Oracle and Open Source

DBInspector

DBInspector is a Java GUI tool developed by David Moffett. He wanted to provide another Java-based alternative to SQL*Plus that could make Oracle a little easier to use. The main web site for DBInspector is:

http://dbinspector.com

Installing DBInspector

Follow these steps to install DBInspector:

1. Download DBInspector from the web site just listed.

2. Unpack the tarball, for example (under Unix):

   $ tar xvf dbi.93.tar

3. Once this is done, running the main program is a straightforward step. Simply add the resultant dbi.jar file to your CLASSPATH, as well as the standard file that stores your Oracle JDBC drivers.

4. Execute something similar to the following step (under Win32):

   > java -classpath C:\dbi.jar;C:\classes12.zip dbi.ui.DBInspector

   A screen similar to the one in the center of Figure 8-9 should then appear. Note, however, that there is no preexisting database entry. We’ll add our first entry in the next section.

Figure 8-9. DBInspector probing the evidence

Using DBInspector

Configuring and using DBInspector is a straightforward operation:

1. When the first main screen appears, click on the Add button. This will bring up the screen shown on the left in Figure 8-9.

2. Add your target JDBC connection information and press Save.

3. You should now see the main screen again, this time with your newly entered database available as a target. Select this and press Open. The SQL drill-down screen should ...