Database Tool Window
On this page:
- Overview of the tool window
- Toolbar icons, context menu commands and shortcuts
- View options
- Icons for data sources and their elements
See also, Working with the Database Tool Window.
Overview of the tool window
The Database tool window provides access to functions for working with databases and DDL data sources. It lets you view and modify data structures in your databases, and perform other associated tasks.
The available data sources are shown as a tree of data sources, schemas, tables and columns. If no data sources are currently defined, use the New command (Alt+Insert) to create a data source.
Most of the functions in this window are accessed by means of the toolbar icons or context menu commands.
(If the toolbar is not currently shown, click 
on the title bar and
select Show Toolbar.)
Many of the commands have keyboard shortcuts.
If the toolbar is hidden,
the Synchronize and Open Console commands
can be access by means of the title bar icons
(
and 
respectively).
on the title bar provides access to view options.
Toolbar icons, context menu commands and shortcuts
| Icon | Command | Shortcut | Description | Available for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use this icon on the title bar to collapse all the nodes. | All node types | ||
 | New | Alt+Insert | Use this icon, command or shortcut to create a new data source, database console, table, column, index, or a primary or foreign key.
The list of options depends on which element is currently selected.
See also, Creating a data source, Data Sources and Drivers Dialog and Creating a table, a column, an index, or a primary or foreign key. | DB data sources and their elements. If a DDL data source is selected, you can only choose to create another data source. |
 | Duplicate | Ctrl+D | Use this icon, command or shortcut to create a copy of the selected data source. Specify the properties of the data source in the Data Sources and Drivers dialog that opens. See Data Sources and Drivers Dialog. | DB and DDL data source nodes |
 | Synchronize | Ctrl+Alt+Y | Use this icon, command or shortcut to update the view of the selected element
(i.e. to synchronize the view of the element with its actual state in the database).
See also, Auto sync. | DB data sources and their elements |
 | Properties | Use this icon or command to open the Data Sources and Drivers dialog to manage your data sources and their settings. | All node types | |
 | Disconnect | Ctrl+F2 | Use this icon, command or shortcut to close the database connection for the selected DB data source or data sources. (The names of the data sources with active database connections are shown in bold.) | DB data sources with active connections and their elements |
| Table Editor | F4 | Use this icon, command or shortcut to open the selected database table in the Table Editor.
See also, Working with the Table Editor. | Tables and table columns in DB data sources |
|
|
View Editor, Routine Editor, Package Editor | F4 | Use this icon, command or shortcut to open the definition of the selected view, function, procedure or package in the editor. | Corresponding elements in DB data sources |
|
| Edit Source | F4 | Use this icon, command or shortcut to open the associated DDL file in the editor. | Tables and table columns in DDL data sources |
 | Open Console | Ctrl+Shift+F10 | Use this icon, command or shortcut to open the default database console for the corresponding DB data source. | DB data sources and their elements (tables and table columns) |
| Drop Associated | Use the command to remove primary key constraints. | Tables and columns in DB data sources | ||
| Rename | Shift+F6 |
Use this command or shortcut to rename the selected data source, table or table column.
Specify the new name in the dialog that opens.
See also, Renaming a table or column. | All node types | |
|
Modify Table, Modify Column, Modify Index, Modify Foreign Key | Ctrl+F6 | Use this command or shortcut to edit the definition of the selected table, column, index or
foreign key.
See also, Modifying the definition of a table, column, index or a foreign key. | Corresponding elements in DB data sources | |
| Copy Reference | Ctrl+Shift+Alt+C | Use this command or shortcut to copy the fully qualified name of the selected data source, table or table column to the clipboard. | All node types | |
| Drop or Remove | Delete | Use this command or shortcut to remove the selected item. | All node types | |
| Find Usages | Alt+F7 | Use this command or shortcut to find the usages of (references to) the selected item (data source, table or table column) in the project source files and libraries. | All node types | |
| Compare | Ctrl+D | Select two data sources, schemas or tables and then use this command or shortcut to compare table structures for the selected items. The comparison results are shown in the differences viewer. | DB and DDL data sources and tables | |
| Open New Console | Use this command to create and open a new database console for the corresponding DB data source. | DB data sources and their elements (tables and table columns) | ||
| Forget Schemas |
Use this command in problematic cases such as
when your data structures start to display incorrectly, fail to synchronize, etc.
As a result, PhpStorm deletes the information it has accumulated about your database.
To check if this has eliminated the problem, use the Synchronize command. | DB data sources | ||
| Copy DDL | Ctrl+Shift+C | Use this command or shortcut to copy a DDL definition of the selected data source, table or column onto the clipboard. | All node types | |
| Dump Data to File | Use this command to save the data for the selected table or view in a file, or to view or edit the settings for delimiter-separated values output formats. Select the output format or Configure CSV Formats. In the latter case, the CSV Formats Dialog will open and you'll be able to edit the settings for existing formats, and define new output formats. | Tables in DB data sources | ||
| Color Settings | Use this command if you want to set or change the color for the selected element or elements. (The Database Color Settings dialog will open.) | All node types | ||
| Diagrams | Ctrl+Shift+Alt+U
Ctrl+Alt+U | Use this command or shortcut to see a UML class diagram for the selected data source or table. Select: | DB and DDL data sources and tables | |
| Ctrl+Q |
Use this key combination to see basic information about the selected element.
For example, the info about a table includes
the names of the data source, catalog, schema and the table itself,
the table definition (CREATE TABLE) and, if appropriate,
the first 10 rows.
To close the documentation pop-up, press Escape. You can also access this function from the main menu: View | Quick Documentation. | All node types |
View options
The view options, generally, define what is shown in the tool window and how.
To view or change these options, click on the title bar.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Group Schema |
This option defines how schema elements are shown.
When on, there are separate nodes for tables, views and stored routines (shown as folders). Tables, views and routines (procedures and functions) are shown as elements of the corresponding groups.  When off, there is no explicit grouping for tables, views, and routines. Tables and views are followed by procedures and functions.  |
| Group Contents |
This option defines how table elements are shown.
When on, there are separate nodes for columns, indexes, primary and foreign key constraints, and triggers (shown as folders). The elements appear in the corresponding groups.  When off, there is no such grouping and, generally, only columns are shown for tables.  |
| Show Keys and etc. |
When this option is on, the public and foreign key constraints, and indexes are
shown as separate elements.
 Otherwise, there are no separate elements for the keys and indexes.  The option is unavailable when the Group Contents option is on. |
| Show Empty Groups |
If the Group Schema or
the Group Contents option is on,
you can select to show or hide empty groups,
i.e. the categories that contain no elements.
The Show Empty Groups option is on:  The Show Empty Groups option is off:  |
| Sort Alphabetically |
When this option is off, columns, generally, are unsorted.
 When this option is on, the columns are ordered like this: the columns with a primary key, then the columns with a foreign key, and then the rest of the columns. Within the groups, the columns are ordered alphabetically.  |
| Show Toolbar | Select or deselect this option to show or hide the toolbar. |
The rest of the options are common for all the tool windows, see Viewing Modes.
for DB2.
