Multi-Edit allows adding additional capability by installing Add-On packages. These can be packages we wrote and have released, packages that users have written and sent to us, user written packagesor have uploaded to our website. Below are a number of the optional Add-On packages that are included in the Multi-Edit installer that can be selected to be installed when Multi-Edit is installed.

External Application Integration Add-Ons

Language Support Add-Ons

Feature Add-Ons

The following Add-Ons add expanded support for some of the language Multi-Edit current supports or add support for languages not currently available in Multi-Edit.

Contained in this Online Help are some important notes, installation procedures, enhancements, and a list of recent bug fixes. Please read this entire Online Help before using the PL/SQL Compile Add-On.

PL/SQL Compile Add-On adds ORACLE PL/SQL support to Multi-Edit 2008. This includes:

• Start of compilation of PL/SQL within Multi-Edit (SQL Plus and an ORACLE Database are needed)
• Start of SQL-Scripts within Multi-Edit (SQL Plus and an ORACLE Database are needed)
• Compilation error handling for PL/SQL (jump to the error line and column delivered from SQL Plus and consideration of blank lines – Oracle delivers error line numbers without the consideration of blank lines (ORACLE 7))
• ORACLE Connection Administration

PL/SQL Add-On for Multi-Edit 2008 has been tested with:

• ORACLE SQL Plus 3.3.4.0.0 - Production
• ORACLE SQL Plus 8.0.4.0.0 - Production
• ORACLE SQL Plus 8.1.6.0.0 - Production
• ORACLE Server Release 7.3.4.0.0 - Production
• ORACLE Server Release 8.0.4.0.0 - Production
• ORACLE Server Release 8.1.5.0.0 - Production
• ORACLE PL/SQL Release 2.3.4.0.0 - Production
• ORACLE PL/SQL Release 8.0.4.0.0 - Production
• ORACLE PL/SQL Release 8.1.5.0.0 - Production

The setup program creates the subdirectory PL-SQL_Add-In in with the PL/SQL Add-In support files in your Multi-Edit directory. This directory is necessary for the installation process (see step 3).

For the installation use the following steps.

1. Start Multi-Edit

2. From the main menu, select Tools | Install Add-On Packages.

3. When the Add-On Installation screen appears, select 'Browse' and choose the directory with the PL/SQL Add-In support files.

4. Highlight “PL/SQL Add-In for Multi-Edit 2008” and press the 'Install' button. Follow the instructions and PL/SQL Add-In will be installed on your computer.

5. In the main menu select Tools | ORACLE Connections | Connection Administration…

6. You can create/add and edit your ORACLE Connections in the dialog which appears.

7. The compilation of PL/SQL Code and the execution of SQL scripts are only successful when your ORACLE BIN path is set in the “PATH” environment variable of your operating system. Otherwise SQL Plus will not be found.

8. There is a problem with ORACLE SQL Plus in the Version 8 together with the ORACLE Server Release 7.X and the error handling. This version delivers a “Package created” message even if the file contains errors. The “show errors” command delivers a no error message.

The following “show errors” command has to be used “show errors [module type] [module name]“ (for example: show errors package body examplepackage). This command delivers the error message with the needed line and column numbers.

The result is, if you want to use SQL Plus 8 together with an ORACLE Server Release 7.X then you should use the option “Use SQL Plus 8 for ORACLE 7 connections” in the “Language Properties Setup” dialog for PL/SQL in Multi-Edit. That option generates the correct show errors command for the compilation with SQL Plus 8.

9. Exit Multi-Edit and start it again.

10. You can type in a default name for the author of a module for the module templates. Choose “Edit templates”. Choose in the “template set” “GLOBAL” and then in the “templates column” the “NAME” template. In “Result:“ replace the displayed name with your name. In the “Keyword” field type in your first name or last name. In the “Min length” field choose the length of the name which you have typed in the “Keyword” field.

It is necessary to put each type of module of PL/SQL in a separate file, so that some functions work properly (Error handling and function tagging).

For example: Separate a Package Specification from a Package Body. Only one type in a file (for example: only a Package Specification).

Combinations of module types in one file are not allowed (for example: not a Stored Procedure with a Package Body). This is not really a limitation, because it is always better to put each module in a different file.

No error handling for SQL scripts.

ORACLE runtime errors cannot be handled.

Tagging for overloaded functions/procedures doesn't work in some cases. That occurs if the lines, which contain the name of the functions/procedures, have no difference. That can happen if the arguments of the functions are placed in different lines. This limitation is not based on the Add-On but on a limitation of Multi-Edit.

You should not run SQL Plus 3.X against an ORACLE 8 database. Because there are some incompatibilities, for example if you want to compile a PL/SQL source file and a compilation error occurs, you will receive a buffer overflow error. The problem also is not based on the Add-On but on a Multi-Edit limitation.

If a procedure or function prototype is declared in a package specification and the definition is forgotten in the package body, the attempt to compile the body causes a problem. ORACLE delivers an error message and the line number in that error message relies on the package specification source code and not on the package body source code. This cannot be handled by the PL/SQL Add-On.

