5.2 Using the Query Analyzer (Revision #15)

Query Analyzer - Basics

Click here for a diagram of the toolbar button functions

Toolbar Functionality - Within the Query Analyzer window you can create a new query, open a script, save a query, save a query as, save results, print, parse, execute current, and execute edit. The toolbar allows you to find and replace, enable autocompletion, refresh the auto schema and set the maximum results displayed. You can quickly change the database you are analyzing in the dropdown menu above the edit window.

Scripts and SQL Statement separation

Separate your statements with "GO" or "/" - To correctly use all of Query Analyzer’s functionality you need to separate your SQL Statements. This allows Aqua Data Studio to quickly identify which statement you are working on so that it may intelligently provide Auto-Completion, Describe, SQL Template, and Execute as a script on the current statement. If you do not do this you might get the impression that Aqua Data Studio doesn’t work. Check out #2 and #3.

DO NOT separate your statements with ";" - The reason Aqua Data Studio DOES NOT USE ";" AS A SEPARATOR FOR SQL STATEMENTS is because PL/SQL and T-SQL may contain ";". To keep the parser fast and simple for Auto-Completion and Describe we do not use it. If you try to use it as a separator Aqua Data Studio will not be able to identify your current statement and will give you the impression that Auto-Completion and other features do not work. Executing as a script will also generate errors from the RDBMS unable to understand your statement.

You MUST separate your SQL Statements - If you do not separate your statements, Aqua Data Studio will not be able to identify your current statement or separate them for script execution. This might give you the impression that Aqua Data Studio’s features do not work.

Auto-Completion -

The Query Analyzer provides auto-completion popups for tables, views, synonyms and their columns. It determines when to popup tables or columns according to the cursor position in the SQL statement at the time of popup. Although the query window will intelligently decide when to popup options, you may activate the auto-completion feature with the CTRL-SPACE hot key.

Abbreviation Support - User-defined abbreviations, created within the SQL Editor Options, function as customizable autocompletion strings. With a few keystrokes an entire block of SQL commands can be inserted. There are a selection of key combinations to trigger the expansion of an abbreviation. Abbreviations are set within File->Options->Editors->SQL Editor->Abbreviations.

Encoding SQL Scripts & Query Results

-ADS supports SQL Scripts encoded in different encoding formats. When openning an SQL Script select the ’File Type’ with the appropriate encoding. ADS also supports the saving of resultsets into different encoding types.

Unicode/Charactersets -ADS supports Unicode and International charactersets, but you must make sure you are using the international JRE and that ADS is using a font which supports the characterset you are using. The bundled JRE which comes with ADS is the International version, but if you are using your own you must make sure it supports International charactersets. The default font used by ADS does not support all charactersets, so if you need support for Japanese, Chinese and other languages you may need to change your font by selecting File-Options->General->Appearance and select an appropriate font.