TOAD TIPS & TRICKS. Written by Jeff Podlasek, Toad DB2 product manager, Quest

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1 TOAD TIPS & TRICKS Written by Jeff Podlasek, Toad DB2 product manager, Quest

2 Abstract Want to get the most from Toad? This technical brief will walk you through some of its most useful features. You ll see how to set the default layout that s best for you, create and optimize SQL statements, view and analyze results sets, create professional reports, and more. 2

3 General setup configuration and startup Toad for DB2 enables you to control the look and feel of Toad as well as default Toad behaviors. 3

4 CHOOSING YOUR PREFERRED LAYOUT AND CONFIGURATION SETTINGS The Configuration Wizard (shown in Figure 1) will start up the first time you run Toad. It will walk you through choosing your preferred layout and configuration settings. Later, you can invoke the Configuration Wizard within Toad using the Tools Configuration Wizard menu item (see Figure 2). Figure 1. The Configuration Wizard helps you establish your preferred layout and configuration. Figure 2. You can invoke the Configuration Wizard from within Toad at any time. 4

5 CHOOSING HOW CONNECTIONS ARE DISPLAYED AT STARTUP You can specify whether you want the Connections window or the Connection Manager to open at startup, as shown in Figure 3. CHOOSING WHICH FEATURES OPEN AUTOMATICALLY WHEN A CONNECTION IS ESTABLISHED You can also specify what features you want to open automatically when a database connection is established (see Figure 4). Figure 3. You can specify how connections should be displayed at startup. Figure 4. You can select which features should open automatically when a database connection is opened. 5

6 Once you complete that wizard you can also modify those specific settings using the Tools Options menu item, as shown in Figure 5. CHOOSING WHAT ACTIONS ARE PERFORMED AT TOAD STARTUP The highlighted section in Figure 6 controls what actions are performed at Toad startup. Figure 6. After clicking the Options menu item, you can change what actions are performed at startup. Figure 5. To change your connections settings later, use the Options menu item. 6

7 CONTROLLING WHETHER TOAD CAN ACCESS THE INTERNET If you need to ensure that Toad will not attempt to access the internet (for example to check for product updates), check the checkbox highlighted in Figure 7. CATALOGUING YOUR DATABASES Toad uses your default DB2 client. When you start Toad for the first time, Toad will notify you that it has found and is using the default client: Figure 8. Toad will let you know that it s selected your default DB2 client. If Toad finds that you do not have any databases cataloged, a dialog will open, allowing you to create connections from the database catalog: Figure 9. Easily create a new connection in Toad. You can always catalog your databases using the DB2 Configuration Wizard, as shown in Figure 10. Figure 7. You can prohibit Toad from accessing the internet (for example, to check for product updates). Figure 10. You can always catalog your databases using the DB2 Configuration Wizard. 7

8 SPECIFYING OPTIONS FOR EACH DATABASE CONNECTION When you define a database connection, you can specify that it should connect automatically when Toad starts up, as shown in Figure 11. To specify what features (if any) should be opened automatically when a DB2 connection is established, use the settings highlighted in Figure 12. Figure 12. You can choose which features open automatically when a new DB2 connection is established. Figure 11. You can specify whether each database connection should connect automatically at startup. 8

9 OVERVIEW The Database Explorer 9

10 THE DATABASE EXPLORER The Database Explorer (see Figure 13) allows you to easily navigate through your database objects and view important information about those objects. It contains features that make it very powerful and it is highly customizable. CREATING FILTERS The filter editor allows you to specify granular filtering criteria and to name and save filters for later use, as shown in Figure 14. Figure 13. The Database Explorer enables you to easily navigate through your database objects. Figure 14. The filter editor allows you to specify granular filtering criteria and save filters for later use. 10

11 USING THE RIGHT-CLICK MENUS Many actions are available from right-click menus. Just right-click on an object in the Database Explorer to view all of the object-specific actions and features, as shown in Figure 15. USING THE DEPENDENCIES TREE The dependencies tree (shown on the Dependencies tab) not only does a great job of displaying related objects, but it is an active tree where you can right-click on those objects and invoke many features as well (see Figure 16). Figure 15. Right-click on an object in the Database Explorer to see all of the actions available for that object. Figure 16. You can right-click on an object in the dependencies tree to see the actions available for that object. 11

