Re: Query tools for end users? Opinions?

f.wiersma_at_tfdl.agro.nl (Fred Wiersma) wrote:
>Hello all,
>
>We are investigating what Windows (3.x, 95) applications are available to
>query an Oracle database. It is important that Oracle newbies can use such an
>application (i.e. the users know next to nothing about databases, SQL, ...,
>they do know what the data is about).
>We are looking at Oracle Data Browser & Data Query (Discoverer/2000).
>
>Any others out there?
>I am also looking for comments (from personal experience) about these
>products.
>
>Conditions:
>- Must work under Win 3.x and/or Win95
>- Must be able to query Oracle databases
>- Ease of use for database newbies
>- Stable in technical/functional support (solid company)

We are using Esperant with mixed success. The tool seems very promising. With a few points and clicks, users can build a query and print the results or export the output to a Windows file. Queries can be batched to release the terminal. Esperant provides ODBC and native Oracle drivers.

Esperant also provides "views" that let you simplify the Oracle schema. I expect to try them soon. The idea is to reduce the number of tables and let Esperant create the SQL for the joins.

Response is mixed. Some people like it, others see it just as difficult as other tools. We don't have enough experience in the user community to make a final judgment.

We also try MS Query both directly and from MS Excel. A nice thing is that you build the query visually by dragging column names to tables.

Richard Received on Fri Jan 05 1996 - 00:00:00 CET