Create Connections
Understand Toad Connections
Review this topic to learn about open database connections in Toad.
For information about switching the current connection in Toad, see Switching Connections in Toad.
Toad Open Connections
In Toad, an open connection in the Connection/Navigation Manager represents one or more actual connections to the database. When you open a database connection in Toad:
- Toad creates an initial database connection for general use.
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Toad also creates a separate database connection for each Editor (the first time you execute a statement) and for each Data tab in the Database Explorer (the first time you select the tab and query data).
The connection associated with the window (or tab) remains open until you close the window. If a window has an associated connection, but a statement is not currently executing, the connection is in an inactive state.
To view information for an open connection
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To view the number of actual database connections that exist for a Toad connection, including the number of active connections, place the cursor over the connection in the Connection/Navigation Manager pane or in the connection drop-down list.
To use the Background Processes pane
- When a statement is executing, a progress bar displays in the Status bar located at the bottom of the Toad application window. Click the executing progress bar to open the Background Processes pane.
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To cancel statement execution, use the Background Processes pane.
Note: It is recommended that you cancel only your own processes, because terminating Toad activities could cause unexpected behavior.
Sharing a Connection Among Windows
You can instruct Toad to share an open connection among windows. In this way, the Editor windows and Data tabs can share the same connection when the connection is inactive.
To share a database connection among windows in Toad
- Select Tools | Options | Editor | General.
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Clear the checkbox for the Use individual connection for each open editor option.
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When this option is not selected, Toad attempts to use a single connection for any new windows or query execution. For example, if you share a database connection, you can execute a query in the Editor, execute another query in a new Editor, and then select the Data tab from the same connection.
If the single connection is in use when Toad attempts to execute it, the following occurs:
- If your database does not support executing multiple queries on a shared connection, a dialog prompts you to either permanently associate the window with a new database connection, cancel the previous operation, or add the query to a queue until the current operation completes, and the execute it. If you place multiple queries in the queue, each one executes in the order that it was added to the queue.
Note: Although you can share a database connection, any commits apply to the selected window only.
Create SQL Server Connections
You can create a new connection, or connect to an existing connection from the Create New Connection window. See Troubleshoot SQL Server® Issues for more information about troubleshooting connection issues.
Note: For SQL Azure connections:
- To be able to utilize majority of Toad functionality please grant VIEW DEFINITION on the SQL Azure databases you want to work with.
- You can login to Windows Azure Platform by selecting Tools | Cloud Computing | SQL Azure Portal and providing your credentials.
- Make sure that no Azure firewall rule restricts your IP address from having access to Azure server. See Create and Alter Azure Firewall Rules for more information.
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Click
on the toolbar (ALT+F+N).
- Select SQL Server from the Group list box.
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Review the following for additional information:
Login Tab Description Server name
Enter the name of the server to use when connecting.
Click
to display any servers running SQL Server that are currently active on the network.
Notes:
- For SQL Azure connections, enter InstanceName.database.windows.net in this field.
- For named instances, enter the MachineName\InstanceName in this field.
Authentication
Select the type of authentication to use for this connection.
You can connect to an Azure SQL database with Active Directory authentication. Client configuration is required. See https:// docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-aad-authentication-configure#configure-your-client-computers
Note: You cannot create a SQL Azure connection using Windows Authentication.
Password
Enter the password to use when connecting.
Tip: After connecting, you can set a master password to further secure your connection in Tools | Options| Environment | Security.
Category
Select or create a category if you want to color code Editor tabs for a specific connection. This can help differentiate between development and production databases. You can also set an option to color code the Object Explorer pane and object editor windows (Create, Alter, Drop, etc.). Click here to view a video of this feature.
Encrypt connection
Select this option to enable encryption for the current connection provided that the certificate has been already installed on the server. Advanced Tab Description Network protocol
Select one of the following:
- Shared Memory
- TCP/IP
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Named Pipes
Note: When establishing Named Pipes connection "Poll service status in connection list" option should be cleared.
Parameter Name/Value
You can add parameters to the connection. Toad includes the Application Name parameter with value Toad for SQL Server by default.
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Click Connect to save the connection and immediately connect to the database.
or
Click Save to save the connection without connecting to the database.
Tip: Connections are stored in the connections.xml file and can be found by clicking the Application Data Directory link in Help | About.
To import connections (including Central Management Server connections)
- Click
.
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Specify the location where the connections currently reside.
Note: Review the following for additional information on CMS connections:
- To import CMS connections, select a server from the list where the CMS is registered. The connection to this SQL Server instance should be created beforehand.
- CMS is available beginning with Microsoft SQL Server 2008.
- User should have an appropriate login (Windows Authentication and grant to connect to selected server are required) created on the server to which he connects via CMS.
- Select the connections to be imported.
Troubleshoot SQL Server® Issues