If you work with Oracle Database, then you might have heard about SQL Developer. SQL Developer is a free graphical tool for database development. I use this for some of my Oracle work. It’s a decent tool and it’s free.
When I upgraded my SQL Developer to the latest version (1.5.0.53), I lost my database connection settings. The settings worked the first time I created them in the new version, but it was lost the next time I opened the SQL Developer. When I tried to recreate, the save or connect key did not work. I finally fixed it as per the advise given in the OTN forum. All you have to do is edit the sqldeveloper.conf file located under C:\Program Files\sql developer installation folder\sqldeveloper\bin using notepad or wordpad and add the following lines to the end of the file. Save and restart SQL Developer. You should see your connection settings back.
AddJavaLibFile ../../lib/java/api/jaxb-api.jar
AddJavaLibFile ../../lib/java/api/jsr173_api.jar
AddJavaLibFile ../../j2ee/home/lib/activation.jar
AddJavaLibFile ../../lib/java/shared/sun.jaxb/2.0/jaxb-xjc.jar
AddJavaLibFile ../../lib/java/shared/sun.jaxb/2.0/jaxb-impl.jar
AddJavaLibFile ../../lib/java/shared/sun.jaxb/2.0/jaxb1-impl.jar
Arun, This totally worked. Thanks.
Hi Arun
Thanks for helping me solve the problem described above: SQL Developer 1.5 connection setting lost.
Cheers ubuntu
There is only one differencr between Oracle 10 g and SQL 2005. SQL 2005 is very easy and friendly. Oracle Database is like rubish software. Oracle and Microsoft has only one difference Oracle satisfied themselves but Microsoft satisfies customers and developers.
From last 3 days i am struggling to use PL SQL developer of Oracle. I am not able to make connection. What the hell. I am the developer and if iam not able to use Oracle’s database then hpow can i suggest my clients for Oracle. It is giving me realy tough time. They don’t have consistancy in their terminology. They say any thing on any screen. Believe this the reason Oracle loses customers day by day. SAP is much better than Oracle because it adds features that satisfy clients not SAP engineers.
Oracle should take strong note aganist their UI designers and Program managers. They should get sacked because i am not able to use PL SQL Developer.
Thanks Robert. I’m sure it’ll help me or someone when they encounter this problem.
Arun,
Thanks for posting this knowledge! While the steps did not work for me, they definitely sent me in the right direction.
My problem was that I launched SQL Developer 1.5 one day and the connections were gone. It had been working fine the previous day, and I had not modified my connections in any way.
Steps that corrected my problem:
1. Renamed the config folder for SQL Developer, which is at c:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\SQL Developer in my world. (I named it ‘SQL Developer-backup’.)
2. Launched SQL Developer. Since it can’t find an existing config folder structure, it thinks it’s a new install and prompts you again to see if you want to migrate settings. I click ‘No’. SQL Developer launches and creates a new config folder structure.
3. Imported all my connections from a previous export. Many folks may not have their connections backed up, but after losing mine in previous instances, I learned to back up my connections by right-clicking the parent Connections node in the Connections tab and choosing Export.
4. Next, I compared the newly-populated ‘connections.xml’ file with the one found in the renamed ‘SQL Developer-backup’ structure. The connections.xml file is buried in this folder on my machine:
c:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\SQL Developer\system1.5.1.54.40\o.jdeveloper.db.connection.11.1.1.0.22.49.42
(Perhaps not supremely-intuitive – a search may work for you.)
5. The comparison of the two files (I used a tool called Beyond Compare) showed me what was corrupt with the old connections.xml file, and I fixed it manually.
6. Renamed the folders ‘SQL Developer’ to ‘SQL Developer-clean’ and ‘SQL Developer-backup’ to ‘SQL Developer’. This essentially restored all the old config structure, meaning (hopefully) that any other settings that I had in place would return. (I guess I could have started fresh with a new configuration, but I wasn’t sure what ‘important’ settings would be lost this way.)
7. Launched SQL Developer and was back in business.
If (when) this happens again, I’ll probably head straight for the connections.xml and try to fix it manually, bypassing many of the steps above. The above process, however, did give me a warm & fuzzy feeling that I had restored all missing connections.
Hope this helps someone else out there.
Hi,
I installed Oracle SQL Developer. I had to add the java.exe path to run it. After I added the path, the oracle symbol was shown but instantly closed too. Kindly help. I need this for my project work.
Try downloading the SQL Developer that includes JDK. It won’t replace your current Java installation in the system.
Arun…u da man!
Good to know it worked.
I lost my connection when I upgraded to 1.5.1. I then had to recreate and edit the config file to get it working. They need to fix a lot in this product before it can compete with Toad and other 3rd party tools.
Hi,
I thought I would give it one more shot of making this work and it looks like my efforts paid off.. It finally works..
Apparently SQL Developer also looks at the JDK you’re using (at least with me it did..).
When using JDK 1.6 Update 5 it doesn’t work.
So I installed JDK 1.6 Update 7 and also SQL Developer 1.5.1 and that does the trick.
Importing connections and also creating new connections seem to work perfectly once again..
Didi.
Thanks for you reply.
Did you also add a new connection and restart ?
I must say that only when I delete everything under AppData\SQL Developer and then restart sql developer and import my connections, it works.
But when I add a new connection and then restart, everything gone again..
Hopefully they have a fix soon (doesn’t look promising since it’s been like this for quite a while…).
Didi.
I have no other solution. The saved connections were gone when I upgraded to SQL Developer 1.5.1 a week back. I then went back and edited the conf file as stated above and the connections are back. i’m not sure why it’s not working for you. I also don’t understand why Oracle didn’t fix this issue when they released 1.5.1.
Hi,
I tried this solution and many others stated on the Oracle Forum.
But nu luck.. Didn’t work for me..
Any other ideas ? I really like this tool but those lost connections are driving me crazy..
Didi.
You are welcome.
Thankyou so much – this was driving me crazy!!
You are welcome.
this totally worked for me thanks so much