Re: New SqlPlus type utility available for download
Date: 28 Aug 2002 10:01:37 +1000
Message-ID: <87k7mbdf6m.fsf_at_blind-bat.une.edu.au>
ali_bongo_at_yahoo.com (Alison Holloway) writes:
> Bricklen <bricklen_at_shaw.ca> wrote in message news:<3D6A4EAF.8ED7E8FF_at_shaw.ca.invalid>...
><snip>
> Bricklen,
>
> I work with Chris in the SQL*Plus team. I'm just starting to read this
> newgroup regularly, and hope to contribute too. We always want to hear
> feedback about SQL*Plus/iSQL*Plus, good or bad so we can improve the
> product.
>
I thought I'd add my 2 cents worth. My preferred environment is sqlplus. About the only time I use toad is when I want to do some general schema browsing. However, I use sqlplus in a slightly different manner to most in that I use it via emacs. The combination of sqlplus and emacs creates a very powerful environment. Emacs comes with an sql-mode which allows you to edit/create sql and plsql scripts in one window (with syntax highlighting, abbrevs and all the other useful programming/development features of emacs) and have sqlplus running in a second window. The contents (whole buffer, selected regions etc) can be sent to the sqlplus window with a simple keystroke and being emacs, you can extensively customize the whole thing and add to it at will.
While this isn't a solution which suits everyone, if you are an emacs user or you don't want to spend the money on a commercial solution, it is a pretty good way to get an interface to oracle which provides the power of sqlplus with some of the nicer user interface functionality users have become familiar with. If you happen to be a blind programmer like me, combining this with emacspeak (a text to speech interface for emacs), you get a really good environment which provides all the power you need without the headaches blind users often get trying to get a usable interface from GUI based apps which are designed for visual interaction and those who love the mouse (I hate meices to peices). The other great benefit is you become familiar with sqlplus, which is nearly always available, no matter what platform oracle is running on, plus I think it forces you to become more familiar with things like the dictionary tables etc which tend to be so abstracted in tools like TOAD that many users don't get to be familiar with them even after working in oracle for some time. This, I think, can result in developers which become lost if their favorite tool is not available or when they come across unusual situations in which they cannot remember or do not know which system tables to use/investigate during problem diagnosis etc.
Tim Received on Wed Aug 28 2002 - 02:01:37 CEST