This document provides information about debugging PL/SQL code using SQL Developer. It discusses both local debugging of code written and run within SQL Developer, as well as remote or external debugging of code called from an application like APEX. Key points covered include setting breakpoints, using step over and step into functions, and setting up remote debugging by having the database connect back to SQL Developer running on the client machine.

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Debugging PL/SQL with SQL Developer
Jeff Smith
Senior Principal Product Manager
Jeff.d.smith@oracle.com || @thatjeffsmith
Database Tools, Oracle Corp
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Not Just THAT SQLDev Guy…
• Database Development Tools team
• Product manager/story teller
• I bother help people online, everywhere
• Contact me for a free remote presentation for your group/company
– Jeff.d.smith@oracle.com
– @thatjeffsmith
– https://www.thatjeffsmith.com

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thatJeffSmith on
• 60+ Videos
• Feature demos
• Tips & Tricks
• Short & Long Form
– SQL Developer
– SQLcl
– Data Modeler
– ORDS

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SQL Developer Snapshot
Time Tested
Launched in
2005
An Industry Standard
5M+ Oracle DBAs
& Developers
Always Improving
Quarterly
Releases
4

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Project Raptor
 Early Adopter on OTN
2005
1.1
 File Based PL/SQL editing
 Reports
 Ships with 11gR1
1.5.x
 Localizations -
Japanese, Spanish,
Italian, German, French,
Portuguese, Chinese, &
Koreans
 Ships with 11gR2
SQLDev v1.0
 SQL Worksheet
 Procedure Editor
 The world takes notice!
1.5
 Schema Copy/Diff/Export
 Thick connections
 Versioning
 TimesTen
2.1
 Unit Testing
 Data Modeler Viewer
 Unshared SQL Worksheets
2007 201020092006
3.0
 Full Data Modeler
 View > DBA
 SQL Tuning Advisor
 Query Builder
2008 2011 2012
3.1
 New Database DIFF
 PDF Reports
 RMAN
 Data Pump
2013
3.2
 APEX Listener / ORDS
Support
 Database 12c Support
 Schema Service Support
4.0
 Java 7
 ASH/AWR/ADDM
 Color Coded Connections
 Command line Interface
4.0.3
 Optimized Code Insight
 Oracle Big Data Appliance
2014 2015 2016
4.1
 ORDS Included/Full GUI
 instance Viewer
 SQLcl
 Copy PDB to DBaaS
 Larry live demos PDB relocate @ OOW
4.2
 Real Time SQL Monitoring
 Top SQL Report
 Formatter & Other Editor Enhancements
 Easier RESTful Services Development
2017
SQLcl
 New CLI
 Modern SQL*Plus
Release History

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2017
2017.2
 Bug Fixes
 Sharding
 Data Guard
17.3 & 17.4
 Bug Fixes
Quarterly Releases!!!
2018
Release History
18.1
 Autonomous Data Warehouse Support
 New Welcome Screen/Connections
 SQL Injection Detection
 PL/Scope SQL Statement Support
 Better Formatting
18.2 & 3
 PL/SQL Injection
Detection
 Cloud data Loads
 SQL Developer
Web

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What does ‘debug’ mean?
 Run and watch?
 dbms/owa OUTPUT?
 Stare at your code until you decide to get coffee?

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 after
 code++
 observe
 clean up
DBMS/OWA_OUTPUT is not ‘bad’

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 Coming?
 Going?
 Pause/Poke
 Play with what-if scenarios
Interactive, step-by-step experience with your code

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The PL/SQL Debugger
 SYS.DBMS_DEBUG_JDWP
 Native SQL Developer tooling
 $0.00

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A Tale of Two Debugging Methods
 LOCAL
Code/Session originates from SQL Developer
 REMOTE aka EXTERNAL aka Just in Time
Session kicks off and runs from your program, which then connects back
down to SQL Developer for you to debug

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 Required PRIVS: DEBUG CONNECT SESSION &
EXECUTE for PL/SQL
 12c+ : Access Control Lists (Fine Grained Access)
 Open Code/Object in a code editor
 Compile for DEBUG
 Click the big ‘Bug’ button
Local Debugging

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What happens next
 the DATABASE will CONNECT to your Machine
 not CLIENT => SERVER but SERVER => CLIENT
 ACL in 12c+ allows the DB to reach out on the network
 if this is a bridge too far…

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DBMS_DEBUG (PROBE API)
DatabaseDebuggerDisableJDWP=true
CLIENT => SERVER

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 Not officially supported
 Not as feature rich
 External debugging won’t work

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 Set a Breakpoint! OR
 Configure Preferences
 Start Debugging: Step Over
Some Tips

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Breakpoints
‘stops’ execution on a
specific line
OR
If a condition is met

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Step Over vs Step Into
 Step Over – Executes line 51, goes to line 54
 Step Into – Opens program at line 51 for debugging

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Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Oh, oh
Where do we go?
(Where do we go now?)
Mind the Call Stack

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Remote/External Debugging – cue APEX!
 APEX runs, calls PL/SQL
 hits breakpoint
 SQLDev takes over
 do debugging
 control back to APEX

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Listen for Debug Requests
SQL Developer Client Machine IP
Make sure SQL Dev is listening when APEX rings the door bell

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Setup Debugger in your Application
execute DBMS_DEBUG_JDWP.CONNECT_TCP(‘sqldev-IP’, port);

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Remember to set a breakpoint!
Executable lines of code

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Run your APEX App
 Session trips breakpoint
APEX will ‘hang’
 SQL Developer will
‘blink’ to life
 Start debugging!

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Debug!