Questions regarding some of the new features in version 13

[Claus Pedersen]

DBMS_Output is now retrieved when executing a PL/SQL Block

How can a PL/SQL block be executed from within a program window? Doesn't the program window always compile code to the database?

A "Set Logpoint" item has been added to the margin popup menu to quickly define a breakpoint that only logs information.

This is really cool (today I am compiling calls to dbms_output to get debug info from long-running code that is hard to debug). But I can not invoke it from the debug menu. Only by going into Modify breakpoints and then Use Message. But that is maybe not what this refers to?
When debug messages are present, shouldn't the DBMS Output tab page have a green check mark to indicate that output is present?

 

[Marco Kalter]

How can a PL/SQL block be executed from within a program window? Doesn't the program window always compile code to the database?

A PL/SQL Block (or any other SQL statement) can be part of a larger script.

This is really cool (today I am compiling calls to dbms_output to get debug info from long-running code that is hard to debug). But I can not invoke it from the debug menu. Only by going into Modify breakpoints and then Use Message. But that is maybe not what this refers to?

If you right-click in the margin of a Program Window you can select the "Set logpoint" item from the popup menu.

When debug messages are present, shouldn't the DBMS Output tab page have a green check mark to indicate that output is present?

Yes. We'll add that.

 

[sluna]

There are no improvements in configuration management: git, svn, ... of PL/SQL Source?

 

[Claus Pedersen]

Thanks for the replies, I have some comments though:

A PL/SQL Block (or any other SQL statement) can be part of a larger script.

Yes, but it can never be executed from within the program window? Only from within e.g. a test window, sql window or command window.
The text "DBMS_Output is now retrieved when executing a PL/SQL Block" is stated under Program Window Enhancements.

If you right-click in the margin of a Program Window you can select the "Set logpoint" item from the popup menu.

OK, I see. I was right-clicking in the test window and during a debug session. In these cases only the "Modify Breakpoints" menu is available.
Should "Set Logpoint" not be available from the menu during test and debug? Otherwise you will have to seperately open the program window to set the log-point, whereas during the debug session you are exactly at the line that you want to log.
Even when debug has terminated, you can not set logpoint in the package tab pages in the test window. You will have to open a new program window in order to set the logpoint.
Making the logpoint option available in test and debug mode would be a great improvement.

 

[Marco Kalter]

The breakpoint menu items should indeed be present in the Test Window context menu. We'll add this.

 

[Claus Pedersen]

OK, sounds great

 

[Claus Pedersen]

Breakpoint menu solved in beta 3, thanks.

 

[Stew Stryker]

Could I respectfully and humbly ask what the motivation was to use a new File Open control instead of the previous one?

The new control is still quite slow (even on a fast machine) and the smaller font is harder on my old eyes.

 

[Marco Kalter]

The new File Dialog is required for Multi Monitor High-DPI support, and is also a basis for future enhancements.

We'll have an option to revert to the standard File Dialog before the final 13.0 release.

 

[Stew Stryker]

Wow, thanks for offering that option!

 

[Tichij]

Environment variable "PLSDIR" has been added for the "%APPDATA%\PLSQL Developer [version]" directory where all preferences and settings are stored

Where can I use it in practice?
I tried to use it in Preferences for definition of location:
- of the beautifier rules file (%PLSDIR%\beautifier_rules.br instead of C:\Users\myusername\AppData\Roaming\PLSQL Developer 13\beautifier_rules.br),
- of the AutoReplace definitions file (%PLSDIR%\AutoReplace.txt instead of C:\Users\myusername\AppData\Roaming\PLSQL Developer 13\AutoReplace.txt).
But unsuccessfully.