Author Topic: What's the best SQL software for writing queries? (Read 21,041 times)

superboyac · « **on:** February 15, 2011, 05:23 PM »

I'm working with an SQL database for the first time, and I was wondering what you guys consider a good SQL software for writing queries?
The one's I've seen so far are:
SQL+ which comes with SQL installer; nothing special
SQL Developer; free from Oracle, the guys here seem to like it, it seems pretty handy to me
PL/SQL Developer; a commercial software similar to the one above, it might be better, I don't know

Any others? Is there a lesser known one that does things more nicely or easily? Remember, I'm looking for nifty shortcuts, like buttons, panes, cool autofill features, etc. Stuff that makes life easier. Any suggestions?

mahesh2k · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2011, 05:46 PM »

1.SQLite admin ? Not updated version of sqlite in it but can get your small work done.
2. SQLite maestro

Floppy · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2011, 06:20 PM »

Aqua Data Studio

f0dder · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2011, 07:03 PM »

Notepad++

superboyac · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2011, 07:14 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on February 15, 2011, 07:03 PM

Notepad++

Oh geez. Yes, the highlighting features are nice, but it's not really tied to the database or anything. These other programs kind of do it all. I think I'm going to stick with PL/SQL, it's pretty neat.

Shades · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2011, 07:33 PM »

Personally I use the free Oracle SQL developer software the most.

But it is resource hungry. SQLtools is one hell of a lot smaller, open source and actually quite powerful and extended, given its size. It is not actively developed, but it is rock solid working with Oracle 9 and 10 databases on XP and lower (personal experience). Expect on windows 7 (UAC) problems.

There is also TOra, another open source project with more recent development activity. Seems to be interesting as well.

EDIT:
Added the TOra part

Ath · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2011, 07:36 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 15, 2011, 05:23 PM

I'm working with an SQL database ...

What database platform (brand) are you working with?

Shades · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2011, 07:37 PM »

Looking at the answers above it appears to be Oracle

Ath · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2011, 07:44 PM »

Oh, then I won't suggest the Microsoft toolchain then

Renegade · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2011, 09:27 PM »

Not for Oracle, but...

SQLYog
HeidiSQL
Query Analyzer (Microsoft SQL Server Studio)

There are lots. Just find what you like.

superboyac · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2011, 09:56 PM »

TOra looks interesting. And yes, it's an Oracle database. I still like PL/SQL so far.

Renegade · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2011, 09:59 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 15, 2011, 09:56 PM

TOra looks interesting. And yes, it's an Oracle database. I still like PL/SQL so far.

To be honest, for your first database, Oracle doesn't really make sense. It's simply a gargantuan beast. Oracle runs countries. Something else would make more sense. MySQL is a good choice. Or PostGreSQL. MS SQL Server is good.

It's kind of like going to the firing range to learn how to shoot with strategic nuclear missiles.

Is there a reason why you're using Oracle?

superboyac · « **Reply #12 on:** February 15, 2011, 10:22 PM »

Quote from: Renegade on February 15, 2011, 09:59 PM

Quote from: superboyac on February 15, 2011, 09:56 PM
TOra looks interesting. And yes, it's an Oracle database. I still like PL/SQL so far.

To be honest, for your first database, Oracle doesn't really make sense. It's simply a gargantuan beast. Oracle runs countries. Something else would make more sense. MySQL is a good choice. Or PostGreSQL. MS SQL Server is good.

It's kind of like going to the firing range to learn how to shoot with strategic nuclear missiles.

Is there a reason why you're using Oracle?

I'm using Oracle because I'm at work. Our IT is apparently overloaded

with work so I have to now get into this stuff. It's not my job, but at least it's something I've always wanted to learn anyway.

Renegade · « **Reply #13 on:** February 15, 2011, 11:50 PM »

Ah. That makes sense then.

wraith808 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2011, 01:15 AM »

TOAD is the one I always used for Oracle. They have a free version (the one I linked) and a non-free one.

Shades · « **Reply #15 on:** February 16, 2011, 06:34 PM »

yes, TOAD...the tone from their sales pitch goes bad after '...or else...' and

And the free one is quite limited in what it can do, even after they updated it to a more recent version of their pro product and extended the default time-limit. Granted, that is their prerogative, but it drove me into the arms of Oracle SQL Developer, which is free and practically does what the free one does. I do not have experience with the pro product from TOAD as I think they are way too expensive and have a nasty attitude regarding sales. Then again, that is the way Oracle does business, so why not affiliated 3rd party developers...

And Renegade is right, Oracle Enterprise runs countries. But their free XE version (based on 10g) is actually quite a nice product if you can live with some missing (Enterprise-related) functionality and a limited database size of 4 GByte. Ideal for home use and/or study.

superboyac · « **Reply #16 on:** February 16, 2011, 09:29 PM »

I'm still sticking with PL/SQL Developer as the best option so far. What's my favorite thing about it? It's more responsive than the others. it just feels faster, like a good text editor. Actually, I'm ending up writing the queries in a text editor and pasting it into Developer because I prefer the highlighting and code folding features of most editors better than these integrated things.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2011, 10:03 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 16, 2011, 09:29 PM

Actually, I'm ending up writing the queries in a text editor and pasting it into Developer because I prefer the highlighting and code folding features of most editors better than these integrated things.

