Chapter 7. Generating Database Reports via TOAD

Most database application development efforts will at some time require detailed, formatted reports regarding the target database's structure. These reports are for use by a varied cast of players, including project managers, DBAs, application developers, data modelers, and business analysts. Project managers may use the reports for portions of the documentation deliverables. DBAs are often charged with publishing both hardcopy and electronic versions of all the reports. Developers may use the reports as roadmaps while writing complex SQL and PL/SQL code against the reported objects. In addition, for shops doing code reviews, those same roadmap reports will expedite and enhance the code review process. Data modelers may cross-reference the reports with their data models to verify that the database implementation meets their logical design specifications. And finally, business analysts may check the reports against both the data model and their business understandings. These are but a few examples to demonstrate how database application development efforts often require reports.

TOAD offers two key reporting mechanisms to address all such database object reporting needs: Standard Database Reports and the HTML Schema Doc Generator, both of which are covered in this chapter. Moreover, both of these database-reporting options are fully available to both DBAs and developers using TOAD. Although in some shops DBAs produce these database object reports as part of their routine tasks , TOAD does not require DBA privileged access to generate most of these reports. Thus developers and other TOAD users are free to create their own reports whenever needed.