Oracle SQL Developer Release 1.5.5 - Release Notes

Date: July 2009

Contents

About this release

  1. Before you Start
  2. Once you have started
  3. Known Issues
  4. Language and Translation Issues
  5. New Features in SQL Developer 1.5

About this release

Oracle SQL Developer 1.5.5 is the release that will be incorporated into Oracle Database 11gR2. This has minor updates to release 1.5.4 and no focus on new functionality. New features are included in Oracle SQL Developer 2.1, scheduled for release in FY2010.

NOTE: The SQL Worksheet is being rewritten for SQL Developer 2.1. As such many existing bugs and requests for the SQL Worksheet have been noted and should be addressed in the next release of SQL Developer, not in SQL Developer 1.5.5.

1.  Before you Start

  • Platform Support
    • Oracle SQL Developer 1.5.5 is available for Windows XP , Vista (including 64bit) and Windows Server 2008, Linux or Mac OS X.
  • JDK Support
    • Oracle SQL Developer 1.5.5 release is shipped with JDK 1.5.0_06. You can use the embedded JDK or connect to a JDK you have installed. The minimum JDK you should use is 1.5.0_06. If you use JDK1.6 (JDK6.0), the minimum you should use is JDK1.6 Update 3. SQL Developer does not work with JDK 1.6 Update 1 and 2.
    • Windows Vista requires the JDK 1.6 as a minimum and is certified for JDK 1.6, using the default Oracle Look and Feel. Some issues have been reported when using the Windows look and feel.
    • There are known issues with JDK 1.6 updates 10 and 12.
  • Installing or Upgrading
    • The Check for Updates option to upgrade between releases of SQL Developer is not supported. This utility is provided to install third party extensions, this includes the third party drivers required for migrations.
    • All new releases of SQL Developer require a full installation. Download and unzip the file into an empty folder. Ensure the "Use folder names" checkbox is checked when unzipping the file.
  • Migrating previous releases
    After you have installed the product you are asked if you want to migrate from a previous release. This migrates previously set preferences and connections created:
    • To migrate your existing Release 1.2.1 connections, select Browse... on the dialog, navigate to and select the <sqldev 1.2.1 home>\sqldeveloper\sqldeveloper\system folder. In the future these system folder files are stored in the \Documents and Settings\<your_user>\Application Data\SQL Developer
    • To migrate settings from SQL Developer 1.5.x, select Browse... on the dialog, navigate to and select the \Documents and Settings\<your_user>\Application Data\SQL Developer folder.
    • If you are using Oracle SQL Developer 1.1.3 as part of the Oracle Database 11gR1 installation, navigate to [ORACLE_HOME] \product\11.1.0\db_1\sqldeveloper\sqldeveloper\system
      NOTE: If you install a release later than 1.1.3, this does not replace the menu item in your Start Programs list. You can add your own menu option here or a short cut on the desktop.
  • User Defined Reports, Snippets and SQL History
    • In Oracle SQL Developer 1.5.5 your user-defined reports, SQL History and user-defined snippets files are located in the \Documents and Settings\<your_user>\Application Data\SQL Developer folder. These are also migrated.
  • Folders
    • If you created folders in release 1.5.1, 1.5.3 or 1.5.4, these are automatically included in the migration. If you choose not to migrate your settings between release, then you can import your old connections. This does not include folders.
  • JDBC Drivers
    • The JDBC drivers shipped are 11g R1. This means that users will no longer be able to connect to an Oracle 8.1.7 database.
  • Debug Log Window
    • This is now set off by default. If you want to see the SQL Developer debug log window information by default, then include the line IncludeConfFile sqldeveloper-debug.conf in the sqldeveloper.conf file.
    • To start up the debug log window in the product while you are working, enter "setloglevel oracle.dbtools ALL" in the SQL Worksheet. This will stay on while you are working, but won't reopen the log window if you stop and restart the product.
  • Translations
    • The help text is not translated - this will remain in English
    • The Tip of the Day is not translated - we hope to translate these in the future
    • There are a number of areas where the test has not been translated. We have bugs logged for these and will address them in future releases. The individual bugs have not been itemized in this document.
  • Third Party Databases
    • This release supports the Sybase 12 and Sybase 15 in addition to the current third party databases supported.
      • You will not see any third party tabs in the connections dialog until you have installed the drivers.
      • You can download and include the third-party database drivers manually. See the existing documentation for that on OTN. Alternatively you can use Check for Updates to setup these drivers.
      • Do not use the latest MySQL driver 5.1. Use the 5.0.x drivers for MySQL
  • TimesTen
    • Before you can use SQL Developer to connect to TimesTen:
      • Install TimesTen 7.0.3 or a later release of the server or client on the same machine as SQL Developer.
      • Make sure the CLASSPATH environment variable is pointing to the TimesTen JDBC driver (TimesTen_install_dir/lib/ttjdbc5.jar).
      • On Linux systems, execute the shell script TimesTen_install_dir/bin/ttenv.sh or TimesTen_install_dir/bin/ttenv.csh to set up the TimesTen environment before launching SQL Developer.
      • Read these more detailed release notes on TimesTen

