KeepTool Blog - Current

KeepTool introduces a powerful master/detail view in the data browser—now you can switch effortlessly between a master table and its related detail tables (or even add your own relations). With full filtering, foreign key lookups, exports (Excel, KML, INSERT/UPDATE/MERGE scripts), and integrated reporting via FastReport, navigating complex Oracle datasets becomes intuitive and efficient.

Now, data groupings you create in KeepTool’s Hora—like grouping by city and adding count or summary footers—are retained when exported to Excel. Even better: Excel preserves those collapsible group areas and automatically updates totals via formulas when underlying data changes.

KeepTool 14’s merged column grouping empowers you to create compound groupings by simply holding down Ctrl while dragging one column header next to another into the Group-By box—perfect for grouping fields like CITY and ZIP code together. Enabled via the in-memory grid mode, this intuitive feature enhances your data browsing and filtering experience.

KeepTool 14 arrives with over 40 powerful enhancements, including optimized Excel exports for grouped data, multi-column data grouping, and a built-in master-detail view in the data browser. The update also brings a refreshed design and flexible licensing while maintaining support for both Windows and macOS/Linux setups.

KeepTool makes backing up your Oracle database schema simple and reliable. Using a Windows batch file, you can automate the Reverse DB Engineer tool to run daily and save schema snapshots as date-stamped SQL files—perfect for version tracking and historical reference.

Migrating to Oracle 12c often means switching from a single‑byte character set (like WE8MSWIN1252) to AL32UTF8—Oracle's default Unicode too. This change can silently break migrations if your VARCHAR2 columns don't have the correct semantics or capacity. KeepTool Hora eases the transition by helping you identify columns where data could overflow after conversion, and guides you in adjusting column definitions or trimming data so everything fits—and nothing gets skipped.

KeepTool Hora now supports executing a custom initialization script immediately after login—per connection. This feature automates essential tasks like setting NLS parameters, initializing session variables, or mimicking application-level logic, all without manual setup. Just assign your script via the Connect dialog and let Hora handle the rest seamlessly.

KeepTool 12.1 brings noteworthy upgrades to boost your productivity: borrow network licenses for up to 30 days to work remotely, enjoy persistent SQL and lexical parameters per connection via the Scratchpad, pinpoint PL/SQL errors at a glance with red line markers, and generate consistent SQL snippets—including smarter default value handling across inserts—all designed to make your Oracle development smoother and smarter.

Indexes on foreign key columns are essential to prevent full-table locks and keep queries running fast. With KeepTool Hora, you can easily add missing indexes using the “Create index on FK columns” dialog—making schema optimization simple and efficient.

KeepTool 12 delivers smarter Oracle tool enhancements: full support for Oracle 12c features (like EXPLICIT NULLS, invisible and identity columns), improved Oracle Spatial capabilities, a sleek new Material Design interface, a hassle-free license activation process, and a brand-new Free edition that replaces the Light edition—offering great value right from the start.