SQL Assistant version 5.0 has been released

SQL Assistant build 5.0.96 is now available for download. Please give it a try, we are sure you won't be disappointed.

Here is a list of new features and enhancements in version 5.0
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New Code Analysis and Refactoring Functions - smart object, column, and parameter renaming methods; smart code extraction methods; advanced code dependencies analysis
1. Graphical analysis of dependencies for objects (tables, views, procedures, functions), table and view columns, procedure and function parameters.
2. Code refactoring - Extract View definition from procedural code - 3 clicks method for conversion of a block of code to a view - customizable templates.
3. Code refactoring - Extract sub procedure definition from procedural code - 3 clicks method for conversion of a block of code to a stored procedure or function - customizable templates.
4. Code refactoring - Rename procedure/function in database including automatic discovery of dependencies, code preview before updating, including all dependencies.
5. Code refactoring - Rename table/view in database including automatic discovery of dependencies, code preview before updating, including all dependencies.
6. Code refactoring - Rename table/view column view in database including automatic discovery of dependencies, code preview before updating, including all dependencies.
7. Code refactoring - Rename procedure/function parameter in database including automatic discovery of dependencies, code preview before updating, including all dependencies.
8. Code refactoring - rename local variable - rename local variables in procedures and functions (standalone code loaded in the editor or part of a large script).
9. Syntax checker improvements - highlighting for unused variables.

Advanced Code Entry Automation - updated code snippets engine, programmable code snippets using SQL language
10. Support for user-defined interactive prompts. See new $PROMPT$ macro .
11. User-defined programmable macros using SQL code. See new $$..$$ and accompanying macros $CURRENT_NAME$, $CURRENT_SEL$, etc... .
12. Removed certain limitations on the use of functionally similar macros in the same snippet code. For example, $COLUMNS$ and $COLUMNS_KEYS$ macros can be now used in the same code snippet.

Improved SQL Intellisense and Code Formatting
13. Improved keyword prompts - preferred keywords and SQL constructs displayed on top of the keyword prompts. You can now customize preferred keywords list to match your preferences.
14. Column popups after ORDER BY and GROUP BY keywords are now feature checkboxes. Multiple columns can be picked at once.
15. While-you-type and standalone code formatters support new formatting options allowing simultaneous use of different cases for keywords and for system functions, for example uppercasing keywords and using mixed or lower case for system functions.
16. New options for handling name delimiters. "Always Add Delimiters" option supports new mode "Only if name = keyword (limited)" You can now customize list of keywords that you also use as object and column names, and which you don't want SQL Assistant to treat as keywords, for example, the default configuration includes ID and Name, names, you can add your own.
17. "Show Keys and Indexed Columns" is preset for all assistance types by default. Primary keys, foreign keys, and indexed columns are displayed by default in column popups and mouse-over hints.
18. Mouse-over hints for table and view columns display hyperlinks for sample data preview and for DDL code view for views. .
19. Mouse-over hints for procedure and function parameters display hyperlinks for procedure/function DDL code view.
20. Improved display of column name popups for PostgreSQL. The popups now indicate auto-generated values and indexed columns.
21. Improved recognition of auto-generated values in various SQL statements. For example, SQL Assistant does not insert references to "timestamp" columns in SQL server when generating code for table INSERT and UPDATE statements.
22. Improved control of column name popups. You can now configure additional symbols that trigger automatic column name popups, for example, you may add <, <>, >, BETWEEN and other symbols to trigger automatic column popup display.
23. SQL Intellisense implemented for CREATE INDEX statement.
24. SQL Intellisense implemented for CREATE OR REPLACE AND COMPILE JAVA SOURCE.
25. Preset code formatting rule added for Oracle VARRAY.
26. Preset code formatting rule added for DEFAULT VALUES in INSERT/UPDATE statements in Transact-SQL.
27. Database name and schema name completion is now supported after Ctrl+Space. That is handy if you work with long names and need to type them often.
28. Behavior change for query suggestions based on code entry history. To avoid accidental insertion of historical queries into the code, historical items are not pre-selected automatically. .
29. Added new option for controlling alias generation. You can now specify name prefixes that you want SQL Assistant to ignore.

Database Code Unit Testing Framework
30. New complete database code unit testing framework supports interactive and automated database code unit testing; allows quick bulk setup of unit tests for multiple database projects.

New Add-ons
31. Add-ons for Delphi with built-in SQL Editor. Add-ons are available for all Delphi Windows versions from Delphi 2005 to Delphi 2010;.
32. Experimental support for pre-release version of Visual Studio 2010 ( limited testing performed on Windows XP and Vista).

Data Import/Export/Generation
33. New test data generator for quickly populating tables and schemas with realistic test data. Supports updates of multiple tables in one project.
34. Enhanced scripting and exporting table data now this feature supports exporting data from multiple tables and views, as well as from multiple schemas.

Miscellaneous
35. Syntax Check Results and Messages panes support copying and saving messages.
36. New user-friendly interface for protecting from run-away queries and results.
37. Added special handling for XML windows in SSMS. SQL Intellisense is disabled in XML.
38. Improved SEH (Structure Exception Handler) for better code quality and support.

Last edited by SysOp on Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:14 am; edited 1 time in total

How would the licensing be handled for the new version, i.e. if you have current maintenance do you get the pro edition or the standard edition? And what are the upgrade options?

You get pro edition. That is a free upgrade. Please see http://www.softtreetech.com/isql_upgrade5.htm

Whats the difference between the Standard and Pro editions?

Please see http://www.softtreetech.com/sqlassist/compare_editions.htm

When is 5.x going into beta?

We are running some internal testing for 5.1 this week. If everything is ok, it should be publicly available by the end of next week.