Toad® for SQL Server

Version 3.2.0   (Click here for previous versions)

Release Notes

March 2008

Contents

Welcome to Toad for SQL Server

Toad for SQL Server is a database development and administration solution that provides productivity features for rapidly creating and executing queries, automating database object management, developing SQL code, and instant access to SQL Server expertise.

Developers and administrators have access to a community of users, peers, and experts to help solve development and administration issues and assist in developing applications and feedback for improving Quests products.

All of this comes with the backing of Quest Software, a healthy and growing corporate entity that can provide the necessary training, support, and superior customer service demanded by IT management.
 

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New in This Release

Review the following:

• Updates to Toad for SQL Server 3.2

• Updates to Toad for SQL Server 3.0 and 3.1

• New Features in Toad for SQL Server 3.0 and 3.1
   

Updates to Toad for SQL Server 3.2

General

• Performance Improvements―We are excited to announce major memory improvements for queries that return large result sets in the Editor result sets and the Database Browser Data tab! The memory only increases by a couple of megabytes initially regardless of the size of the result set. Subsequent scrolling of the result set only reads into memory what is needed to display.

• Default window to open when connecting—A separate window no longer prompts you to associate a default window to open when initially connecting to Toad. You now specify the default window to open in the Configuration wizard.
  
  

Query Development

• Editor:
  • View scripts in a full size window―Use docking controls to auto-hide or group the Editor panel, Code Navigator, and result sets. To display the Editor and Results panels in a separate, full size window, drag-and-drop the Results tab into the Editor window.

    

    
    Press F6 to switch between the two panels.
    
    

     

  • Error line highlighting―Ability to highlight the line in the Editor that caused an execution error. To do this, double-click the error message in the Script Output tab.
  • Change case and add comments―You can now change the case of text or comment or uncomment a line by selecting Editor | Advanced or from the Editor's right-click menu.
     
    
     
• Query Builder:
  • From clause subquery support―You can now add a subquery to a From Clause using the Query Builder toolbar or the right-click menu. A Queries panel displays on the left side of the window with the From Clause subquery. You can add tables and views and create joins the same way you normally use the Query Builder.
    
    After creating the subquery, click the parent query in the Queries panel to return to the original query. A From Clause Subquery table now displays in the Diagram panel with all the columns in the subquery. Use this new table as you would any other database object.
     

    
     

  • Date ranges―When you add a Where condition for a column that uses a DateTime data type, a new Date Range tab displays in the Where Condition window. The Date Range tab allows you to select a plain text tag such as, “Today,” “Last week,” “Last 30 days,” and “Current year.” The tag you select is added to the Where condition of your query and when executed, is substituted with a BETWEEN command using the appropriate date range. Date Range tags can also be used in the Editor so you can create queries manually.
    
    Date Range tags are also useful when executing SQL statements from Automation. You no longer have to edit regularly executed queries to change a date range when you need to retrieve data every month for the previous month.
    
    
     

Database Administration

• Generate SQL drop script―You can now select Drop Script from the Generate SQL right-click menu in the Database Browser or Object Palette.

• Generate SQL retains Formatter settings―When using the right-click menu to generate SQL in the Database Browser or Object Palette, the settings specified in the Formatter Options pages are now retained.

• Log Reader―Log Reader server components are now supported on x64 servers and Windows Vista.

• Data Compare―Provides the ability to:
  • Compare tables and views that have different owners, different names, or different column names.
  • Compare tables that do not have primary keys.
  • Compare specific columns of a table.
  • Change Data Compare project parameters through the Change Data wizard.
  • Connections listed in Data Compare are better integrated with environment in that it now displays connections based on the connections in the Connection Manager.

Data Management

• Grid customization―You can now customize the grid style when a skin is applied to Toad. You can modify this setting in the Configuration wizard (Tools | Configuration Wizard) or in Interface Options (Tools | Options | Environment | Interface).
  
  

• Read-only data―You can now set an option to make all data grids read-only by default.

• Search data―Ability to search data grids for word or phrase matches by pressing CTRL+F. Clicking Mark All in the Find window highlights all cells in the grid that match the find criteria.

Version Control

• Added support for the following additional version control providers:

  • Subversion

  • CVS

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Updates to Toad for SQL Server 3.0 and 3.1

General

• Tab renaming―Ability to rename tabs in document windows by pressing F2 or by right-clicking the tab and selecting Rename Document.
  
  

Connection Management

• Connection toolbar―Previously, the Connection toolbar was at the bottom of the window and took up an entire toolbar row, regardless of the number of connections. This has been replaced with a new Connection toolbar. The new toolbar is located at the top of the window and lets you switch connections from a drop-down list. You can also right-click the current connection in the list to select functionality such as disconnect, disconnect all, etc.
  
