Learning TOAD freeware - quest 4 - Schema browser: data tab - SQL EDITOR

Thank you gentlemen,

a) My workplace uses a web based system that uses Oracle.
b) Primarily, i was hired as report writer to use Oracle Discoverer. I think my job would be easier
if i could learn how to create views and/or stored procedure, and have Discoverer work off of these
custom objects.
c) Oracle developer was installed on my machine, am not enjoying the text editor
d) Our IT dept - a few people have the PL Developer that mrjoltcola recommends
e) in an earlier EE post, mrjoltcola told me about TOAD freeware
     yesterday, received help from sds, dvz and other EE experts in understanding TOAD
f) last year i remember seeing a demo of TOAD on quest.com, and so was eager to download TOAD

g) my background is in Microsoft Access, so i know little about Oracle.
     The graphical approach of PL developer and/or TOAD is very nice...

h) My next post in EE, is to find out if TOAD freeware allows me to step thru code
    just like Microsoft Access allows me to.

i) i'm in middle of watching the demos for TOAD on quest.com
   i pause the video than try TOAD freeware, to see if i can do the same, if not go to EE to post

j) what's intriguing so far about TOAD for analysts, is that it allows use to connect to different
    database flavors and that it allows you to automate reports to excel

    does pl developer have the same ability?

    you see, the reason i'm asking is maybe TOAD/developer would be a better approach to
    report writing than using Discoverer.

Any feedback on the above comments would be very welcome, tx, s

dvz,

thx for your comment - i do not think that is listed in the link that sdstuber posted, and so that's
why i need to post to EE

tx, s

>>in an earlier EE post, mrjoltcola told me about TOAD freeware

Yes, I think I recall that you were using either sqlplus, or SQL Developer and were having some disatisfaction. I cannot recall the specifics.


>>does pl developer have the same ability?

No, it is an Oracle specific product. And it is specifically tailored for PL/SQL coders. For report writers it may or may not be a happy place. It is decent at reverse engineering schema objects, though, for the price point.

Toad for Oracle commercial is probably your best best, for commercial options, if you can get your IT dept to buy it. The other alternatives, like Embarcadero products (DB Artisan, etc.) are much pricier. The all have their strengths and weaknesses, including price points.

If you work on becoming more prolific with SQL and views, any of the tools will do the job, even sqlplus.

There is one more tool I use, for Sybase (because there is no Toad for Sybase ASA), and it is decent enough; it is called SQL Maestro. I have not tried the Oracle version. But there is a free download trial.
http://www.sqlmaestro.com/products/oracle/codefactory/