I think that's why f0dder suggested Notepad++ earlier. I use Emedit for much the same thing/reason. I write the query in the syntax high-lighted editor and then paste it into a command prompt (CLI client connection) - Usually with all activity dumpted to a text file for later review. (But that's for MySQL stuff)

superboyac · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2011, 10:48 PM »

Quote from: Stoic Joker on February 16, 2011, 10:03 PM

Quote from: superboyac on February 16, 2011, 09:29 PM
Actually, I'm ending up writing the queries in a text editor and pasting it into Developer because I prefer the highlighting and code folding features of most editors better than these integrated things.

I think that's why f0dder suggested Notepad++ earlier. I use Emedit for much the same thing/reason. I write the query in the syntax high-lighted editor and then paste it into a command prompt (CLI client connection) - Usually with all activity dumpted to a text file for later review. (But that's for MySQL stuff)

Nice. Turns out I think like a programmer after all! I knew I had it in me.

Renegade · « **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2011, 01:12 AM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 16, 2011, 09:29 PM

I'm still sticking with PL/SQL Developer as the best option so far. What's my favorite thing about it? It's more responsive than the others. it just feels faster, like a good text editor. Actually, I'm ending up writing the queries in a text editor and pasting it into Developer because I prefer the highlighting and code folding features of most editors better than these integrated things.

Syntax highlighting is the absolute most important thing for me in a text editor. (Regular expressions are #2 by a tiny margin.) I find Editplus has the best for what I like.

superboyac · « **Reply #20 on:** February 17, 2011, 01:16 AM »

Quote from: Renegade on February 17, 2011, 01:12 AM

Quote from: superboyac on February 16, 2011, 09:29 PM
I'm still sticking with PL/SQL Developer as the best option so far. What's my favorite thing about it? It's more responsive than the others. it just feels faster, like a good text editor. Actually, I'm ending up writing the queries in a text editor and pasting it into Developer because I prefer the highlighting and code folding features of most editors better than these integrated things.

Syntax highlighting is the absolute most important thing for me in a text editor. (Regular expressions are #2 by a tiny margin.) I find Editplus has the best for what I like.

I agree! I like EditPlus also! I just tried it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and i was impressed. I can't put my finger on it yet, but it was nice. I tried doing a regex thing yesterday...I don't get it at all.

timns · « **Reply #21 on:** February 17, 2011, 01:22 AM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 17, 2011, 01:16 AM

I tried doing a regex thing yesterday...I don't get it at all.

RegEx is one of those things that this phrase desribes perfectly:

"It's nice to live there, but you wouldn't want to visit"

superboyac · « **Reply #22 on:** February 17, 2011, 01:25 AM »

Quote from: timns on February 17, 2011, 01:22 AM

Quote from: superboyac on February 17, 2011, 01:16 AM
I tried doing a regex thing yesterday...I don't get it at all.

RegEx is one of those things that this phrase desribes perfectly:

"It's nice to live there, but you wouldn't want to visit"

ha ha. I totally get that. Yeah, people swear by it who use it all the time. But to just dabble in it makes no sense. I was saying what the fuck a lot...

Renegade · « **Reply #23 on:** February 17, 2011, 01:28 AM »

Quote from: superboyac on February 17, 2011, 01:16 AM

Quote from: Renegade on February 17, 2011, 01:12 AM
Quote from: superboyac on February 16, 2011, 09:29 PM
I'm still sticking with PL/SQL Developer as the best option so far. What's my favorite thing about it? It's more responsive than the others. it just feels faster, like a good text editor. Actually, I'm ending up writing the queries in a text editor and pasting it into Developer because I prefer the highlighting and code folding features of most editors better than these integrated things.

Syntax highlighting is the absolute most important thing for me in a text editor. (Regular expressions are #2 by a tiny margin.) I find Editplus has the best for what I like.
I agree! I like EditPlus also! I just tried it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and i was impressed. I can't put my finger on it yet, but it was nice. I tried doing a regex thing yesterday...I don't get it at all.

Oh god... You MUST get to know regex in EditPlus -- you will ****ing LOVE it~!

They're not 100% full regex, but it's still enough power for 99.9% of everything you'll ever need to do.

^ - beginning of line
$ - end of line
\n - line break
\t - tab
. - any character
*+? - used for matching 0/1 or more or 0/1 of the preceding character
[a-z0-9] - range of characters, e.g. [a-f0-9] for hex
[^a-z] - character NOT in range
() - used to group for later reference
\1 - reference to a group

That's likely about all that you'll ever need in EditPlus.

Also -- MAKE SURE TO CHECK THE REPLACE DIALOG -- THERE'S AN OPTION TO DO REGEX REPLACEMENTS IN ALL OPEN FILES~! Very powerful and very useful. God... That has saved me sooooo much work.

EditPlus is fast and can handle a LOT. I loaded 900 bada headers in it the other day.

I often write my DC posts in it first.

But this is horribly off topic...

timns · « **Reply #24 on:** February 17, 2011, 01:29 AM »

This thing helps considerably:

Regex Buddy