DBMS Output stops working intermitantly

Question

Hi,
Version 1.5.1
When I am creating a PL/SQL script in SQL Developer I like to check the results in DBMS Output. The problem I am experiencing is it returns the results to the DBMS Output pane some of the time and then for some of the time it does,nt. I cannot work out why it stops working. Some of the time creating a new work sheet is successful.
Has anyone else experienced this problem. It is a little frustrating when it stops working, especially when you are in the middle of writing and testing scripts.
I have had this experience with every version of SQL Developer I have used.
Ben

Answer 1

Ben,
Hitting the DBMS Output enable button in SQL Developer effectively performs the same as the "set serveroutput on size <buffer size>" or "dbms_output.enable(<buffer size>);" commands. As I understand it, if you are only ever going to run your code through the SQL Worksheet, then using the DBMS Output enable button means you don't need the dbms_output.enable call.
The Poll slider is how frequently that DBMS Output tab checks to see if there is any DBMS Output to display - the tooltip shows "Poll frequency max 15s". I have no idea what the minimum frequency is.
I don't know why it still isn't working - after closing all but one worksheet, have you confirmed that the DBMS Output tab shows "set serveroutput on"? If not, I would suggest you disable DBMS Output (should show "set serveroutput off") and then re-enable it (should show "set serveroutput on").
As a bit of background that might help clarify what is going on, without the set serveroutput on or dbms_output.enable or enabling DBMS Output through SQL Developer, calls to dbms_output.put_line (for example) are effectively ignored and the text is not saved. After a set serveroutput on or dbms_output.enable (without enabling DBMS Output through SQL Developer) calls to dbms_output.put_line are recorded but not displayed (they are only cached). After enabling DBMS Output through SQL Developer, the worksheet then polls the DBMS Output cache with the frequency defined by the slider and displays the results if any. The difference between SQL Developer and SQL Plus is that in SQL Plus the set serveroutput on also switches on the polling (done after every statement completes rather than on a frequency basis).
theFurryOne