# Guide for new users **URL:** \ **Category:** Toad for Oracle & DevOps Toolkit\ **Created:** [May 19, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528 "2010-05-19T14:44:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melanienikdel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@melanienikdel](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/melanienikdel)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/1 "2010-05-19T14:44:11Z")
Hi everyone, I’m the new Content Manager for Toad and I’m working on a PDF guide for new users. I’m thinking of it as a crash course on how to quickly start using Toad for common tasks. I’m having a hard time defining what should be covered, so I thought I’d take it to the masses. The million dollar question is: What features/tasks are essential for new users to know? Feel free to email me directly ( [melanie.nikdel@quest.com](mailto:melanie.nikdel@quest.com) ) if you don’t want to clutter up the boards. Cheers, Melanie ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@Anonymous1](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/Anonymous1)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/2 "2010-05-19T15:34:50Z")
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**Author:** ![wimdelange\_062](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@wimdelange\_062](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/wimdelange_062)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/3 "2010-05-20T00:51:32Z")
I would say a section with tips and tricks. I always try to learn a product from the inside out and always amaze some colleagues with tricks likes Shift-Ctrl-F for formatting your code fast. Groetjes, Wim On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 21:44, Melanie Nikdel wrote: Hi everyone, ``` I’m the new Content Manager for Toad and I’m working on a PDF guide for new users. I’m thinking of it as a crash course on how to quickly start using Toad for common tasks. I’m having a hard time defining what should be covered, so I thought I’d take it to the masses. The million dollar question is: What features/tasks are essential for new users to know? Feel free to email me directly ( melanie.nikdel@quest.com ) if you don’t want to clutter up the boards. Cheers, Melanie ``` ---
**Author:** ![KevinAngus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@KevinAngus](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/KevinAngus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/4 "2010-05-20T05:18:02Z")
Hi Melanie, One thing I’ve noticed that confuses new users is the “execute queries in threads” option - people don’t realise there might be more than one transaction active for a single TOAD connection. So maybe a short section on the implications of switching this on would be useful. Regards, Kevin. ---
**Author:** ![KevinAngus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@KevinAngus](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/KevinAngus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/5 "2010-05-20T05:30:49Z")
I’d also reiterate Erwin’s point about “you must know something about SQL”. TOAD makes it easier to do things but you should still know what the things are and why you are doing them! As an aside to that, using a feature like Spool SQL actually makes TOAD a useful learning tool too! Maybe not a beginner’s trick though? Kevin. ---
**Author:** ![NormTeamT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/quest/user_avatar/forums.toadworld.com/normteamt/32/53_2.png) [@NormTeamT](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/NormTeamT)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/6 "2010-05-20T05:53:56Z")
Hi Melanie, that’s a difficult task you have there! I’d start by a quick intro to Toad as a replacement for SQL_Plus. Show that whatever you can do in SQL_Plus, Toad does better as the results are in a grid that can be exported and so on. (Plain SQL, editable grids, commits and rollbacks - why the buttons for these don’t always work (statements in separate threads!) for code in the MOE. Once that [chapter] miss out of the way, a quick dive into the many many options in Toad that could prove to be the most useful - turn off auto commit for example (explain why having it on is a bad idea). No need to get too in-depth with the options. Schema Browser next up. Different styles - drop down, tree view, tabbed or multi-tabbed as well, if you must! (I’m a T.V. man myself with leanings towards drop down!) Mention, as often as you can, that right clicking almost anywhere allows you to do “exciting” things that may not have a button or main menu option. PL/SQL editing - and how the users should NEVER edit code directly from the database (an option probably mentioned in the above chapter on options) - It may help prevent production databases being fiddled with. This chapter would most likely cover, procedures, function, packages, triggers etc. Show how Toad makes life so much easier with it’s code highlighting, over what SQL\*Plus lets you do! Version control would be next up. After all the writing of code, you really need to keep it safe. I suspect I would concentrate mostly on the use of SubVersion etc using third party add-one as opposed to Toad’s Team Coding options - simply because the latter require objects creating inside the individual databases whereas the third party stuff only needs TortoiseSVN - for example - or a third party dll to connect to the version control system of choice. So, you have coded some code, and saved it away in version control, explain the various debuggers next. Actions (as was) Automation Designer as is. An overview section on the advanced options you can have - DBA etc. An appendix with all current Toad Options and what they can do you the user. Maybe? An appendix with details of where to go for help: - Support - Toad Groups - Toad World. - TeamT - Etc. An appendix of all the TLAs and ETLAs used in Toad - MOE, SB, LHS, RHS etc. Hope that helps. Cheers, Norm. [TeamT] Information in this message may be confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify the sender immediately, delete it and do not copy it to anyone else. We have checked this email and its attachments for viruses. But you should still check any attachment before opening it. We may have to make this message and any reply to it public if asked to under the Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act or for litigation. Email messages and attachments sent to or from any Environment Agency address may also be accessed by someone other than the sender or recipient, for business purposes. If we have sent you information and you wish to use it please read our terms and conditions which you can get by calling us on 08708 506 506. Find out more about the Environment Agency at [www.environment-agency.gov.uk](http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk) Information in this message may be confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify the sender immediately, delete it and do not copy it to anyone else. We have checked this email and its attachments for viruses. But you should still check any attachment before opening it. We may have to make this message and any reply to it public if asked to under the Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection Act or for litigation. Email messages and attachments sent to or from any Environment Agency address may also be accessed by someone other than the sender or recipient, for business purposes. If we have sent you information and you wish to use it please read our terms and conditions which you can get by calling us on 08708 506 506. Find out more about the Environment Agency at [www.environment-agency.gov.uk](http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk) ---
