Connection Pinning
In PL/SQL Developer 9.0 a window connection is fixed unless you explicitly select a different connection. In version 10.0 window connections can either be pinned or unpinned. When unpinned, the window connection will follow the main connection when the main connection is changed. When pinned, the window connection will remain the same when the main connection is changed. To view or change the pinning of the window connection, view or click on the button in the connection status panel.
Edition Based Redefinition
In the Connection List you can now set a new "Edition" property to indicate that a connection is for a specific edition. For all sessions that are created for this connection definition a corresponding "alter session set edition" command will be executed. This makes it easy to use objects from different editions. By using the new "Compare to database source" function of the Program Window you can quickly compare objects from different editions.
Workspace Management
In the Connection List you can now set a new "Workspace" property to indicate that a connection is for a specific workspace (see above). For all sessions that are created for this connection definition a corresponding "DBMS_WM.GotoWorkspace" call will be made. This makes it easy to work in different workspaces. When using connection lists and connection indicators, the same format as described above for editions is used.
To start PL/SQL Developer with for a specific workspace, you can use the new Workspace=<name> parameter. For example:
plsqldev.exe userid=scott/tiger@chicago workspace=W12
A similar syntax can be used when connecting for a specific workspace from the Command Window
SQL> connect scott/tiger@chicago workspace=W12
Editor enhancements
The editor can now mark identifiers longer than 30 characters, so that you can quickly see when you are declaring a variable name or object name that is too long
Program Window enhancements
You can now quickly compare the current source in the Program Window to the source of a database object or file. Right-click and select a compare function from the popup-menu.
General IDE enhancements
"Session > Set Password" menu item added, which sets the password in the database and in the connection definitions.
Setting your password through "alter user <name> identified by <password>" now also updates the connections definitions.
"Session > Set Main Connection to <Current>" menu item added.
New Appearance preference: "Show window connection in application title".
Preferences will be synchronized between PL/SQL Developer instances (Tools, Documents, Reports, Object Browser Folders, Browser Filters, File Browser Folders).
Drag & Drop of a directory from the Windows Explorer will open all contained files in PL/SQL Developer.
Unused connections can now automatically be closed when a window is closed or the main connection is switched.
Command-line parameter enhancements
New InstantClient=<path> parameter.
New NLS_LANG=<language_territory.charset> parameter.
New TNS_ADMIN=<path> parameter.
New ENV:Name=<value> parameter (e.g ENV:NLS_DATE_FORMAT=DD-MM-YYYY).
Project=* parameter now allows you to select project from the file selector.