Do not use the & character in comments of the source code otherwise ORACLE SQL Plus stops the compilation and expects an input value.

SQL Plus which is used for compilation can only handle file names inclusive the path with a maximum length of 80 characters.

BSC Browser is a Multi-Edit Add-On, which allows you to use Microsoft Visual C++ browse information (.BSC files) within Multi-Edit.

The BSC Browser Add-On supports .BSC files created with Microsoft Visual C++ 4.2 – 7.1

BSC Browser allows you to browse the symbol under cursor or prompt for symbol name and locate its definition in source files or the declaration in header files. It is able to locate symbols even in changed files using heuristics and original line numbers. Browsing allows wildcards and the browser caches all possible information so next access is quick even for big lists. Results of previous functions are available from the BSC Browser menu. The BSC Browser saves the position where it was called from and it is able to return back. A one level undo function is also available for mistake corrections or for quickly switching back and forth. Browsing can cooperate with Multi-Tags and the same hotkeys being used for both the BSC Browser and Multi-Tags browse, backtracking and browse current file functions.

Every browse dialog contains set of filters based on symbol type and also advanced filters based on symbols usage which can be used for analysis purpose. It is also possible to display a list of callers of the symbol and a list of symbols used by the symbol. List all globals displays all globally visible symbols.

The BSC Browser can display and locate symbol references. Using original line numbers it can locate references even in files changed after compilation. References can be used for code analysis, quick navigation and troubleshooting because the BSC database contains exactly what the compiler sees after preprocessing.

BSC Browser is project aware and integrated to the project manager.

Browse modules dialog can be used for quick navigation in the project especially if local files feature is used. It is possible to synchronize BSC modules with Multi-Tags and display detailed information about every module. For BSC databases created on different computers’ paths stored in the BSC database can be substituted to match different local drives and directory mapping. Last but not least BSC Browser is able to display parameters info for the function under cursor using BSC database information and real source files. This info can be configured to display automatically when open parenthesis key is pressed after function or macro name.

BSC Browser is installed just like any other Multi-Edit Add-On. Copy all files from the archive to a directory, run Multi-Edit, go to Tools | Install Add-On Packages, select the proper Source Directory and press the Install key. Files should be copied to proper locations and a new BSC Browser submenu should appear in the menu bar.

To update from a previous version click on Tools | Install Add-On Packages and point to the proper Source Directory where BSC Browser is installed. Multi-Edit will find the previous version and ask what to do, select “Full install” to begin the update process.

BSC Browser is Multi-Edit project-aware and is recommended for use with projects.

Recommended project set up is as follows:

1. Create a new project or set some existing project

2. Go to Project | Properties | Directories | Root Directory and set it to the directory to where the project source files are stored.

3. Create a .BSC file for this project in Microsoft Visual C++ (more about this ).

4. Go to BSC project tab and select .BSC database file and set both directories if different from the project root directory.

Try the Information button to see if BSC database file was set correctly, especially if metacommand are used.

Now you can List all modules, Browse modules, symbols etc.

The following Add-Ons add new features to Multi-Edit. These can add new ways of viewing existing data such as Windows and Template in panes that can be always show instead of via popup dialogs.

The FilePane Add-On provides convenient access to a set of commonly used files or directories, similar to the Favorites menu in a web browser. You may access the FilePane via View | FilePane. (If Files is already checked, then use View | Navigation Pane.) You will initially get the message, “Unable to find FilePane database - no entries in pane!” This just means you haven't added any files or folders to the file pane yet. Add a file to the file pane by clicking the ‘Add File to FilePane’ button. Add a directory by clicking the ‘Add Directory to FilePane’ button. The depth of a directory is initially set to one, meaning the contents of subdirectories will not be listed. You may change this by clicking the 'Edit FilePane List' button, select your directory, click ‘Edit’, and set the “Depth:“ value to a higher number. (Setting the depth too deep can have a performance impact when the tree is created and refreshed.)

The Window List Add-On is a fully functional alternative to the Window List dialog described above. You may access the Window List Add-On via View | Windows. (If Windows is already checked, then use View | Navigation Pane.) In the Window List Add-On pane you may change the order of the windows by clicking the ‘Move Window Up’ and ‘Move Window Down’ toolbar buttons. You may also sort the windows by right clicking any window listed and selecting Sort. Note that manually reordering the windows will turn off the automatic sort. You may sort by Filename, Path, Extension, or Date. You may also use the toolbar buttons to Hide Window, Unhide Window, Minimize Window, Restore Window, Save File, Print File, Close File, or get a File Prompt to load a new file.

The TemplatePane Add-On provides convenient access to a set of templates appropriate for the currently selected file. After installation, the TemplatePane option will be available via View | Templates. (If Templates is already checked, then use View | Navigation Pane.)

The TemplatePane is described in the TemplatePane section in the Working in Multi-Edit chapter under the Language Features section.