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Toad for SQL Server Freeware:
Downloads:
Resources:
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Toad™ for SQL Server Freeware Features
Introduction
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For example, to the right is a partial screenshot of the Browser. Notice that some of the icons available are identical to their counterparts in Toad for Oracle. This allows you to quickly identify the 'Truncate' and 'Compile Dependencies' technology offered in the Browser. Toad for SQL Server incorporates as many icons from Toad for Oracle as possible to allow for the smallest learning curve possible. |
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The commonality between the versions of Toad continues with the Shortcut Keys. In the Editor, F9 executes a statement and F5 executes a script. As more functionality is introduced in Toad for SQL Server, the number of shared keyboard shortcuts will also increase.
Software Requirements Minimum Hardware Requirements
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Once you have installed and opened Toad,
you will need to connect to a database. Read the 'Create New Connections' Help topic for detailed
instructions...but, Toad for SQL Server can handle SQL Server-authenticated or
Windows-authenticated connections. As with Toad for Oracle, Toad for SQL Server can store multiple connection strings. You can also configure Toad to auto-connect to specific instances and save your passwords. Once you are connected, you are ready to start interacting with your SQL Server Database. The two primary windows are the: |
A developer will spend at least half of their time in the Editor window. The Editor window consists of two sections: an upper text edit window and a lower data grid. The text edit window supports standard windows editing commands and keystrokes.
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Below we have a snapshot of the Editor window with a query and its output. You can split the Editor window horizontally and/or vertically so you can scroll different areas within the same file. If you have more than one Editor window open and want to switch between them, click and drag one of the Editor tabs to another location in the window. The SQL Editor supports multiple tabs or scratch spaces. This allows you to have multiple files or scripts open at a given time. Once you have a file loaded or a query entered, it's time to run it. This is accomplished by either pressing F9 or clicking on the Green Arrow button in the Toad editor toolbar. The upper text edit section also has a left-panel window that shows you the contents of your editor. You can use this to easily navigate between your different editor statements.
The result set displays in the grid component in the lower panel of the screen. You have 2 output choices 'Grid View' and 'Card View'. Grid is default; you can toggle by right-clicking on the output panel. The Editor can handle multiple result sets from multiple query runs. You also have access to the Script Output (a sequential log of executed commands displays in the Script Output tab), and Explain Plans for each statement you have executed. The Editor toolbar contains a Database Dropdown control that you can use to select a default database for your queries to run against. This allows queries to run without prefixing the database name for the queried objects.
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Database Browser vs. Enterprise Manager
Toad's Database Browser is its most powerful feature. The Database Browser is comprised of a left and a right panel. The left panel contains the Object Types you can work with in the Database Browser. The Database Browser lets you view objects and related information in an easy tabbed interface. In the left panel is a list of objects of the selected type. The right (object) panel consists of information about the selected object (or objects, if multiple objects are selected on the left).
Enterprise ManagerClick here to see a screenshot of MS SQL Server's Enterprise Manager. To work with databases and their objects, a Tree control is presented for navigation. This can lead to lots of clicking, collapsing/expanding, etc. But perhaps most frustrating, is the need to access all of the functionality available for a given node via right-mouse click. For example, if a user wants to view the data of a given table, they must
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Toad Database BrowserIn Toad's Database Browser, the process is less involved. There is a Database Dropdown control to choose which database to browse. This is set to your login's default database. The database objects are available via Tab Controls. All of the information for each object is immediately available on the right hand side of the browser. Click here to see a screenshot. There is also a control on the browser to control the number of records returned. Finally, the dataset can be easily modified. Rows can be updated, inserted, or deleted on-the-fly. |
The Object Palette is a tool window that contains only the LHS list of objects found in the Database Browser. This allows for easy lookup of objects while coding in the Editor.
Join and interact with this group! This is the primary source for guiding new development in Toad for SQL Server. This is also a place for fellow SQL Server developers to interact.
For questions or comments on this site: webmaster@toadsoft.com
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