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SQL Navigator for Oracle 7.4 - Installation Notes

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

From the View Menu
  1. Click View | Auto Describe Tool.
  2. Ensure the required database connection is active.
  3. Select the object to describe. The object may be in DB Navigator, Project Manager, (for example).

From the Code Editor
  1. Press and hold CTRL.
  2. 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.

 

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.

Tips to use the Auto Describe Tool

A quick way to construct a SELECT statement

To drag column names into a Select statement

  1. Open the Auto Describe Tool.
  2. In the Code Editor select the table name.
  3. Drag and drop column names from the Describe window into the SELECT statement.

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

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.

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.

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