Learning TOAD - commercial version quest 5 - do you use TOAD for data analysts

hi mrjoltcola,

tx for writing...

a) if i downloaded the demo, do you think it would connect to our system
Downloading TOAD freeware was too easy!

b) am a little concerned that if download commercial demo, it may wipe out successful install
of TOAD freeware

c) think i will spend the rest of today, maybe tomm. with TOAD freeware
    thx for the idea about commercial download as a trial , i did not think of that idea....

tx, s
     

hi mrjoltcola,

just wanted to leave this post open a little longer..

i have just posted a related question to your comment about exporting to Excel:
tx, s

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Database/Oracle/Q_24835282.html

>> if i downloaded the demo, do you think it would connect to our system

Absolutely, it is a fully functional 30-day trial.

You should be aware that the free version may not have the same functionality, so it may not give you a fair evaluation of what Toad commercial can do.

hi mrjoltcola,

from the time i wrote my remarks above till now, i clicked around TOAD freeware and see that
most of the interesting stuff gives me an error that it's only avail. in commercial...

i think i have another feature to see if avail in FREEWARE, so will post shortly
to get clarity

then i will ask my colleague to demo pl developer so i can compare and contrast,
tx, s

>>i think i have another feature to see if avail in FREEWARE, so will post shortly

Or save yourself a lot of headaches and download the trial commercial version. :)

Good Morning Gentlemen,
 
so there are  2 'concepts'?: (regarding scheduling a query?)

1) TOAD for Oracle has AppDesigner
2) TOAD for Analysts has automation interface

Last week i posted this, and BillPrew replied back with a pdf about AppDesigner
     http://www.experts-exchange.com/Database/Oracle/Q_24835329.html

Last week i posted this, and BillPrew replied back with a pdf about AppDesigner
     http://www.experts-exchange.com/Database/Oracle/Q_24835282.html

Bill mentions this link in the above post:
      http://www.toadworld.com/BLOGS/tabid/67/EntryID/384/Default.aspx

This morning while looking at the above link, i see that Daniel Norwood authored the article!
So thx Daniel in joining this conversation!

Well at first, i thought Bill posted 2 diff links that describe the same automation approach.
This morning, I realize that there are 2 diff approaches.

Am I correct in my understanding?
    if so when does one use AppDesigner, and when does one use TDA automation approach?

tx, s

typo, this 2nd line should read:
Last week i posted this, and BillPrew replied back with a pdf about Toad for Analysts

tx, s

mytfein,

You're welcome! I'm glad that I saw this post so I can help to set things straight.

Regarding when to use the AppDesigner over the TDA automation approach, it really comes down to what you are trying to do. Toad for Oracle is designed for the PL/SQL Developer or the Oracle DBA whereas TDA is designed for the analyst (or anyone more interested in querying, reporting, browsing data, etc). Therefore, Toad's AppDesigner is going to allow you to automate just about anything that Toad can do; with so much power comes some added complexity. On the other hand, TDA's automation feature is focused more specifically on the tasks of running scripts/queries, importing/exporting data, refreshing reports and distributing them, etc. This focus allows TDA to be less complex and more WYSIWYG. (Though you can still make very complex automation routines with conditional logic, variables, loops, etc.) And don't forget - TDA works for more than just Oracle, too.

So it kind of comes down to what you're doing and what you're more comfortable with in the end. Either one works very well!

Daniel

Daniel,
thx so much... this helps...
may i ask on TDA, though on a tangent -
     would be glad to open to new post if you like:

Since i have not yet download TDA freeware or trialware (just watched demo on quest):
     1)   Last week, Bill Prew speculated that in TDA one can further modify the sql that the gui-drag-and-drop generates. Please advise....
     2)   In Microsoft Access, i can create separate queries via the gui and save them under unique
            names, I can then create a new query, and instead of dragging tables, i can use
            the exisiting queries as 'my tables'. Can TDA allow user to join existing canned queries?
            Please advise....

tx, s
generates
 

No problem. I'll respond in kind:

1) Absolutely! TDA is designed with two ways to build queries: a Query Builder and a SQL Editor. you can use with one. In fact, you can start with a Query Builder and then move it to the Editor (or just edit the SQL by hand that the Query Builder created and then go back to the Query Builder). You can also start with the editor and reverse engineer the SQL into a visual query in the Query Builder.  It's very flexible.
2) Yes - in TDA they would be listed under the "Query" object type in the Object Explorer (on the left-hand side). I find it easiest to start with a blank Query Builder and just drag the Query onto the design surface and then the table. Just draw a relationship between them to create your JOIN syntax and you're good to go! (If you want to create a new saved query on Access in TDA, the easiest way is to build your query in the Query Builder and then use the "Change the statement type" button on the toolbar to "Create View". On Access this will save the SQL as a MS Access Query which you can use again later in another query.)

Daniel