ApexSQL Edit

I did finally finish the issues I was having with the vertical results screen. It should now work correctly and will allow the user to view results vertically like Query Analyzer instead of the current horizontal display. Also, unlike QA, if any queries are for xml queries, then they will display in a text edit box with outlining and color coding that would be expected for XML documents.

I also entirely redid most of how Quick Info works. Everything will still work the same, but there are now new features where a user can create multiple quick info queries for the same column and when the user goes to get quick info, they can choose from the quick info query that they want to run. The user can also now access other values in the row so that queries can be run against not only the value that was clicked but any values in the result row. The quick info window can now also be set to stay open until the user explicitly closes it, thereby allowing the user to see quick info data while performing other actions. All of these features should help users find and research data better.

I also fixed some isses specific to databases specified with [], the Columns node showing columns repeatedly, adding a comment when adding file to SrcSafe, etc. Still on track to work on object mapping this week in addition to finishing some other items like improve object search, adding server drop down on toolbar and some other items. Working hard to finish these items up so that we can begin adding SCC functionality to allow non SrcSafe systems to use Edit Object Mapping.

I was able to resolve some of the issues with the vertical results, specifically switching to text results (and back to grid) will now not lose the control. A couple more issues to resolve in vertical results and then I will begin fixing a couple of other small items such as some issues that were brought up in forums, the changes to the object search page, the new pre-Alias page and some minor performance improvements.

The goal for this week is to resolve or finish all outstanding issues to go into the next release with the exception of the Object Mapping mgmt screen which we will concentrate entirely on next week.

Well, I've almost finished a feature that users have been wanting for some time. The ability to have results displayed vertically in a tab instead of across multiple tabs. There are now 2 toolbar buttons that let the user switch from horizontal to vertical results for retrieving results.

When getting vertical results, the controls are displayed in a single tab similar to how Query Analyzer handles results. Still have to handle some things like printing results and switching to text results, etc, but the basic functionality is there now with the new XML result viewer as well.

Also added a couple of user requests to the Object Search page. Added the ability to change the server (although haven't fully tested it yet) as well as the ability to print the object search results and add an object from the results to the favorites for the database. I hope to also implement custom menus and actions in object search and possibly allow searches across multiple databases. May not make v2.15 but will see.

Also started work on what I refer to as pre-Alias screen that will allow the user to specify global or database aliases for tables so that when typing in a select clause where the from table has not been defined, if the user uses a predefined alias associated with a table then the columns will appear. Allows user to type select statement and get column intellisense without having to first define tables in from clause.

Also, I think I finished work on the typing Intellisense with the addition of the delay and min char length on the options dialog to allow the user to specify the delay before the list comes up and the number of characters required in a token before the list will be displayed. Seems to work fairly well but might could use a couple of small improvements.

Once I finish up the object search features, the vertical results, and the pre-Alias stuff I plan to work on the Object Mapping Mgmt screen and then work on getting any fixes in for a release, so hopefully sometime in the 2nd week of February we'll see this release and then we'll begin integrating SCC into Edit to allow non-SourceSafe systems to use Edit and Source Control integration.

Continued work on some SCC stuff and think I've finished the main interface to allow the editor to perform SCC actions. Still have to hook it into the current Edit infrastructure but tested most parts of the SCC interface and it seems to work fairly well.

Also added a new Intellisense feature where intellilists will be displayed automatically (option to turn off, defaults to on) as the user types after a user defined delay that will display context information. So, if the user were to type:

se

The editor will display

session_user
select
serializable
setuser
set

And any schema objects that begin with "se".

This should provide some benefit when typing where the beginning of an item is known and after a user defined delay, the information will be displayed in a list that can be selected.

Well, I finally started doing some work on the SCC interface. Currently coding the objects to fit into the interface model that Edit currently uses. Work seems to be going fairly well. Was able to get most of the higher level objects created for actually getting items and projects and also the UndoCheckOut and CheckOut items coded and unit tested.

The big test will come when we try to integrate the component and actually let the user assign SCC items to schema items since the interface is very different, ie. you can only see one SCC project at a time. However, we may store projects that the user has used in the past and allow these to be treated as sibling folders to provide some manner of easier access, but the user will still have to go through the standard SCC interface when mapping to a new project. I'll keep the blog posted with the progress.

Well, I'm finally working on creating a new way of handling the Database<->SourceControl mapping. I've decided to try and create a treeview mapping concept that will show database objects on one side, source control projects and items on the other and then show the mapping as lines, similar to the way DTS shows transformation items.

In addition, the user will be able to drag items to perform mapping between them, drag folders onto projects to perform "best fit" matching for an entire schema, see which items are missing mappings, etc.

The form will also have the ability to create objects in the database that exist in Source Control but not in the database as well as vice versa. Hopefully all mapping can be easily managed from this page.

Below is an image of the test form with a concept of my idea:

Well, using profiling tools I was able to find a fairly major issue in how we were handling outlining in ApexSQL Edit. We were basically looping through all outlining regions looking to see if the current token would be the end of the statement. However, we were not checking to see if the token fell within the range of the outlining section so we ended up checking every section and doing a recursive check even when it was impossible for a token to be within an outlining block. I fixed that code so that outlining in Edit should now be significantly quicker, especially when opening large files with outlining turned on.

Also continued to look for other improvements that can be made to performance issues and also continued to look at making results display vertically in grids in the same tab, similar to how QA does it. Having an issue with splitters working correctly, the IE web browser control loading items properly when displaying "for xml" queries, and getting items to show on the first execution. I hope to have this in for v2.15 but may either delay v2.15 to maybe 2nd week of Feb or drop some additional items I had planned to make sure this item gets into next build since so many people have asked for it.

Probably won't be doing much more development tonight since I am giving the presentation at the local .NET User Group tonight (www.ptnug.org).