SQLWeb Worksheet 3000 User's Guide

Overview

This application is a Java web application. This means it is meant to run on a Java-based web server (like: Tomcat, Resin, Orion, JRun, etc). It was designed to allow anyone with semi-modern browser (IE 6+, FF2+, etc) access/maintain any SQL-compliant database that has a valid type 4 JDBC driver. Out of the box, it supports: Oracle 8.0+, SQLServer 6.5+, Informix (not sure of version #), and MySQL 3.3+ (?). Given time, I'd like to add built-in support for other Open Source Databases or Commercial Databases that have free JDBC drivers. There is a built in configuration INI file that you can modify to add support for any other JDBC driver.

Whether manually deployed or dropped in as a .war file (war file is just a java jar file of the app in the right directory structure), the app is pretty easy to set up. When you go to http://MACHINE/sqlworksheet/ you get to the start page and go from there. Sorry guys, I had to use some pop-ups so you can't have Javascript disabled if you want to use this app ... but I promise no advertising here ... just, hopefully, increased productivity.

Usage

1. Install a JSP/Servlet engine (I recommend Resin at www.caucho.com but the old standby of Tomcat will work just fine too).
2. Drop the war file into the webapps directory (or equivalent depending on the JSP/Servlet engine).
3. Start up the JSP/Servlet engine (you now have the MACHINE running as a web server.
4. Go to http://MACHINE/sqlworksheet/ where MACHINE is the machine you are running your JSP/Servlet engine at (assuming port 80, some engines default the configuration to use port 8080).
5. Choose the Worksheet or Tables display and click the Enter button.
6. Click 'Make New Connection' and type in the required information for you database.
7. Now you should be connected and be ready to query away.
8. Click Quit to end the session.

Features

• It's a Web Application, no need to install anything on anyone's machine to use it. Any modern Javascript (or JScript 1.2) compliant browser should work fine ... Unix Netscape versions can now use Alt key combinations to do HotKeys just like IE can use Ctrl key combinations.
• Should work with any DB that has a valid type 4 JDBC driver.
• Should work with any JSP/Servlet-based Web Server (tested with Resin and Tomcat).
• Tested to work with JDK 1.4 or later (meaning theoretically any OS that can run Java, can run this app).
• Session based; so if you timeout (30 minutes) or quit, the connection is closed to the Database (session timeout can be tweaked in web.xml file).
• Keeps track of every query entered for a session so that you can go back/forward through queries as well as list or download them as a script.
• Results for each query are appended on top of previous results so you can look at all the results for a session. If running in table mode, each set of results can be downloaded to a CSV (comma separated values) file.
• If DB supports transactions, you can toggle between auto-commit modes. I default to auto-commit 'false'.
• Copied Oracle's describe table feature, so for ANY DB type, you can type 'desc TABLENAME' and see it's properties.
• Has an object browser so you can see a list of all synonyms, tables and views for your database. (JDBC driver must support METADATA for this - MS's free SQL Server driver doesn't support this for instance.) Each object can then be clicked for a 'describe' of the object, or the 'more' link can be clicked for index and table reference information.
• Object browser now has a new 'Edit' feature for creating / modifying / dropping tables.
• Has a Database Statistics page which will tell you some important statistics about your DB.
• If the Driver and DB engine support it, there is a cancel link to stop a really large query. This isn't 100% perfect in a web/threaded environment but works most of the time if you click it quickly enough.
• Connection is done through one URL, so right after connecting you can add a bookmark on your browser and go to the Database like you would a web site. This can be invaluable if you maintain multiple databases, as it allows you to jump right onto a database quicker than any client I've ever used.
• Easily upgradeable; if you know a little bit of JSP and Javascript ... you can easily add support for a new Database engine.
• Query Builder feature allows you to join tables together and does so with a drag & drop interface
• In Table mode, if you do a simple enough query, you can double-click a value and edit it's contents on-the-fly. If you hit Enter instead of just clicking away, it will go to the next row just like you are editting in Excel.
• You can use your mouse wheel to increase/decrease the size of the Query window for larger queries.

Get the latest release of the app at http://sqlweb3000.sourceforge.net/.