Rapid SQL Windows

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The Rapid SQL interface includes several windows to help you develop your program. The windows include:

Topics

The Rapid SQL Describe Window

Rapid SQL offers a floating Describe window for procedures, tables, views, and functions (Oracle and IBM DB2 LUW for Open Systems only). In the Describe window, you can view columnar information (for tables and views) or input parameter information (for procedures and functions).

Opening the Describe Window

Rapid SQL offers three ways to open the Describe window:

  1. In an editor, right-click an object and then click Describe from Cursor.
  2. On the Navigator tab, select an object and then click Describe.
  3. On the Navigator tab or in an editor, select an object and then press CTRL+D.

Using the Describe Window

In the Describe window:

  1. Click the Name list and then click a name to view a list of types of objects in the database.
  2. Click the Owner list and then click an owner to view a list of all owners of objects in the database.
  3. Click the Type list and then click a type to view columnar information (for tables and views) or input parameter information (for functions and procedures).

The Rapid SQL Output Window

Rapid SQL incorporates a separate window to capture all messages returned by the server and to log entries about the progress of operations started by the application.

For more information, see Configuring the Output Window

Configuring the Output Window

Rapid SQL lets you display, hide, or dock the Output Window anywhere in the application.

Displaying the Output Window

On the View menu, click Output.

OR

On the Main toolbar, click Output.

Rapid SQL displays the Output Window.

Hiding the Output Window

On the View menu, click Output.

OR

On the Main toolbar, click Output.

OR

Right-click the Output Window, and then click Hide.

Rapid SQL hides the Output Window.

Docking the Output Window

Right-click the Output Window, and then click Docking View.

Rapid SQL docks the Output Window to the bottom of the application frame.

Undocking the Output Window

Right-click the Output Window, and then click Docking View.

Rapid SQL displays the Output Window as a floating window in the application.

Messages in the Output Window

The Output Window lets you save, print, copy, and clear server messages.

Saving Server Messages

  1. Right-click the Output Window, and then click Save.
    Rapid SQL opens the Save As dialog box.
  2. Enter the location and name of the file in the File Name box.
    Note: Rapid SQL defaults the file extension to .msg.
  3. To save the file, click OK.

Printing Server Messages

  1. Right-click the Output Window, and then click Print.
    Rapid SQL opens the Print dialog box.
    Note: Rapid SQL prompts you with information on the size of the print job before opening the Print dialog box.
  2. Configure your print job.
  3. Click OK to print the file.

Copying Server Messages

  1. Right-click the target Server Messages, and then click Copy.
    Rapid SQL copies the selected text to the Microsoft Windows Clipboard.
  2. Paste the contents of the clipboard into target applications.

Clearing Server Messages

Right-click the Output Window, and then click Clear.

Rapid SQL clears your Server Messages.

Browsers

Browsers are a flexible environment where you can examine, extract, and execute database objects and their dependencies. Browsers provide the means to view objects types across multiple database platforms and connections. You can simultaneously view and work with objects from Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase Adaptive Server, and IBM DB2 LUW for Open Systems.

The benefit of using Browsers is the ability to see detailed information about specific object types. You can also print, search, copy, and sort the contents of a Browser window.

Topics

Browser Toolbar

You can place the floating Browser toolbar anywhere on the Rapid SQL workspace.

For more information, see Browsers.

Opening Browsers

Browsers let you view all types of database objects, including the SQL procedures used to build them. Browsers let you:

  • Copy database objects
  • Modify database objects
  • Test database objects

The ability to browse dependencies is especially useful, particularly when modifying SQL code in procedures and triggers. For example, in a situation where a trigger enforces a rule that does not let you update a particular box, you can use the Browser to do the following:

  • Browse the triggers to find the offending trigger.
  • Extract the DDL for that trigger into one window.
  • In another window, drop the offending trigger, make your update to the box, then execute the corrected trigger DDL to replace the trigger in the database.

Opening a Browser Window

Rapid SQL offers two ways to open a Browser:

On the Browse menu, click the target object type.

OR

In the workspace, right-click, click Browser, then click the target object.

Rapid SQL opens a Browser.

For more information, see Browsers.

Browser Object Types

Rapid SQL's Browsers read the appropriate object types for specific databases. A select statement is issued against the appropriate systems table based on the requested object to bring back a listing of the objects in the database.

Working with Browsers

Browsers offer a versatile method of browsing and managing the contents of your databases. To help you maintain and organize your databases, you can:

  • Print the contents of a Browser
  • Search the contents of a Browser
  • Copy the contents of a Browser
  • Sort the contents of a Browser

Printing Browsers

  1. Open a Browser for the desired object type.
  2. On the File menu, click Print to open the Print dialog box.
  3. In the Name box, click the list, which contains a list of local and network printers that you can access (if you do not see any listed, then your computer is not configured for any printers).
  4. Click the target printer.
  5. In the Print Range box, click the appropriate option button to indicate print range.
  6. In the Number of copies text box of the Copies box, click the Up or Down arrow or enter the number of copies.
  7. Click OK.
    Rapid SQL prints the selection.

Searching Browsers

  1. Open a Browser for the desired object type.
  2. On the Edit menu, click Find.
    Rapid SQL opens the Find box.
  3. In the Find What text box, enter the search string.
  4. To make the search case sensitive, select the Match Case check box.
  5. To specify the direction to search, in the Direction box, click the Up or Down option button.
  6. Click Find Next.
    Rapid SQL finds the next occurrence of your search string.

Copying Browsers

  1. Open a Browser for the desired object type.
  2. Select the objects to copy.
  3. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
  4. Place the pointer at the position where you want to paste the objects, and then on the Edit menu, click Paste.

