About Overseer - MySQL Administration Tool
What is Overseer?
Overseer is a MySQL administration tool (front-end). It allows the user to connect to a MySQL server and perform most of the actions that the user is allowed to do on that server (e.g.: create a new database, create a new table, modify table data, etc.). If all works fine maybe in the future other data base engines will be supported (Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, etc.). The application was written in Java, is platform-independent and uses the JDBC library for conectivity. For more information, please visit the Credits page.
Why Overseer?
- “o·ver·se·er, [ō'vər-sē'ər] (n.)
- One who keeps watch over and directs the work of others.”
As the dictionary definition says, an overseer is the one who mediates the comunication between the person who gives commands and the person(s) that have to actually execute those commands. This is exactly what Overseer does. It is an interface between the administrator (the user) and the one that actually executes the commands (the MySQL server). It takes the orders specified by the administrator in a user-friendly way and directs the work to the MySQL server, by translating those orders into MySQL queries and statements. Overseer is also watching over that the commands are executed succesfully and returns back the result in an agreeable format, just how an administrator would want to receive them.
Overseer features
Overseer offers the posibility to execute the most often used MySQL queries through a graphical user interface. For beginners, Overseer's interface may be a good starting point to learn and familiarize themselves with MySQL databases and the operations that can be performed on them. For the advanced users that want to do much more than the GUI allows, Overseer comes with an SQL Query Window where they can execute the most complex queries and analyze the results. The main features of the application are listed in the following:
- Connect to a MySQL server (installed locally, on localhost, or online, on a web server), by specifying the host address, username, password and, optionally, the database that will be used;
- List all the databases that the user is allowed to access and the possibility to choose one to perform operations onto;
- Create a new database;
- List all the tables form the chosen database that the user can modify;
- Modify the structure of an existing table (add columns, delete columns, edit existing columns);
- Create a new table;
- Browse an existing table;
- Insert new rows in a table;
- Delete/edit existing rows in a table;
- Execute user queries in an SQL Query Window and show the results;
- Drop (delete) a table or an entire database;
- Move/copy tables from one database to another (only the structure, only the data, or both data and structure);
- Rename tables and databases;
- Export tables/databases to *.sql text files;
- View server variables, settings, privileges, processes, available storage engines;
- User management (add users, remove existing users, modify user privileges, change user password);
- Browse MySQL online documentation from within the application, using the included web-browser: Overseer Documentation Browser.
GUI and Internationalization
The application has a friendly interface with well designed graphics and layouts. It uses the Standard Widget Toolkit (SWT) library, so the Overseer look-and-feel will match the operating system's theme. For more information about the interface, please visit the Screenshots and Videos pages.
The first release of Overseer, version 1.0, comes with support for two languages: English (US) and Romanian (RO).
About the author
The author of Overseer is Cristian Patrasciuc, a 38-year old student from Bistrita, BN, Romania. He studies Computer Science & IT at the Technical University of Cluj Napoca. The application was developed as a graduation project for the Programming Techniques course, taught by PhD. Ioan Salomie.
| Email: | calligrapha (at) users (dot) sourceforge (dot) net cristian (dot) patrasciuc (at) gmail (dot) com |
| Street address: | Str. Andrei Muresanu, Bl.13, Sc.F, Ap.118, Bistrita, BN, Romania, Code 420123 |
| Mobile phone: | (+40) 741 136 230 |