2. Once you have Started

  • You are supported by Oracle Support under your current database Support license. Log SQL Developer bugs and issues using Metalink for the product Oracle SQL Developer.
  • You can discuss issues on the Oracle SQL Developer forum
    • Be sure to use clear subject lines to initiate a thread
    • Try to avoid using old, unrelated threads for a new issue.
  • There is a list of bugs fixed. You can also contact Oracle Support to request bugs are published.
  • Known issues in this release are listed below. This is not a complete list of known bugs, but some of the main issues that might impact you.
  • Features not yet supported in this release can be added to the Feature Requests section on the Oracle SQL Developer Exchange
  • Please review current certification status for platform and database certification queries.
  • TimesTen is included in SQL Developer 1.5.5. You will not see the TimesTen Connection node unless you have TimesTen installed and configured (see TimesTen section above).
  • Support for TimesTen In-Memory Database includes support for Oracle In-Memory Database Cache and TimesTen In-Memory Database Release 7.0.3 and later.
  • If you did not migrate your connections from a previous release, you can import them afterwards. Invoke the earlier release of SQL Developer, export the required connections and import them in the new release.
  • Expired password: When a password expires, an error message is raised to alter the user. To reset the password, right-click the connection and select Reset Password.

3. Known Issues

This list is not exhaustive, but consists of the higher priority issues trapped and reported. To find out the status of a bug or to log additional bugs, please contact Oracle Support through Metalink.

General

  • Doc Help window pops up when other dialogs invoked
  • Error when dropping directories called after 'c:\'
  • Format changes -- to /* -- instead of /* -- */
  • JDK 1.6 update 10 does not work with windows look and feel
  • NLS preferences override the login trigger and session parameters
  • Performance in query builder when dragging first table onto page is poor
  • Print data tab of table: entire data not printed
  • Retrieving the content of an xml document using pseudo column object_value

Browsing

  • Cannot browse the xmltype table in 9i db when created in sql worksheet
  • Cannot display xmltype data stored in al32utf8 db character set
  • Java : drop class resulting in error, class not dropped
  • Popup describe: explicit schema name ignored when checking synonyms
  • Privileges > grant - no priv listed for public under "available privileges"

Formatter

  • Compare and merge; ignore white spaces has no effect
  • Many keywords not recognized in formatter
  • Option to preserve blank lines between commands
  • Preference > sql formatter > other > input sql has line breaks inside tokens

Connections

  • Advanced connections aren't encrypted (Use thick/OCI driver)
  • Advanced Security Options for thin JDBC drivers are not supported
  • MAC: connect button not displayed in the new/select database connection dialog
  • Users in expired(grace) status not notified when connecting

Create or Modify Objects

  • Database difference utility finds false differences
  • Database copy wizard shows duplicate record errors for existing PK and unique indexes
  • Path for create directory in the directories node is incorrect
  • Users with permission select any dictionary cannot view trigger details
  • View dialog: SQL syntax is valid, however the query is invalid