Sorting Browsers

  1. Open or Create a Browser for the desired object type.
  2. Double-click the column header for the column of data to sort and Rapid SQL lists the contents of the column in ascending order.
  3. Double-click the column header again and Rapid SQL lists the contents of the column in descending order.

For more information, see Browsers.

Column filtering in the Browser

Two methods of filtering are available when database objects are displayed in the Browser. Both make use of the text boxes appearing below column names in the display.

To show only rows for which a given column value contains one or more contiguous characters

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Type those characters into the text box below that column name.

To make use of regular expressions in column filtering

  1. Ensure that regular expression usage is enabled. For details, see Explorer Options - Main Tab.
  2. Type a valid regular expression search criteria into the text box below that column name. For more information, see Regular Expressions Support.
    Note: The RegEx ON/RegEx OFF button lets you enable or disable regular expression usage on-the-fly for a given Navigator window.

Extracting DDL from Browsers

For each database type, Rapid SQL provides an appropriate Browser. The Browsers are mutually exclusive object windows, showing only objects of a given type. If you connect to multiple datasources, you have access to a number of objects that are not available based on the database platform. Rapid SQL includes intelligence to determine the valid object types in the underlying datasource.

Using the Main Menu

  1. On the Browse menu, click the target object type.
    Rapid SQL opens the appropriate Browser:
  2. In the Browser, double-click the target object type to extract the object type DDL into a DDL Editor.

Using the Browser Toolbar

  1. On the Browser toolbar, click Tables.
    Rapid SQL opens the Table Browser.
  2. Click the scroll bar arrow to locate the target table.
  3. Double-click the target table.
    Rapid SQL extracts the schema DDL into a DDL Editor.

Using the Shortcut Menu

  1. Right-click an open area of the workspace, click Browsers, and then click the target object type.
  2. In the Browser, double-click the target object type.
    Rapid SQL extracts the schema DDL into a DDL Editor.

For more information, see Browsers.

Displaying Dependencies from Browsers

You can display object dependencies for an object from its corresponding object Browser. Rapid SQL displays the dependencies in a separate result set window.

Displaying Dependencies

Rapid SQL offers three ways to display dependencies from Browsers:

  1. Open a Browser for an object type.
  2. In the Browser, click the target object.
  3. On the Object menu, click Dependencies.
OR
On the Browser toolbar, click Dependencies.
OR
Right-click the target object, and then click Dependencies.
Rapid SQL displays dependencies in a separate window.

For more information, see Browsers.

Refreshing Browsers

Rapid SQL lets you refresh and display the results of a Browser operation.

Refreshing the Browser

On the Object menu, click Refresh.

OR

On the Browser toolbar, click Refresh.

OR

Right-click the Browser workspace, and then click Refresh.

Rapid SQL refreshes the results of the browser operation.

For more information, see Browsers.

Workspaces

Workspaces are a convenient way to maximize your desktop. You can use workspaces to multiply the amount of scripting, script execution, and development resources you have available at any one time. Rapid SQL lets you open and use several workspaces at one time. Using more than one workspace lets you:

  • Execute long running scripts in one workspace while working in other workspaces.
  • Develop strategies for working on scripts and result sets in one workspace while other scripts reside in one or more of the other workspaces.

Toggling Between Workspaces

Rapid SQL offers two ways to toggle between workspaces:

On the Main toolbar, click Workspace.

OR

Right-click the current workspace, and then click the target workspace.

Rapid SQL brings the target workspace forward.

For more information, see:

Managing Workspaces

Managing Workspaces

Rapid SQL provides you with three default workspaces. You manage the workspaces in the Workspace dialog box. Using the Workspace dialog box you can:

  • Differentiate between workspaces by changing the background color or wallpaper.
  • Toggle among workspaces.
  • Create, delete, rename, and specify the order of workspaces.

Managing Workspaces

The Workspace dialog box lets you manage all open windows in your workspace. On the Windows menu, click Windows.

Rapid SQL displays the Workspace dialog box. Any open windows in the current workspace display in the list.

The table below describes the options and functionality on the Workspace dialog box:

Option Description

Activate

Sets the focus onto the window you have selected in the list and closes the Workspace dialog box.

OK

Closes the Workspace dialog box and accepts any changes you have made to the windows in the current workspace.

Save

Saves the contents of the window you have selected in the list. You are prompted to provide a name and location for the file you are saving if you have not done so already.

Close Window

Closes the window you have selected from the list. If you have not saved the contents of the window, you are prompted with a save file alert.

Help

Initiates and displays this Help topic in the Rapid SQL Help.

Set Sort Columns Dialog Box

The Set Sort Columns dialog box lets you sort multiple columns, and sort column identification, in the Right Pane of the application.

For more information, see Completing the Set Columns Dialog Box.

Completing the Set Columns Dialog Box

To complete the Set Columns dialog box, do the following:

  1. In the right pane of the application, right-click a column heading, and then select Sort Multiple Columns.
    Rapid SQL opens the Set Sort Columns dialog box.
  2. In Column Name, select the column(s) to use to sort the information in the right pane of the application.
  3. Click the right arrow to move the column(s) to the Column Name box.
  4. Click the up and down arrows to change the order of the sort columns.

For more information, see Set Sort Column Dialog Box.

Preview Dialog Boxes

Before executing any code, Rapid SQL offers Preview dialog boxes to let you confirm actions before execution. In the Preview dialog boxes, you can:

  • Preview the code to execute.
  • View the SQL of the code on your database.
  • Create a report detailing the affect of executing code on your database.
  • Schedule execution of the code.
  • Save the code to execute.
  • Open your e-mail program with the code to execute as an attachment.
  • Print the code to execute.