Toad for Oracle 14.2 - Getting Started Guide

Toad can connect to one or more databases. You can create, store, change, and organize these connections all from one convenient location.

You create, store, view, and edit database connections from the Database Login window.

To open the Database Login window

From the main Toad menu, select Session | New Connection.

To connect to a database server (referred to simply as database), Toad requires that you have the following:

• A database client (referred to as client) installed on your computer. A client location is also referred to as an Oracle home. You can have multiple Oracle clients installed on your computer. You select which one Toad uses when you create a connection. Oracle recommends that your client version be of the same release (or later) as your database server to prevent performance issues. See the Toad for Oracle Release Notes for a complete list of the client and database versions that Toad supports.
• Valid login user names and passwords to the databases that you will be working with from Toad. Toad honors the user security assignments, so you must have the proper permissions required to perform any given action in Toad.
• Connection details and files that are required for the connection type that Toad will use to connect to the database.

The Oracle client installation generally includes connection configuration files that are used to facilitate communication between your computer and the database. Toad uses the following connection configuration files, depending on the connection type you select.

Oracle connection files

Use the Database Login window to create and edit database connections.

Note: Toad does allow you to enter the connection information directly in the Database Login window, but this method forces you to connect to the database, and you cannot enter some of the additional connection information until after you connect.

To connect to an Oracle Cloud Database, see the online help. You must set it up so you connect from Toad to the cloud database by establishing an SSH tunnel and then directing the Toad connection through the tunnel.

To create or edit a connection

1. Click on the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

   You can also select Session | New Connection.

2. On the Database Login toolbar, click (Create New Connection) to create a connection, or select a connection then click (Edit Login Record) to edit an existing record. The Add Login Record or Edit Login Record window is shown.

3. Complete the User/Schema and Password fields.

4. Select a connection method:

   Method	Description
   TNS	Select a database in the Database field. Toad uses the listings in your TNSNames.ora file to populate the list. You must use TNS when connecting to an Oracle Cloud database.
   Direct	Enter the Host, Port, and either the Service Name or SID of the database to which you want to connect. You must use Service Name rather than SID to connect to an Oracle 12c Pluggable database.
   LDAP	Select the LDAP descriptor in the LDAP Descriptor field.
   Notes: Toad must be able to access the SQLNET.ora file to use any of the connection methods. Toad must be able to access the LDAP.ora file for LDAP connections. Toad must be able to access the TNSNames.ora file for TNS connections. If Toad cannot connect to one of these files, a red X displays beside the editor button for that file. For example, the following image indicates that Toad cannot access the LDAP.ora file. You would have to resolve the issue before you could make an LDAP connection.

5. Complete the remaining fields as necessary.

   Field	Description
   Connect as	Select the connection privilege level field.
   Color	You can use connection colors to help you distinguish between open connections. Color Code the User Interface per Connection
   Connect Using	Select the Oracle home. Default Oracle homes can be assigned for a connection or for Toad. When a default Oracle home is assigned to a particular connection, any time you make that connection from the connection grid, Toad automatically uses that Oracle home. When a default Oracle home is assigned to Toad, Toad automatically uses that Oracle home any time you create a connection to a new database. See Select a default Oracle Home in the online help for more information about how Toad manages Oracle homes.
   Alias	Enter a description or Toad based alias or nickname for the connection. By default the alias only displays in the connections grid, but you can have Toad display the alias instead of the database name. To enable this option, select View | Toad Options | Windows and select the Use alias instead of database checkbox.
   Execute Action upon Connection	An Action in the Automation Designer can be automatically executed upon making a connection: Highlight the connection and click Edit Login Record. Select Execute Action upon Connection and specify the Action. The Action displays in the Action field of the connection window. You can also select a parameter file. See Automation Designer Overview in the online help for more information about how to automate frequently used tasks. Notes: Toad only executes actions upon connection when you execute through the user interface. Toad does not execute actions when it is executed through command line.
   Custom Columns	Complete the custom fields, if you have defined any. Organize Database Connections
   Save Password	Select to have Toad remember the password for only this connection. Note: If Save passwords is selected in the Database Login window (to save passwords for all current and future connections), then this field is selected by default. Save Connection Passwords
   Auto Connect	Select to have Toad automatically make the selected connection on startup.
   Favorite	Select this checkbox to mark the connection as one of your favorites. You can have the Database Login window only display your favorites by selecting Show favorites only at the bottom of the window.
   Read Only	Select this checkbox to make the connection read only, meaning that you cannot make any changes to the database. This option is especially helpful when you want to access data for a production database but you do not want to accidentally make any changes.

6. Save the login record.

   • To save the record without connecting to the database, click OK
   • To save the record and connect to the database, select the Connect checkbox and click OK.

   • To save the record and reuse the field values to quickly enter new connections, click Post.

You can have Toad save all passwords automatically or individually save passwords for selected connections.

Passwords are saved in an encrypted file named Connections.xml. The encryption is tied to the currently logged in user profile, and it supports roaming profiles and Citrix installations.

Important: To save a connection password, you must connect to the database first.

Note: If the Save Password field is disabled, your ability to save passwords may have been removed during installation. See the Toad for Oracle Installation Guide for more information.

To save all passwords automatically

1. Click on the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

   You can also select Session | New Connection.

2. Select Save passwords at the bottom of the window. All passwords for current and future connections will be saved automatically.

To save passwords for individual connections

1. Click on the standard toolbar to open the Database Login window.

   You can also select Session | New Connection.

2. Clear Save passwords at the bottom of the window.

3. Select the connection in the connection grid.

   Note: If the connection is not listed in the connection grid, ensure that the Show favorites only and Show selected home only fields are cleared. If it still does not display, connect to the database again.

4. Click to open the Edit Login Record window
5. Enter the password in the Password field on the right.
6. Select Save Password.
7. Click Connect.