Date Parameters Toad/Oracle SQL Developer

Question

Dear All, The code below works in TOAD but in the Oracle Sql Developer doesn't work it says the Start_date is not been declared. The ambersand doent work in Toad? Don't know why. Is there a reason for this.
I have been using Toad for a while, now they're rolling out Oracle Sql Developer as it is a free tool.
SET SERVEROUTPUT ON
SET VERIFY OFF
Variable start_date char(8);
BEGIN
     :START_DATE := TO_CHAR(TO_DATE('&1','YYYYMMDD'),'YYYYMMDD');
END;
BEGIN
     DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(:START_DATE);
END;
Edited by: user531731 on 23/07/2009 17:18
Edited by: user531731 on 23/07/2009 17:19

Answer 1

My recommendation would be to write it correctly no matter the tool.
SQL> DECLARE
  2    START_DATE VARCHAR2(8) := TO_CHAR(TO_DATE('&1','YYYYMMDD'),'YYYYMMDD');
  3  BEGIN
  4    DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(START_DATE);
  5  END;
  6  /
Enter value for 1: 20091010
old   2:   START_DATE VARCHAR2(8) := TO_CHAR(TO_DATE('&1','YYYYMMDD'),'YYYYMMDD');
new   2:   START_DATE VARCHAR2(8) := TO_CHAR(TO_DATE('20091010','YYYYMMDD'),'YYYYMMDD');
20091010
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.
SQL>