Toad Data Point 6.4

Toad Data Point 6.4

Release Notes

Thursday, January 9, 2025

Contents

About Toad Data Point

Toad^® Data Point is a multi-platform database query tool built for anyone who needs to access data, understand data relationships, and quickly produce reports.

With Toad Data Point, you can:

• Connect to almost any database or ODBC data source (see the Release Notes for a list of tested ODBC connections)
• Write SQL queries and join data across all platforms
• Automate and schedule frequent and repetitive tasks
• Streamline data collection
• Collaborate with team members
• Export data in a variety of file formats

Toad Data Point provides a full-featured Database Explorer, Query Builder, and Editor for the following databases:

• Oracle®
• SQL Server® and SQL Azure
• IBM® DB2® (LUW and z/OS)
• SAP® ASE, IQ, SQL Anywhere, and HANA
• Teradata®
• MySQL
• Snowflake®
• Databricks

Toad Data Point also provides querying and reporting functionality via the following provider types:

• ODBC
• Business Intelligence and NoSQL data sources
• Microsoft® Excel®
• Microsoft Access®

ODBC Connections

The purpose of the ODBC provider is to offer basic connection and querying capabilities to any database that supports an ODBC 3.0 or later driver. For a list of databases tested with the ODBC provider, see the System Requirements in the Release Notes. This form of connectivity allows connections to databases such as Netezza, IBM iSeries, Ingres, and Vertica™. Because this form of connectivity is generic, it is not full-featured and may not be as robust as the fully-exploited providers for the other databases.

Business Intelligence and NoSQL Data Sources

Toad Data Point provides users with the ability to connect to non-traditional data sources, such as Business Intelligence and NoSQL sources. You can connect to these data sources and explore data and objects, query data, report results, and automate tasks.

The following data sources are supported:

Toad Data Point 6.4 is a minor release with new features, security enhancements, and resolved issues.

New Features

In Toad Data Point 6.4 the following new features were implemented:

Custom list of values for bind variables

Toad now enables you to define a list of specific values that can be used for a bind variable in a query that has been created in the Query Builder or Query Editor.

This list of predefined values will be saved in the Query Builder, Query Editor or Workbook file and transferred as a part of any downstream step available in Toad (Pivot, Transform and Cleanse, Dimensional View…).

Selected values from the list can be changed at any point in time (before and during query execution) in Toad Data Point/Toad Workbook or Toad Intelligence Central (if the objects are published). Another novelty introduced with this feature is that you will be able to specify multiple values for a bind variable when using the IN\NOT IN operator.

Options for creating a list of custom variable values in Toad

• Toad Query Builder\ Query Editor

Variable options for defining the default value(s) for bind variables used in the query can be accessed via the Variables toolbar icon in the Query Builder and Query Editor tab(s).

as well as the Variable icon\option in Toad Workbook

The options for creating a list of predefined variable values are available after clicking on the variable name link that will open the Define variable prompt values window.

• Toad Automation

Toad Automation allows you to create a list of predefined variable values via the Set Variable System Activity. To enable the advanced variable options, the Prompt during run checkbox needs to be selected. After the checkbox is ticked, the Define variable prompt values link appears along with a field for selecting the connection that will be used to run the query which populates the list of predefined values for the specific variable.

Define variable prompt values

The following options for defining a list of variable values are available:

• Specify value(s) - This option enables you to define a list of custom variable values manually or by loading the values from a specific .txt or .csv file.

• Get values from the column - This option enables you to create a predefined list of values that contains all the values from a particular column (This option is not available in Toad Automation).

• Get values from the SQL script -This option allows you to specify a SQL query that will return a result set for a single column which will be used to populate the list of predefined variable values.

For more detailed information about the feature, please refer to the Toad Data Point User Guide.

Databricks Native Connection

Toad Data Point 6.4 enables you to create a native connection to Databricks:

This type of connection will allow you to query Databricks data by utilizing the Object Explorer, Query Builder, and SQL Editor in their full capacity. There are two types of authentications that you can use to connect to Databricks:

• Personal access token

• OAuth 2.0 Token

AI Ask: Enhanced data querying with AI

AI Ask is now available to all users with Toad Data Point Pro AI Subscription licenses, expanding access to this powerful feature in Toad Workbook.

AI Ask leverages advanced AI to simplify data querying and enhance your data analysis process, making it faster and more intuitive to generate insights.

Note: To enable this feature in Toad Data Point Subscription please refer to the Knowledge Base. For more details, visit Toad World.

