Executing Oracle stored procedure with TOAD

In this example, the stored procedure returns a ref_cursor based on some input parameters.  In a TOAD Editor window, have something like this: 

select MySchema.MyPackage.MyStoredProcedure('param1', 'param2') from dual

and click on .

You will get results as a 1 by 1 grid, a concatenation of all the results, created by TOAD.

Compiling PL/SQL and using TOAD to write stored procedures

• PL/SQL compiler (version?) is quite stupid:  Missing a semi-colon flags a line several lines below where the actual semi-colon is missing.  Likewise for a missing single quote character
• To escape the single quote character, double it.  Therefore four consecutive single quotes is a string consisting of a single quote
• When the compiler reports a compiler error at a certain line, that line # is relative to the start of the Body of stored procedure (assuming you are editing the Body and not the Spec)
• To compile and "save" your stored procedure to the Oracle server in TOAD, be sure to use the "Execute As Script" button () in the Editor.  Do NOT use the "Execute/compile statement at caret" button.
• In order to see debug output (i.e. from DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE function):  Where does DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE() output go (in Toad) ?

Getting TOAD running without tnsnames.ora, etc.

1. Download/install TOAD
2. Download/install Oracle Instant Client
3. Know your database server's Host IP, Port number, and SID for desired database
4. When you attempt to connect using TOAD, fill in the "Direct" tab with the information from previous step and select to connect using Instant Client (may already be the default)

Additional note:  Although I am using 64-bit Windows 7, the 64-bit version of the Instant Client did not appear to work (an error about "unable to load oci.dll" within TOAD).  However, the 32-bit version worked fine.