Database Navigator
Database Navigator is the main view to work with the structure and content of databases. To open Database Navigator, on the Windows menu, click Database Navigator. For information on how to change the view layout, please see the Application Window Overview article.
Database Navigator contains a tree of objects, a toolbar and View menu which contain generic items. Each object in the tree has its own context menu. The tree contains the following objects:
- Folders -
- Database connections - and other (icons differ depending on the database type)
- Database objects - various depending on the database type, such as Tables , Views , Columns , Indexes , etc.
To open the view menu of Database Navigator, click the View Menu button () in the upper-right corner of the window. For more information on where to find the view toolbar and menu, please see the Views article.
The menu contains the following items:
Icon | Menu item | Description |
---|---|---|
Driver Manager | Opens the Driver Manager window that allows you to create, edit and delete drivers for databases. See Database Drivers for information about managing database drivers. | |
New Connection | Opens the Create new connection wizard. See Create Connection for information about creating connections. | |
(empty) | Active Project | Displays a submenu which allows you to choose a project. See Projects and Projects view for information about projects. |
New Folder | Opens a dialog box for creating a new folder | |
Collapse All | Collapses the tree to the root level | |
Link with editor | Synchronizes the active editor with the element in the database navigator |
The toolbar is located in the title bar of the window. Its buttons duplicate the menu items, except for the Active Project.
To open the context menu for an object, right-click the object in the tree. The following table summarizes the context menu items for all types of objects that may appear in the tree. Note that the presence or absence of the context menu items for an object depends on the database and object types.
Menu item | Description |
---|---|
Open folder | Opens a folder in a separate view |
Create new connections / Create New Connection | Opens the Create new connection wizard |
New Folder | Opens a dialog box for creating a new folder |
Copy | Copies an object to the clipboard |
Paste | Inserts the copied object into a selected folder - most convenient for copy-pasting connections |
Delete | Deletes an object WARNING! The Delete menu item removes the object not only from the tree but from the database itself or the file system, and this action is irreversible. |
Rename | Opens the Rename [object] dialog box |
Properties | Opens the Properties for [object] window which allows viewing and modifying the object`s properties |
Refresh | Depending on the object, refreshes the object itself, or its parent, or its subnodes – mostly used for refreshing tables and schemes |
Connect | Attempts to connect to the database |
Invalidate/Reconnect | Checks the status of connection, if it is broken, attempts to reconnect |
Disconnect | Disconnects from the database |
SQL Editor | Opens a new SQL editor for the connection |
Recent SQL Editor | Opens the most recently opened SQL editor |
Edit Connection | Opens the Connection Configuration window that allows configuring connection settings |
Connection view | Adjusts the display of database objects, offering Simple, Advanced, or Custom views for tailored navigation. |
View [objects] | Opens the object in a separate viewer |
Edit [object] | Opens the object in a separate editor |
Create new [object] | Opens an editor in which you can specify properties and save the new object |
Filter | Opens a submenu of one or more filtering options (depending on the object): - Hide [object] - Show only [object] - Configure [objects] filter - Toggle filter - Clear filter See Filters for information. |
Copy Advanced Info | Copies the full name of an object |
Read Data in SQL Console | Opens an SQL console displaying the object`s data |
Compare | - Appears only if you select several objects of the same level - Opens the Compare objects wizard which guides you through the steps to generate a comparison report for the selected objects |
Generate SQL | Opens a submenu on which you can select the type of SQL query to generate: - SELECT - INSERT - UPDATE - DELETE - MERGE - DDL Clicking one of the items (for example INSERT) generates a relevant query in a separate window. |
Export Table Data | Opens the Data Transfer wizard that helps you select a format and export table data |
Import Table Data | Opens a window with existing database connections in which you can select a table to import data from |
Tools | Opens a submenu that provides tools for database backup and restore, vacuum, etc. |
For information on how to filter database objects in Database Navigator, please see the Filter Database Objects article.
While working in the SQL Editor, you can drag the desired object from the Database Navigator to the part of your query. Please pay attention to the selected object name. Running the query immediately with the selected object will cause an error because only the selected part of the script is being executed and fails as it's not a complete query. An extra step to deselect it by clicking somewhere in the SQL Editor is required to remove the selection. Nevertheless, we cannot deselect the object name automatically after dragging. This action is needed when you drag and drop an object into a complex query or long script, and it would be difficult to track what and where exactly you've just dropped, and you can get an unexpected error.