Idea Pond

Got a great idea for a new Toad Data Point feature or enhancement? Share it with the Development Team and the Community by posting it on Idea Pond. Visit Toad Data Point - Idea Pond where you can submit your ideas. You can also read and vote on the enhancement ideas submitted by other Toad users.

Learn More

Remember, you can find blogs, videos, and forums at the Toad Data Point Community.

• Toad Data Point Videos - Learn about new features from product video demos.
• Toad Data Point Forum - Find answers to your questions in the forums.
• Toad Data Point Blog - Learn tips and tricks from blog posts.
• Toad Data Point - Idea Pond - Submit your idea to the Development Team.

System Requirements

Client Requirements

Before installing Toad, ensure that your client system meets the following minimum hardware and software requirements:

Server Requirements

Before installing Toad, ensure that your server meets the following minimum hardware and software requirements:

Virtualization Support

User Requirements

User Requirements to Install Toad

Only Windows Administrators and Power Users can install Toad.

Note: The following exceptions exist for Power Users:

• (DB2 only) A Power User can install Toad as long as this user belongs to the DB2ADMNS or DBUSERS group.

If an Administrator installs Toad, the Administrator can share the Toad shortcut icon on the desktop and menu items with any user—a Power User, Restricted User—on the computer.

If a Power User installs Toad, a Restricted User cannot do the following:

• Associate file extensions.
• View the Toad shortcut icon on the desktop or the Toad menu options in the Windows Start menu. As a workaround, Restricted Users can create a shortcut to Toad from the install directory and place the shortcut on their desktop.

User Requirements and Restrictions for Running Toad

The following describes the requirements and restrictions for users who launch and run Toad:

• (DB2 only) A Windows Power User or Restricted User must belong to the DB2ADMNS or DB2USERS group. To add the user to one of these groups, select Start | Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Computer Management | System Tools | Local Users and Groups | Groups | DB2ADMNS or DB2USERS.
• (DB2 only) A Windows Power User or Restricted User does not have the authority to add or remove DB2 catalog entries using the Toad Client Configuration wizard. However, these users can use the Import Profile function in the Toad Client Configuration wizard to import catalog entries to Toad.

• (DB2 only) To take full advantage of Toad for DB2 LUW functionality, the user ID specified in the Toad connection profile for each DB2 for LUW database connection requires the authorizations listed in the following document:

  ToadDB2LUWAuthorizations.xls

• (DB2 only) As a minimum requirement to manage a DB2 for z/OS subsystem in Toad, the user ID defined in the Toad connection profile for the subsystem must either have SYSADM privileges or SELECT privileges on the DB2 catalog tables. For a complete list of authorizations (and corresponding GRANT statements) a user requires to take full advantage of Toad for DB2 z/OS functionality, refer to the following document:

  ToadDB2zOSAuthorizations.doc

• To create or modify the QuestSoftware.ToadSecurity table to enable Toad Security, the user who maintains this table must have privileges to create, insert, update, and delete it. All other users need only the ability to read the QuestSoftware.ToadSecurity table to use Toad Security features.

Resolved Issues and Enhancements

The following is a list of issues addressed and enhancements implemented in this release of Toad Data Point:

Resolved Issues in 6.4

Enhancements in Toad Data Point 6.4:

Support for SingleStore ODBC Generic connection with Kerberos authentication and LDAP protocol

Toad Data Point 6.4 now supports connecting to SingleStore databases using the ODBC Generic connection option. This enhancement enables integration with SingleStore via Kerberos authentication and LDAP protocol, allowing users to leverage all functionalities available for Generic ODBC connections in Toad Data Point.

Setting Up the SingleStore ODBC Connection

To establish a connection to SingleStore, use the following steps:

1. Select the SingleStore ODBC Unicode Driver (ensure the driver is installed and configured on your system)

2. Set the required parameters in the connection string. Below are the supported parameters:

• Server: Specify the server address

• Port: Set the appropriate port (e.g., 3306)

• Database: Provide the database name

• Authentication: Define the authentication method (e.g., KERBEROS)

• KerberosServiceName: Specify the Kerberos service name (e.g., LDAP)

• KerberosRealm: Include the Kerberos realm name (e.g., TEST.LOCAL)

• KerberosHostname: Add the Kerberos hostname

• LDAPUsername: Provide the LDAP username

• SSLMode: Adjust according to your security needs (e.g., REQUIRED for SSL connections)

   

  

   

Example of a connection string:

Server=77.777.77.77;Port=3306;Database=sbox;Authentication=KERBEROS;KerberosServiceName=LDAP;KerberosRealm=TEST.LOCAL;KerberosHostname=DcSingleStore.test.local;LDAPUsername=testuser;SSLMode=REQUIRED;