**Author:** ![flyfishpanfish](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/quest/user_avatar/forums.toadworld.com/flyfishpanfish/32/141_2.png) [@flyfishpanfish](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/flyfishpanfish)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 11:12am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/7 "2010-05-20T11:12:40Z")
One of the things I use a lot and found out by poking buttons: that query open in one database’s MOE can be moved to one of my other Toad-opened database MOEs and run there. Deborah M Flad, DBA Office: 302.633.2694 Emergencies: 302.528.3652 “Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this e-mail” ![image002.png](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/quest/original/2X/1/1d960df05fef6802ca8964918447759cd225964f.png) ---
**Author:** ![flyfishpanfish](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/quest/user_avatar/forums.toadworld.com/flyfishpanfish/32/141_2.png) [@flyfishpanfish](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/flyfishpanfish)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 11:12am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/8 "2010-05-20T11:12:40Z")
One of the things I use a lot and found out by poking buttons: that query open in one database’s MOE can be moved to one of my other Toad-opened database MOEs and run there. Deborah M Flad, DBA Office: 302.633.2694 Emergencies: 302.528.3652 “Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this e-mail” ![image001.gif](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/quest/original/2X/7/75e65f26ef4dc6ca625e1676cfd32856e9eb7e34.gif) ---
**Author:** ![MGainty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@MGainty](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/MGainty)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/9 "2010-05-20T12:14:11Z")
i’m assuming MOE is Molecular Operating Environment? Martin– * * * Please do not alter this message. ![image001.gif](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/quest/original/2X/7/75e65f26ef4dc6ca625e1676cfd32856e9eb7e34.gif) ---
**Author:** ![MGainty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@MGainty](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/MGainty)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/10 "2010-05-20T12:14:11Z")
i’m assuming MOE is Molecular Operating Environment? Martin– * * * Please do not alter this message. ![image002.png](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/quest/original/2X/1/1d960df05fef6802ca8964918447759cd225964f.png) ---
**Author:** ![Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Guest](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/Guest)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/11 "2010-05-20T14:48:05Z")
Here’s something that could be highly beneficial. This is in-line with the suggestion of indicating that Toad is a GUI and a person still needs to understand how to code in SQL and/or PLSQL. The rule: Toad does not replace Oracle for security purposes! Explain that any access a developer requires still needs to be done through the database. Such things as Toad providing a front-end to the Database debugging tools, but the packages such as DBMS\_DEBUG still need to be in place with the proper grants. Another one off the top of my head is that a person needs granted either public or direct access to an object in order to be able to compile code against that object. Access granted through a role won’t work for such a purpose. Roger S. ---
**Author:** ![RayPaschke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b487fb/32.png) [@RayPaschke](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/RayPaschke)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/12 "2010-05-20T15:02:05Z")
> > any access a developer requires still needs to be done through the database > > VERY GOOD! Wish I had thought of that! We look at roles and grants before we question Toad's ability to present something. It would be very nice if the Toad documentation listed what views (usually the V$\_ views) are used to present data in some of the windows. This is particularly true for the Session Browser. ---
**Author:** ![Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Guest](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/Guest)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/13 "2010-05-20T15:40:57Z")
> It would be very nice if the Toad documentation listed what views (usually > the V$\_ views) are used to present data in some of the windows. This is > particularly true for the Session Browser. Even if each is not specifically documented, the Spool option would certainly tell you. Just a thought... Rich -- [TeamT] Disclaimer: Pie are not squared. Pie are round. ---
**Author:** ![Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Guest](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/Guest)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/14 "2010-05-21T11:13:43Z")
I’d add in the appendix, the grants/privileges required to use the main features of Toad e.g debugger. We get that question quite a lot in Support. Susan ---
**Author:** ![NormTeamT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/quest/user_avatar/forums.toadworld.com/normteamt/32/53_2.png) [@NormTeamT](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/NormTeamT)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/guide-for-new-users/9528/15 "2010-05-22T14:33:54Z")
On 21/05/10 17:13, suskil wrote: > I'd add in the appendix, the grants/privileges required to use the main > features of Toad e.g debugger. We get that question quite a lot in Support. > Hey Suse, you still lurking then, keeping an eye on me? Hope you are well, Jim and the boys too. Cheers, Norm. [TeamT]