12 GENERATING SQL QUICKLY Another slick feature is Toad s ability to generate SQL quickly: just rightclick on the object and select Generate SQL. You can easily generate Select, Insert, Update, Drop or Create statements and have them either saved to a file, opened in a Toad SQL Editor or saved to the clipboard, as shown in Figure 17. VIEWING DETAILS ABOUT OBJECTS The Object Details feature comes in handy when you want to view information on multiple objects at once. The feature is easy to invoke: while in a SQL Editor with your cursor on the object name, hit F4. Alternatively, with the object selected, right-click and choose the Send To Object Details action, as shown in Figure 18. Figure 17. You can generate SQL quickly just by right-clicking on an object. Figure 18. Right-click on an object in SQL Editor to see details about the object. 12

13 THE DATA TAB Advanced data features 13

14 ADVANCED DATA FEATURES Toad for DB2 is chock full of features for working with objects containing data, such as tables, views and MQ table. Probably the first thing you notice when you select of one of those objects in the Database Explorer is the Data tab on the right-hand side. CUSTOMIZING THE DATA GRID Right-click on any column header to see additional grid options, as shown in Figure 20. The grid shown in that tab is a powerful component that has many features to make handling data a cinch (see Figure 19). Figure 20. Right-click on any column header to see additional options. Figure 19. The grid in the Data tab of Database Explorer has many powerful features. 14

15 EDITING DATA IN THE GRID Editing data in the grid is simple: just click on a cell and editor controls specific to that data type will pop up, making editing easy (see Figure 21). DEFINING KEY COLUMNS ON THE FLY USING THE DATA GRID If you happen to have some tables that are defined without unique key columns, you can define key columns in the grid on the fly so you can edit that data as well (see Figure 22). Figure 21. Right-click on a cell to see editor controls appropriate for the data type. Figure 22. You can define key columns on the fly using the grid. 15

16 EXPORTING DATA Toad has many export features, including Quick Export, which allows you to easily export your data into various popular formats, as shown in Figure 23. Toad also has an Export Wizard (see Figure 24) that supports more formats and allows for further customization. Figure 24. Toad s Export Wizard has even more export options. Figure 23. Quick Export enables you to easily export your data into various popular formats. 16

17 ALL TOAD GRIDS HAVE THE SAME ADVANCED FEATURES AS THE GRID IN THE DATA TAB. All of the features available in the Data grid are available in any grid in Toad. For example, Figure 25 shows the right-click actions in a SQL Editor Results grid. CREATING HISTOGRAMS TO ANALYZE DATA Toad DB2 includes a histogram tool that can also be invoked from any grid, as shown in Figure 26. Figure 26. You can invoke Toad s histogram tool from any grid. The histogram tool, shown in Figure 27, displays the frequency of columns values within a table or results grid. It is very helpful for understanding and analyzing your data. Figure 27. The histogram tool displays the frequency of columns values within a table or results grid. 17

18 Similarly, Toad offers a Profiling tab that shows data patterns and distribution, as well as insights into uniqueness and distinct values: COMPARING DATA Toad for DB2 offers several different features for comparing and syncing your DB2 data. In any results grid, you can easily compare and view differences from other grids, as shown in Figure 28. Figure 27. Toad s Profiling tab offers detailed insights about your data. Figure 28. Right-click on a results set to compare it to another results set. The Data Diff Viewer highlights the data differences, as shown in Figure 29. Figure 29. The Data Diff Viewer highlights the differences between two sets of data. 18

19 COMPARING AND SYNCHING DATA Toad also has a Data Compare and Sync feature. You can invoke it by right-click-clicking on a results set, as shown in Figure 30. This invokes the Data Compare Wizard, which walks you through specifying comparison and data options and then generates a detailed comparison report, as shown in Figure 31. Figure 30. To compare or sync data, right-click on a results set and choose Data Compare. Figure 31. From the comparison report, invoke the Synchronization Wizard to sync results sets. 19

20 SQL EDITOR S AUTOMATED CODE COMPLETION FEATURE Querying and reporting capabilities 20

21 QUERYING AND REPORTING CAPABILITIES Toad for DB2 has many advanced query building and reporting capabilities that make SQL developers more productive. The automated code completion feature in the SQL Editor (see Figure 32) simplifies writing SQL. QUERY BUILDER Toad s Query Builder feature lets you generate SQL by dragging and dropping tables onto its canvas and clicking a few checkboxes, as illustrated in Figure 33. Figure 32. The automated code completion feature in the SQL Editor simplifies writing SQL. Figure 33. With Toad s Query Builder, you can generate SQL by dragging and dropping tables and clicking a few checkboxes. 21

