SQL Plugin

Ömer Faruk ORUÇ

T.C. Hollingsworth <tchollingsworth@gmail.com>

Introduction

The Structured Query Language (SQL) is a specialized language for updating, deleting, and requesting information from databases.

The Kate SQL Plugin allows you to:

Create a database
Connect to existing databases
Insert and delete data in the database
Execute queries
Display results in a table

Connecting to a Database

Select Add Connection from the SQL menu or toolbar, and then select the Qt database driver you want to use (including QSQLITE, QMYSQL3, QMYSQL, QODBC3, QODBC, QPSQL7, and QPSQL). If you can't see the desired driver, you need to install it. Then, press Next

If the database you selected uses a file, simply indicate the database's location and press the Next button. If it requires connecting to a server, you must enter the hostname of the server, your username and password, and any other information that particular driver may require. Then press Next

Finally, give a name to your connection, and press Finish.

Running Queries

INSERT/DELETE/UPDATE

You can insert, delete, and update data using the SQL plugin just like you would from the command line or from within a program. Simply enter a query and press the Run query.

Example 4.1. Some Example Queries

INSERT

INSERT INTO table_name ("feature1", "feature2", "feature3", "feature4", "feature5")
VALUES ("value1", "value2", "value3", "value4", "value5" )

DELETE

DELETE FROM table_name WHERE name = "text"

UPDATE

UPDATE table_name SET "feature1" = "text", "feature2" = "text", "feature3" = "text", "feature4" = "text", "feature5" = "text"

SELECT

After running a SELECT query, you can view the results as a table that will appear in the SQL Data Output tool view at the bottom of Kate, or as text in the SQL Text Output. If there is an error, you can see it in the text output.

Example 4.2. Example SELECT Query

SELECT * FROM table_name

In the SQL Data Output tool view, there are some buttons:

Resize columns to contents: Changes the size of columns to fit their contents.
Resize rows to contents: Changes the size of rows to fit their contents.
Copy: Selects all table contents and copies them to the clipboard buffer.
Export: Exports all table contents to a file, the clipboard, or the current document in the Comma Separated Values format.
Clear: Removes everything from table view

You can now change the colors displayed in the table in the SQL section of Settings → Configure Kate.

Browsing

You can browse your database using the SQL Schema Browser tool view on the left. The information displayed varies depending on which database driver you are using.

To refresh this list, right-click anywhere in the tool view and select Refresh. To generate a query on any entry in the list, right-click on an entry, select Generate, and select the query type (SELECT, UPDATE, INSERT, and DELETE) from the submenu that appears.

Menu Structure

SQL → Add connection...: Adds a new connection using any database driver.
SQL → Remove connection: Removes the selected connection.
SQL → Edit connection...: Edits the current connection's settings.
Connections: All database connections you have created are listed between the Edit connection and Run query menu items. Select one to run queries or make modification to it.
SQL → Run query (Ctrl+E): Runs your query.

Thanks and Acknowledgments

The SQL Plugin was written by Marco Mentasti.

Special thanks to Google Code-In 2011 participant Ömer Faruk ORUÇ for writing much of this section.

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