More about Team Foundation Server and SQL Navigator
In order to use SQL Navigator’s Team Foundation Server support, you need to have Team Foundation Server (TFS) installed on your network. Please review Microsoft's documentation for instructions on installing and configuring TFS.
Additional requirements are needed to work with TFS work items.
Team Coding includes two methods for interfacing directly with TFS: an internal client and an external client. Although they have identical TFS functionality in SQL Navigator, each client has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. See your TFS administrator before configuring it in SQL Navigator.
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Internal TFS Client
Uses Microsoft’s Web Services API to directly communicate with Team Foundation Server. |
Advantages:
Improved speed (over the external client)
No need to install additional software on the client machine
Disadvantages:
Does not include support for Check-in Policy items
Certain administrative tasks, like deleting workspaces are not supported |
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External TFS Client
Uses Microsoft’s command-line Team Foundation client to communicate with Team Foundation Server. This command-line client is included with Microsoft Team Explorer, and should remain consistent throughout versions. |
Advantages:
Expected compatibility with future versions of Team Foundation Server
Supports all features of Team Foundation Server, including Check-in Policies
Disadvantages:
Much slower than the internal client since an instance of the external client is launched for each TFS command issued to the server
Requires the installation of Microsoft Team Explorer |
TFS Work Items
Team Coding check-in includes the ability to link one or more TFS work items to the check-in change set.
The following system requirements must be met:
- You have the necessary Microsoft Client Access License (CAL) to update work items in Team Foundation Server.
- .Net framework 4.0 installed.
- Team Explorer or Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0 or 11.0 (VS 2010 or VS1012)
- SQL Navigator installs a required DLL (TFSWorkItemLink32.dll or TFSWorkItemLink64.dll depending on the version) in the SQL Navigator program directory
- SQL Navigator registers the DLL with the required .Net assembly (.Net Regasm.exe).
To set up Work Items
- Go to View | Options | Source Control.
- With TFS selected as your provider, click Settings.
- On the Check in / out tab, select Associate Work items with Change Set.
- Click OK in the confirmation.
To Use Work Items
- Check out a Team Coding controlled object.
- Make a change and check it back in.
- Open the Work Items tab in the check-in dialog and enter or select one or more work items.
- Click OK to check in the item.
This change set will now be linked to the selected work items.
Version Control Systems
Modules, Windows And Dialogs
Analyze Tool
Modules, Windows And Dialogs > Analyze Tool
Use the Analyze tool to view and collect statistics, validate structure and list chained rows for database structures such as tables, clusters and indexes.
Ways to open the Analyze Tool
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From DB Navigator |
- Select a table, cluster or index node in DB Navigator.
- Click Object | Analyze or right click Analyze.
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From the Explain Plan Tool |
- Select a node in the Explain Plan Tool.
- Click Show/Collect Statistics.
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Collect Statistics
Select the collection method.
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Compute Statistics |
The entire object is scanned to gather data. The larger the object, the longer it takes to complete the analysis.
Select this option only if the object is small. |
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Estimate Statistics |
Sample by rows or percentage of the object. The accuracy of the statistics depends on the representatives of the sampling.
This option suits large objects. |
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Delete Statistics |
Delete the statistics gathered for the object. |
Validate Structure
Use to verify the integrity of the selected object.
Select Cascade to additionally verify dependent objects. For example, if you validate the structure of a cluster and select Cascade, SQL Navigator checks all tables and indexes in the cluster.
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Note: Oracle returns an error message if it encounters corruption in the structure of an object. To fix errors: Drop and recreate the object from the commands on the Object Menu. |
List Chained Rows
Use to identify migrated or chained rows in a table or cluster. Having a high percentage of chained rows can impair application performance. UPDATE statements that cause migration and chaining perform poorly. Queries that select migrated or chained rows must perform more I/O than those that do not. For these reasons, it is important to detect and correct them. See Oracle documentation on the possible ways of fixing chained-rows problems.
- The default name for the table that will contain the chained rows information is CHAINED_ROWS. This is defined at View | Preferences | General | Default Tables.
- Click Create Chained Rows Table to create the table. Watch for verification in the Output Window.
- Click List Chained Rows to collect the information. Watch for verification in the Output Window.
- To view the information select the CHAINED_ROWS table in DB Navigator and click Object Menu | Quick Browse.
Auto Describe Tool
Modules, Windows And Dialogs > Auto Describe Tool
The Oracle DESCRIBE command reports the attributes, methods and arguments of an object type. The SQL Navigator Describe command works with more objects than does the SQL*Plus version of the command. You can describe not only procedures, functions, packages, synonyms, and object types, but also tables, indexes, clusters and objects.
Ways to open the Auto Describe Tool
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From the View Menu |
- Click View | Auto Describe Tool.
- Ensure the required database connection is active.
- Select the object to describe. The object may be in DB Navigator, Project Manager, (for example).
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From the Code Editor |
- Press and hold CTRL.
- Click on the object's name.
If the object is a text object (view, procedure, function, package or packaged procedure/function) and the Source Preview window is open then the object’s source is automatically previewed. |
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TIP:
- Can be used to provide a quick summary of a table or view and all its column names and data types.
- The Auto Describe Tool is dockable. For more information, see Customize The Screen Layout.
- The Auto Describe Tool always stays on top of the application window.
- Select the following to automatically display the Auto Describe Tool when you press CTRL and click on an object name and create a hyperlink: View | Preferences | Code Editor | General | Describe Object at Hyperlink.
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Tips to use the Auto Describe Tool
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A quick way to construct a SELECT statement |
To drag column names into a Select statement
- Open the Auto Describe Tool.
- In the Code Editor select the table name.
- Drag and drop column names from the Describe window into the SELECT statement.
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In the Code Editor |
To move the text cursor to the declaration of a variable (or Auto Describe it if it’s the name of an external database) press CTRL and point to the variable with the mouse.
To return to the former position in the text, press Alt+Left Arrow. |
Describe Command or Auto Describe Tool
Use either the Describe command or the Auto Describe Tool to describe an object
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View Menu | Auto Describe Tool |
Automatically see a description of any object you select.
A dockable Describe window opens and stays on top of the application window.
As you select various objects you will automatically see a description of the selected object in the Auto Describe window. |
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Object menu | Describe |
Click the Describe command on the Object menu whenever needed. It opens a describe window for a single selected object and will not update automatically when you select another object. |