mimic netbeans IDE feature---group tabs in rows for SQL worksheet

user7091240

professional developers need to work at multiple SQL queries or worksheets, or packages when design, debug, trace, etc.

To help to organize the multiple worksheets better, instead of clicking on the left and right arrow at the end of the single bar, putting the tabs or tab heads into groups, and allow each group to be in a row, and even better allow each row has its own color.

All these have been available in Netbeans IDE for long time, and it is a low hanging sweet fruit to pick up and make SQL developer much more user friendly and more efficient for big projects which involves multiple PL/SQL packages, procedures, functions, triggers, etc.

Thank you very much.

user7091240

I need to dig through multiple PL/SQL packages and procedures, functions to keep track of the logic and data flow to solve issues, each of them open one tab, and they may spread on multiple Oracle databases using DB links.

Mean time, I need to work with multiple queries with each databases, and to check, verify the data in tables cross multiple databases.

When you have to click on the LEFT, RIGHT arrow at the end of the tiny single line of tabs, you definitely feel the pain or may even lost in those tons of tabs.

It happens in daily life for professional PL/SQL developers.

Please make SQL developer better for them who use it the most.

user7091240

ultra-wide 5k monitor may help the current issue I mentioned, but that is another affordability issue.

thatJeffSmith-Oracle

we have groups already, you know this, yes?

And I'm pretty sure we got this feature from yes, Netbeans.

user7091240

Thanks for the update. That helps little bit, but not as efficient as 'tabs in rows' when face tons of tabs.

It will help you like GPS tells you where you are, and what is surrounding you as bird eye view, so you can keep on track , and makes it easy for you to switch to the one you focus on and switch out.

If you need, I can post some Netbeans IDE screen about 'tabs in rows' concept, which focus on 'bird eye view' and switching. This feature you gave focus on side-by-side.

I guess SQL developer has something to do with Netbeans Platform. If so, it is much easier to borrow the ideas.

Thank you.

user7091240

I am a Java /Java EE developer too, and have used NetBeans for many years since it provides some unique features.

Same as using SQL developer, I have to maintain/develop several Java/Java EE projects at the same time due to time pressure, or sub projects/modules opened at the same time since they are connected as a whole system.

So NetBeans' 'tabs in rows' is a killer feature for that situation, and perfectly fits into my need, so I open files of one project/module into tabs as one row, and even better, that row has back ground color as option to distinguish them from row of files from other sub-projects/modules.

In that situation, 'side-by-side' is not that critical, though better to have, since I know those files or modules clearly, I just need to switch to one of them quickly without searching for their location in a hassle.

It is like a commander/general spends time searching in piles of small pieces of notes on the desktop which may show some small notes side by side, instead of pointing at a multiple-layers big world map on the wall that can switch view at will.

Thank you.

thatJeffSmith-Oracle

what we have now is the current status quo...there are plans on updates though, stay tuned

user7091240

Thank you for the update. I am sure it will help a lot of professional and heavy PL/SQL people like me.

If side-by-side is the only option, can you image dozens of groups, each has its own tabs, shown in parallel on one monitor?

user7091240

I also use pl/sql developer, which provides window-list window, to help to locate the SQL window and provides one-click switch.

But it takes precious screen space and sometimes, blocks the way.

user7091240

The photo of the "tab list" sub-window at the end of SQL developer bar of tab heads:

The down arrow icon provides a method to view all tabs and user can click to switch to one.

But it is not a direct way, needs extra time and effort, slows down, disturbs, or even shifts away user's line of thought , thus not a very good user UI design.

If the tabs-in-rows can be implemented inside the current 'group', that will definitely be a double killer feature.

user7091240

The feature 'tabs in rows' has been available in NetBeans since version 7.2, and here is the copied introduction for version 8.0.2 which was released almost six years ago:

NetBeans 8.0.2

Tools > Options > Appearance > Document Tabs > Multi-row tabs