22 DATA REPORT DESIGNER Once you are satisfied with your results, it is easy to create professional reports using the Data Report Designer. Begin by right-clicking a cell in the results set, as shown in Figure 34. The Data Report Wizard walks you through several steps to define your report (see Figure 35). Figure 34. To create professional reports, start Toad s Data Report Designer. Figure 35. Use the Data Report Wizard makes it easy to define your report. 22

23 Your report will be presented inside Report Designer so you can further customize and format your report, as well as preview and save it (see Figure 36). AUTOMATING AND SCHEDULING REPORTS You can use Toad s automation feature (see Figure 37) to automate and schedule reports (and other tasks and scripts too). Figure 36. Use Report Designer to finalize and save your report. Figure 37. Use Toad s Automation feature to automate and schedule reports (and other tasks and scripts too). 23

24 SQL tuning and optimization Toad has tuning and optimization features to help you deliver the best performing SQL. 24

25 VIEWING ACCESS PLANS For example, using the Explain Plan tab of SQL Editor, you can see the access plan for your SQL in any of a variety of formats, as shown in Figure 38. SQL OPTIMIZATION You can invoke Quest s SQL Optimization from the Toad SQL Editor (see Figure 39). Figure 39. You can invoke Quest s SQL Optimization from the Toad SQL Editor. Figure 38. The Explain Plan tab of SQL displays the access plan for your SQL in a variety of formats. 25

26 SQL Optimizer has a one-click SQL rewrite button. This invokes its AI engine, which automatically generates as many alternative yet equivalent statements as possible (controlled by settings) to identify alternatives that have unique access plans (see Figure 40). SQL Optimizer enables you to easily compare the costs, stats and executions of those alternatives so you can identify the best solution (see Figure 41). Figure 40. SQL Optimizer automatically generates alternative yet equivalent statements. Figure 41. SQL Optimizer helps you compare the costs, stats and executions of the alternatives so you can choose the best solution. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeff Podlasek is the product manager for the Toad for DB2 products at Quest. He has more than 20 years of experience developing products and managing development teams working on DB2 tools. Jeff is a regular contributor in the Toad for DB2 forums at You can contact him at jeff.podlasek@quest.com. 26

27 ABOUT QUEST Quest helps our customers reduce tedious administration tasks so they can focus on the innovation necessary for their businesses to grow. Quest solutions are scalable, affordable and simple-to-use, and they deliver unmatched efficiency and productivity. Combined with Quest s invitation to the global community to be a part of its innovation, as well as our firm commitment to ensuring customer satisfaction, Quest will continue to accelerate the delivery of the most comprehensive solutions for Azure cloud management, SaaS, security, workforce mobility and data-driven insight. If you have any questions regarding your potential use of this material, contact: Quest Software Inc. Attn: LEGAL Dept 4 Polaris Way Aliso Viejo, CA Refer to our Web site ( for regional and international office information Quest Software Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This guide contains proprietary information protected by copyright. The software described in this guide is furnished under a software license or nondisclosure agreement. This software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the applicable agreement. No part of this guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for any purpose other than the purchaser s personal use without the written permission of Quest Software Inc. The information in this document is provided in connection with Quest Software products. No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectual property right is granted by this document or in connection with the sale of Quest Software products. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS SPECIFIED IN THE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR THIS PRODUCT, QUEST SOFTWARE ASSUMES NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER AND DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY WARRANTY RELATING TO ITS PRODUCTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL QUEST SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION OR LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS DOCUMENT, EVEN IF QUEST SOFTWARE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Quest Software makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and reserves the right to make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time without notice. Quest Software does not make any commitment to update the information contained in this document. Patents Quest Software is proud of our advanced technology. Patents and pending patents may apply to this product. For the most current information about applicable patents for this product, please visit our website at Trademarks Quest, Toad, Toad for DB2, SQL Optimizer and the Quest logo are trademarks and registered trademarks of Quest Software Inc. For a complete list of Quest marks, visit All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. Ebook-ToadTipsTricks-US-GM