making a selection from the Rows list.

• Set the Number of Output Rows. Make a selection from the Display list to specify the number of Saved SQL commands to display simultaneously.

• Delete a command. Click the check box associated with a command and click Delete Checked.

2.10.1 Accessing a Command from Command History

To access history commands:

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

   The SQL Commands page appears.

2. Click the History tab.

   The list of commands in History appears in the display pane.

3. Click the partial command displayed in the SQL column.

   The command appears in the editor.

2.10.2 About the History Pane

The History pane displays a list of commands you have executed.

Each history entry shows the time the command was last executed, the first characters of the command, and the schema in which it was executed.

On the History pane you can:

• Load a command. Click the partial command displayed in the SQL column to load the command into the command editor. When the command loads, it also sets the schema in which it was last executed.

• Sort by time. Click the Time column heading to sort the command history by least recent or most recent.