SQL Worksheet and Data

  • Accept default option does not work in worksheet - SQL*Plus
  • File -> print on data grid, truncates header row
  • F9 bind variables should be able to be in double quotes and have spaces
  • NLS justification of middle eastern languages not appropriate when edit data
  • NLS settings are not used for binary_float/binary_double
  • MAC query builder to select all cols for a table, tick mark is not displayed.
  • Select* (no gap) incorrect syntax does not show error for F9 (enter statement)
  • Set serveroutput on fails in glogin.sql auto run script
  • Sort setting can't be changed if there is a failure
  • Special characters displayed as open square in results screen
  • to_timestamp_tz not showing correct results
  • Update date in data grid, resets time details for date format without timestamp

PL/SQL

  • Bind variable declared with variable command have case sensitive names
  • No way to terminate an executing pl/sql procedure once started
  • Opening file in plsqlnode incorrectly displays a default connection
  • Refresh or reconnecting to a user after privilege change does not update user
  • Remote debug: does not default connection, can't find source

Export/Import

  • Cursor data exported to html does not render properly
  • Wrong encoding for exported ttbulkcp file

Migrate

  • Access: Data move incorrectly handles boolean value 'true'
  • Access: View referencing alias inline
  • Access view translation not handling parameter values correctly
  • Browsing SQL Server 2000 indexes panel does not work
  • Cannot sort a row of size 8096, greater than the max
  • Create view conversion missing alias clause
  • Data move fails for multibyte database name
  • Delete statement with column alias cannot be parsed
  • Default value for date needs to be converted
  • Duplicate column name error reported on translated ms access query
  • Multi-segmented unique indexes turn to non-unique in the captured model
  • Not equals ! = with a space between the bang and equals is not recognized
  • Sybase: Older join syntax in triggers fail to convert
  • On delete cascade is lost during migration
  • Procedure arguments need to match variable names in case.
  • SQL Server 2000 browse data (and data grid) do not display datetime values
  • SQL Server default "for" triggers should be converted to after trigger
  • SQL Server - data move fails with characters included & and '
  • Sybase trigger: inserted sub condition not converted
  • Triggers deleted gets removed or replaced by dual and pl/sql code incomplete
  • Unable to translate query with wildcard as identifier
  • Update join clause not translated correctly
  • Update statement with assignments not converted correctly

Preferences

  • Create a preference for setting TNS location or setting TNS path
  • NLS preferences override the login trigger and session parameters
  • Objectviewer parameters: Uncheck 'show schema', comments has schema name in - Base bug on database
  • Preferences>accelerators, add one and remove, it will lose key assignment
  • Reassigning cut copy paste to the standard key combination, does not work
  • SQL Developer seems to "lose" some key assignments now and then - have to reset defaults

Version Control

  • SVN check out: error message is needed if destination does not exist
  • Versioning > cvs ; new files not being displayed in the cvs connection

TimesTen

  • Commit and rollback behavior for TimesTen DDL and DML operations: Unlike the Oracle database, TimesTen does not implicitly commit DDL transactions. The user must explicitly commit the transactions by clicking the Commit button on the SQL Worksheet.
  • Enabling PassThrough can affect the SQL operations in the Connections navigator. Make sure this setting is reset to 0 when switching from PassThrough operations in the SQL Worksheet back to the Connections navigator.
  • DDL operations fail with when the Data tab is being viewed. Ensure that the data tab is not viewing the same table that you are performing DDL on.
  • You cannot create tables when the SYS.TABLES system table is being viewed in SQL Developer. Viewing the content of SYS.TABLES in the Data tab causes a lock to be placed. All CREATE TABLE statements will be blocked and may eventually time out because of this. The lock is released as soon as the focus of the Data tab is switched to another table. This is fixed in 7.0.5 and later release of the TimesTen In-Memory Database.
  • EXPORT DATA > insert generates Oracle-compatible SQL INSERT statements, depending on the underlying data type and the difference in support of literals. These may not be compatible with the TimesTen database.
  • EXPORT DATA > ttbulkcp generates an error when the action is performed inside the Data tab. Select this option from the Connections navigator.
  • The LIKE filter does not find an exact object match. The workaround is to use = instead of LIKE when defining the filter.
4. Language and Translation Issues
  • There are a number of strings that did not get translated in this our first translation release. The untranslated strings have not been itemized.

5. New Features in Oracle SQL Developer 1.5

For a comprehensive list of features please review the SQL Developer 1.5 Feature List