What is the best way to connect to an Oracle database to build my own IDE?

Question

before answer me plz thinking about the futures of these kind of program and answer me plz.
I wanna get some data from oracle server like:

1-get all the function,package,procedure and etc for showing them or drop them & etc...
2-compile my *.sql files,get the result if they have problem & etc...

becuz I was beginner in oracle first of all I for solve the second problem I try to connect to sqlPlus by RUN sqlplus and trace the output(I mean,I change the output stream of shell and trace what happend and handle the assigned message to customer. NOW THIS PART SUCCEED. just a little bit I have problem with get all result because the output is asynchronous.any way...
[in this case I log in to oracle Server by send argument to the sqlplus by make a process in c#]

after that I try to get all function,package or procedure name,but I have problem in speed!so I try to use oracle.DataAccess.dll to connect the database. now I m so confusing about: which way is correct way to build a program that work like Oracle Developer!

I do not have any experience for like these program how work.

If Your answer is I must use the second way follow this part plz: I search a little bit the Golden,PLedit (Benthic software),I have little bit problem how I must create the connection string?because I thinking about how I can find the host name or port number that oracle work on them?? am I need read the TNSNames.Ora file?

IF your answer is I must use the first way follow this part plz: do u have any Idea for how I parse the output?because for example the result of a table is so confusing...[i can handle & program it but I really need someone experience,because the important things to me learn how such software work so nice and with quick response?] All of the has different style in output...

If you are not sure Can u help me which book can help me in this way i become expert? becuz for example all the C# write just about how u can connect to DB and the DB books write how u can use this DB program,I looking for a book that give me some Idea how develop an interface for do transaction between these two.not simple send and receive data,for example how write a compiler for them. the language of book is not different for me i know C#,java,VB,sql,Oracle Thanks.

Answer 1

Building a program similar to SQL Developer will be a very difficult job.

You could start with reviewing some of the open source products.

There's a couple of SQL*Plus alternatives written in Python

http://pysql.sourceforge.net/

http://pypi.python.org/pypi/sqlpython

Squirrel SQL Client is a Java based multi-database tool

http://squirrel-sql.sourceforge.net/

Another is SQL Workbench

http://sqlworkbench.mgm-tp.com/viewvc/

The only C# versions seem old and generic, but you can probably get some useful thoughts from them

http://sqlbuddy.sourceforge.net/

http://dbcommander.sourceforge.net/

Answer 2

To build an IDE like Oracle SQL Developer or TOAD you need to connect directly to the database, using OracleConnection() or whatever your chosen language supports. This is will give you resultsets with structured outputs and metadata. These things are key to building dynamic display components.

SQL*Plus is itself, if not exactly an IDE, a complete client. Scraping and parsing its output adds another layer of complexity to what is already an extremely ambitious project for someone who describes themselves as "beginner in oracle".