Database connection
Open with Workspace → Connections → Database… on the main menu bar. A modal dialog for connecting to an Oracle or SQL Server database.
The Database Vendor dropdown at the top picks Oracle or SQL Server; the form below changes accordingly.
To browse, remove, or refresh every saved connection in one place rather than going through this dialog one at a time, use Workspace → Connections → Manage saved…. It lists every connection with name, vendor, summary, and last-used time, and is sortable by any column.
Common controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Execution Mode | Dropdown (shown when enabled for this workspace): which execution mode to use. |
| Reversal Mode | Dropdown (shown when enabled for this workspace): which reversal mode to use. |
| Auto-connect on startup | Checkbox at the bottom: automatically connect when opening this workspace. Only available when using Windows authentication or when credentials are saved. |
| Disconnect | Close the active connection. Shown only when connected. |
| Connect | Activate the selected connection as the workspace's current database. |
| Test | Verify the connection works without making it active. |
| Cancel | Close the dialog without changes. While a Connect or Test is running, this button aborts the in-flight operation instead. |
Connect / Test show their progress inside the dialog, and any error appears as an inline message below the form rather than in a separate pop-up window. The status-bar connection indicator only turns green for the connection that's actually in session, so it can no longer disagree with the dialog's state.
SQL Server
| Field | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Previous Connections | Dropdown of saved connections. The ✕ button next to it deletes the currently-selected saved connection. |
| Connection Name | The friendly name the connection will be saved as. |
| Server | The SQL Server hostname or host\instance. |
| Database | The database / catalogue name. |
| Authentication | Dropdown: picks the auth method (Windows, SQL, etc.). |
| Username | Only shown for password-based authentication. |
| Password | Only shown for password-based authentication. Masked. |
| Trust Server Certificate | Checkbox: bypass certificate validation for the connection. |
Oracle
Oracle supports four connection types selected via the Connection Type dropdown. Different fields show up for each.
Common fields (all connection types)
| Field | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Previous Connections | Saved connections dropdown with delete button. |
| Connection Name | Friendly name for the saved connection. |
| Connection Type | Dropdown: Basic, DataSource, Cloud, Custom. |
| Authentication | Dropdown: auth method. |
| Username | Always shown (enabled when password auth is selected). |
| Password | Shown only for password auth. Masked. |
Connection Type: Basic
Additional fields:
| Field | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Hostname | The Oracle server hostname. |
| Port | TCP port (usually 1521). |
| Service Name | The Oracle service name. |
| Instance Name | The Oracle instance name. |
| SID | The Oracle SID (if using SID-based connection). |
Connection Type: DataSource
Additional fields:
| Field | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Data Source | The TNS alias / data-source name. |
| Wallet Location | Folder path with Browse button. |
| TnsAdmin Location | Folder path with Browse button. |
Connection Type: Cloud
Additional fields:
| Field | What it holds |
|---|---|
| URL | The cloud connection URL. |
Connection Type: Custom
Additional fields:
| Field | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Custom String | A multi-line textbox for a hand-written connection string. |
Kerberos authentication
Kerberos single sign-on against Oracle is supported directly through DataStar's managed Oracle driver. In v3, you do not need to install MIT Kerberos on the client machine, which was a prerequisite in v2. DataStar ships with Oracle.ManagedDataAccess.Kerberos and Kerberos.NET built in, so the managed driver negotiates Kerberos itself.
To connect with Kerberos:
- Set Connection Type to DataSource.
- Set Data Source to your Oracle TNS alias.
- Set Authentication to Windows Authentication.
- Set TnsAdmin Location to the folder containing your
sqlnet.ora. - Connect.
For full configuration — sqlnet.ora settings (including the common OSMSFT:// mistake), Active Directory prerequisites, verification, and troubleshooting — see Oracle Kerberos setup.