I a huge fan of Oracle SQL Developer but I ran into an issue a while back that left me scratching my head and re-installing. The issue? Most key strokes other than letters and numbers failed to function. Yeah…no delete or backspace.
When this issue happened a second time I did a little playing with the app and figured out what to do. If you find yourself in a similar predicament simply do this:
- Open SQL Developer
- Click on the Tools > Preferences menu
- Click on Accelerators on the left
- Click the Load Preset… button
Yup. That’s it. The only lame part about that is all your custom key bindings go away and must be re-done. But that is much nicer than re-installing!
Comments
41 responses to “Delete/Backspace Stops Working in Oracle SQLDeveloper”
Thank you!
Just spent hours trying to figure this out! Even unzipping a fresh copy didn’t solve this issue, but the Loading to Presets did!
Happened to me too. I thought about reinstalling, but googling “sqldeveloper enter key” brought up your tip first. Thanks.
Thanks! I needed this!
You are my hero! I didn’t have the passwords on all of my connections, so the reinstall wasn’t an option. I just suffered for days until I googled this! Thanks!!
Thanks! After half a day of frustration I decided to search for this particular behaviour! Thanks for figuring this out!
Thanks a lot. I spent half a day in trying out various options.
Hi,
This solution worked for me also.
Spent lot of time to see what really went wrong.
Thanks alot!
you’ve saved yet another person, thanks !
You’re my hero of day!!! I was actually already considering using toad…
Thanks a million!!
Thanks!
Just had that issue with sql developer 1.5.1 – You made my day :)
thanks a lot! saved my day!
A huge thanks to you… I was about to re-install it..you saved me from the huge task :) …
You saved my (work) life! Thanks
I LOVE YOU (not really,haha)
We use SQLDEVELOPER in my work and i really HATE IT. This software is full of bugs, and unhappy suprises. Thx for save me from another one. I spent a lot of time to try instal new and new and new SQLDeveloper (not it stoped working this too, SQLDevelper loading settings .. without asking :-/)
I own you some hours of my live. Thx. I will use it well, i promise.
THANK YOU! Seriously, this was driving me nuts, and I was about to reinstall. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Thanks for the tips, it works on my laptop too
Maybe the question would be, why this happened?? I don’t remember to set any binding key to my sql developer..
Thanks!!! You are my new SQL Developer Guru!!!! Just pasting the enter’s is a bit tiring! :P
The same problem was solved with my Enter Key – No linefeed was accepted. So your solution worked well for this key, too. As i mentioned that problem my colleagues looked at me a bit strange :-).So many thanks for the solution
Thanks !! This has been bugging me for days. Been getting around it, but it has been no fun. Googled my issue, this was second on the list and now have it fixed !!! Great Post and thanks again !!
P.S. Any reasoning as to why this happens?
ANNOYING but thank you
Hi ,
Thanks a lot..
Me too face the same problem…
Then while googling…urs was the first…
Once again thanks…. :-)
gracias!! por los q no saben ingles, es en el boton donde dice “cargar predefinidos”
en espanol es
herramientas->preferencias->aceleradores->cargar predefinidos->default
Hi man, thanks for your tip. I lost an hour trying to find a solution.
Would you marry me? haha
Greetings.
cheers mate, great tip, thanks very much – I nearly chucked my computer after 5 days of this. Your’e a star, keep up the good work
Thanks, this works great.
Thanks a lot !!!!
thanks Thanks and again THANKS !!!
I was irritated due to this.
Cheers you !!!! thnx a tonne :-)
Thank u so much…I called my Admin to check it…he has removed the existing ..loaded another one.But couldnt solve the issue.Infront of him, I hv searched in the google (I could hv done before) .This one came up..Thks a lottttttttttttttt..
Thanks for this helpful post, I am seeking for a solution since long time. Many thanks
Thanks a lot.. its been weeks i’ ve been working with the sql developer with no backspace/delete. very horrible but i manage to adapt with it. however, my colleagues find it as ****..(u know what i mean). but with preset load.. default, my backspace/delete is working already!
Try this..
Go to Tools>>Preferences>>Accelerator>>Load preset>>select default>>Press OK
works like a charm .. thanx a lot
The “Tools>>Preferences>>Accelerator>>Load preset>>select default>>OK” tip did not fix a non-working backspace key for me with a new install of 1.5.5. Instead, I solved it this way: Go to “Tools>>Preferences>>Accelerator>>” then scroll down to and select the “Delete Previous Char” Action. Add a New Accelerator “Shift-Backspace” for this action (this is only temporary). Click OK and verify that Shift-Backspace now works. Exit SQL Developer. In C:\Documents and Settings\”username”\Application Data\SQL Developer\system1.5.5.59.69\o.ide.11.1.1.0.22.49.48, edit the settings.xml file. Find the text “delete-previous”. Three lines below that, after tag “javax.swing.KeyStroke”, should be the text “shift [8]”. This is the New Accelerator you added earlier. The “[8]” apparently means the Backspace key. Delete “shift “, leaving just “[8]”. Save the file, then restart SQL Developer. If you look at the Accelerator for the “Delete Previous Char” action, it will now show as “Backspace”. Try some editing. The Backspace key now works normally.
Thank you so much,,! Was so frustrated and annoyed because of this !
After some fruitless efforts and a lot of grumbling, this one made the difference!
Thnx mate!
Thanks, that was helpful, because it is very annoying, when you face this issue while working and do not know the way to fix it.
Thanks Again!!!
It’s amazing that after 3 years the same issue is still around and the fix is still working !
Thank’s
I moved from TOAD to SQL developer recently. Few days have gone crazy to find what is wrong with the keys. But using your tip it worked …..very happy now.
Thanks a lot!
That is a great tip. I have not idea how the delete/backspace key stop function. Many thanks!!!
Thanks for this, I was quite annoyed working with more than a simple SQL statement was becoming frustrating. This worked to fix me up as well.
I wonder what changed my settings to begin with….