February 18, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Hi Everyone,
We just purchased Visual Studio 2008 Database Edition, and though it's installing now, I'm reading-up on what it offers which is very impressive! From the look of it this could effectively replace SSMS 2008 as the way to work with our various SQL databases.
Is anyone using VS2008 DB Edition exclusively as opposed to SSMS 2008? Just curious. If so any pros or cons? One thing I hope it'll do is handle SQL Projects better then SSMS 2008 because with no sorting or subfolders the project solution in SQL is pretty much useless since our projects could grow to sometimes hundreds of procedures, functions, views, etc.
Oh, and some of the sites I'm looking through are:
http://blogs.msdn.com/gertd/archive/2007/11/21/visual-studio-team-system-2008-database-edition.aspx
http://peterkellner.net/2009/01/17/visual-studio-database-edition-review-sqlserver2008/
Just curious... Take care,
Sam
February 18, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I am running Team Suites which includes all team editions including Database edition and don't let them fool you most multi language development I would use SMS, parsing the code before execution and query design these are what comes to mind. But yes you can use the database team edition to develop for 2000, 2005 and 2008 but it needs help with the point of connection. So you still need SMS.
:Whistling:
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
February 18, 2009 at 1:27 pm
We've been using it pretty extensively for years. Yeah, it pretty much takes over as a development mechanism on your databases. However, it doesn't replace SSMS. There's still stuff that just flat out works better over there such as database maintenance & troubleshooting. You can't look at graphical execution plans in Visual Studio. There's other stuff.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
February 18, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Hey Guys,
Thanks for the replies... if you have a moment I have some questions now that I have VS2008 DB Edition installed and have been using it for an hour or so.
One of the reasons I hope to use it is to give us the ability to create SQL projects to help us more easily save SQL code to SourceSafe. The SQL Solution in SSMS is horrible with on sub directories or file sorting, but from what I've seen thus far the SQL Projects in VS2008 work quite well.
What's the primary difference between the Database Project (under Other Project Types>Database) and either a SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005 project under Database Projects > MS SQL Server? My worry is I don't have a template listed for SQL Server 2008 even though I have a SQL Server 2008 data engine setup locally.
But I created Database Project (under Other Project Types>Database) and the layout of creating folders and sorting SQL files works great. After moving some .sql files into the project though I found that when I open one I don't have any easy way to execute the code. For example when I open a .sql file that has a series of Select statements, in SSMS I could highlight any of these Selects and run just that one, but I'm unable to find any way to run the statements once the .sql file is open. Am I missing a database connection someplace? If I select Data > T-SQL Editor > New Query Connection, choose my databsae connection, then I get the T-SQL Editor toolbar that works great ... however I can't get this functionality on any .sql file I open from the SQL Project.
Also there seems to be no intellesence like SSMS 2008 has even though I'm connected to a SQL 2008 server. I typed Select * from afasasdf (no table of that name exists) and it didn't underline afasasdf as being invalid. Only when I ran it did the Error List show the invalid table. Does intellesence not work in VS 2008 as it does in SSMS 2008?
I would love to use VS2008 for most of the SQL behind our applications and I guess SSMS more for database maintenance... but unless I can open a .sql file and have the same functionality I have in SSMS I don't know if VS2008 will do me much good. Bot obviously I'm missing something since that's what VS2008 is supposed to be there for.
Thanks for any input or suggestions on these issues. Likewise if you guys know of any resources or books that may help me coming to VS2008 from SSMS that would be great.
Take care,
Sam
February 18, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I am assuming you are missing the GDR RTM download and install which gives you more options. And yes you still need SMS.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
February 18, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Hi Gift,
I've not even heard of GDR RTM but I'm downloading it now. I started downloading VS2008Sp1 earlier today, but it's taking forever to retrieve. Once that's done and installed I'll install GDR.
Is this a Microsoft supported application? I noticed the download page is from Microsoft, but if so then why didn't they bundle this into SP1? Just curious.
But I'm anxious to check out the new features this adds. Thanks for the advice and I'll post some updates once I have a chance to work with this.
Sam
February 18, 2009 at 3:53 pm
GDR means "General Redistribution Release" it adds a lot of new features all listed in that blog post. And I think you need VS2008 SP1 and .NET 3.5 SP1.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
February 18, 2009 at 5:53 pm
samalex (2/18/2009)
Hey Guys,Thanks for the replies... if you have a moment I have some questions now that I have VS2008 DB Edition installed and have been using it for an hour or so.
One of the reasons I hope to use it is to give us the ability to create SQL projects to help us more easily save SQL code to SourceSafe. The SQL Solution in SSMS is horrible with on sub directories or file sorting, but from what I've seen thus far the SQL Projects in VS2008 work quite well.
What's the primary difference between the Database Project (under Other Project Types>Database) and either a SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005 project under Database Projects > MS SQL Server? My worry is I don't have a template listed for SQL Server 2008 even though I have a SQL Server 2008 data engine setup locally.
Like Gift says, get the GDR. It does more than just give you SQL Server 2008 support. You get composite projects, server projects, connection strings are stored with the project instead of in the .user file... It's an invaluable upgrade.
But I created Database Project (under Other Project Types>Database) and the layout of creating folders and sorting SQL files works great. After moving some .sql files into the project though I found that when I open one I don't have any easy way to execute the code. For example when I open a .sql file that has a series of Select statements, in SSMS I could highlight any of these Selects and run just that one, but I'm unable to find any way to run the statements once the .sql file is open. Am I missing a database connection someplace? If I select Data > T-SQL Editor > New Query Connection, choose my databsae connection, then I get the T-SQL Editor toolbar that works great ... however I can't get this functionality on any .sql file I open from the SQL Project.
Nope, you're not missing anything. You're seeing one of the short comings of the tool. It's not SSMS and doesn't work like it. [/quote]
Also there seems to be no intellesence like SSMS 2008 has even though I'm connected to a SQL 2008 server. I typed Select * from afasasdf (no table of that name exists) and it didn't underline afasasdf as being invalid. Only when I ran it did the Error List show the invalid table. Does intellesence not work in VS 2008 as it does in SSMS 2008?[/quote]
If you need intellisense in both VS & SSMS, look up Red Gate's SQL Prompt. It works in both.
I would love to use VS2008 for most of the SQL behind our applications and I guess SSMS more for database maintenance... but unless I can open a .sql file and have the same functionality I have in SSMS I don't know if VS2008 will do me much good. Bot obviously I'm missing something since that's what VS2008 is supposed to be there for.
Thanks for any input or suggestions on these issues. Likewise if you guys know of any resources or books that may help me coming to VS2008 from SSMS that would be great.
Take care,
Sam
Like I said, it changes how you develop databases, but not you maintain & troubleshoot them. You can't get execution plans in VS. As you found out you also can't treat every .SQL file as if it were full time connected to a database. Kind of stinks, but there it is. Still, source control, automated deployments, built-in unit tests... It's hard to knock the tool.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
February 19, 2009 at 9:42 am
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the great replies... I'm now running with VS2008 SP1 and GDR installed. I can see how this can be a powerful tool for a new database project, but this now gives me a few new questions.
Can I create a new project and have it read in the schema of an existing database so I can use a new SQL Server project with a database that's already in production?
And our developers who are using VS 2008 Team Suite or Developer Edition, can they install the GDR add-in and open SQL projects I create? Though developers can't write to production they still need the ability to write and test SQL objects.
Thanks --
Sam
February 19, 2009 at 9:51 am
The GDR will not be relevant to Developer edition because it cannot be used for Database projects but it can be used by the users of Team Suites edition. The reason Team Suites comes with all team editions in one.
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
February 19, 2009 at 11:06 am
samalex (2/19/2009)
Can I create a new project and have it read in the schema of an existing database so I can use a new SQL Server project with a database that's already in production?
Yes. Create the project right click on the project in the Solution Explorer and select Import Database Objects and Settings...
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
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