  
   

• Connections window (previously the New Connections window)―You can now save connection information without having to connect by clicking Save. The right side of the window is now used to modify an existing connection. In the previous version, clicking Connect would create a separate connection and connect to it. Now, it connects to the existing connection saves any changes you have made for that connection.
  
   

• Create, import, and export connections―You can now create a new connection, import connections from a file, or export connections to a file from a toolbar in the Connections window or Connection Manager. Importing and exporting Toad connections is useful for sharing connections within your organization.

  

• Connection organizing―Reorganize connections and groups in the Connection Manager using drag-and-drop. View screencast.
• Connection renaming―Rename connections and groups in the Connection Manager by pressing F2 or by right-clicking an item and selecting Rename.
  
   
• Service management―Start, stop, or pause database services in the Connection Manager by right-clicking a connection.
  
   

Query Development

• Editor:

  • Comment/uncomment lines―You can now comment and uncomment lines of selected text from the Edit menu or via a right-click menu.   

    

  • Improved Query Performance―Performance of queries has been increased by up to 10 times (based on internal testing). To test this enhancement for yourself, select the Unlimited checkbox beside the Number of rows to initially fetch from a query field under Tools | Options | Database | General.
    
    
     

  • Query result enhancements―Automatically expand collapsed query results when executing scripts. If the splitter for the embedded results pane is collapsed, you can execute a script (F5), SQL statement (F9), or verify SQL to automatically expand the results. View screencast.
     

  • Intellisense―Add an asterisk as the first entry in the auto-completion list for columns. If you select the asterisk, all columns for the table are added to the list. This feature is available in Tools | Options | Editor | Toad Insight.
    
     

• Query Builder―The Query Builder now includes the following options for adding all columns:
  • Add all columns includes each column in the actual statement
  • * wildcard includes columns by using "select *"

   

Database Management

• SQL Server 2005 objects―Additional support for SQL Server 2005 types, including Assemblies and Security object-types (Asymmetric Keys, Symmetric Keys, Credentials, etc.).
• Primary key and not null indicators―Easily identify primary key columns and columns that do not allow null values using new indicators in the Data tab. A key icon beside a column represents a primary key; and a column name that displays as blue text represents a "not null" column. The "Not nulls" indicator is also available for query result sets in the Editor, but the primary key indicator is not available.
  
   
• Filtering―Support for server-side filtering with the ability to name a filter.
  
   
• Permissions editor―Separate Permissions editor for databases, tables, views, stored procedures, and functions that is easily accessed from the object toolbar.
  
  
   

Data Management

• Side-by-side grid views―The Card View now displays beside the current Grid View when selected.
  
  
   
• Row copy support―Copy multiple cells of data by pressing CTRL+click on each cell, and then right-click and select Copy Rows.  
   
• Preview data―Add a preview line to each row in the grid to view detailed data under Tools | Options | Environment | Grid.
  
  
   
• Line numbers for data―Add a line number to the margin in the data grid to quickly locate or reference a row when working with colleagues. This feature is available under Tools | Options | Environment | Grid.
  
  
   
• Merge results―Display results in a single, stacked data grid if a query returns multiple results under Tools | Options | Environment | Grid.

ER Diagrammer

• Manual relationships―Ability to create manual relationships.

• Diagram schema - Quickly diagram all tables in a schema.
  
   

• Query Builder integration―Send a diagram to the Query Builder
  
   

Project Manager

• New toolbar―A new toolbar lets you quickly create a new project or navigate to other projects.
  
  
   

• To-do items―Keep up with project or daily tasks using new To-Do Items. If you give the item a due date and the item is past due, the item's text turns red. You can also add extensive notes to the item, which display in a tool tip when you hover the cursor over the item in the Project Manager.
  
  
   

Options

• Tree view―Options pages now use a standard tree view so you can quickly navigate between pages.
  
  
   

• Modeling―Options from the Modeling page have been broken into two new pages: Diagramming and Query Builder.
  
  
   

• Network share―You can now specify a location where you can share reports from the Report Manager or files and directories from the Project Manager with your colleagues.
  
  
   

SQL Tuning

2005 schemas are now supported. Refer to the SQL Tuning Release Notes for additional features and enhancements.
 

Version Control

• Object and SQL script support―In addition to files, you can now archive revisions to database objects and SQL Scripts from the Database Browser.
  
   

• Version Control Setup wizard―A new, user-friendly wizard now helps you configure version control to work with Toad.
  
   

• Robust integration with VCS vendors―Toad is providing a more in-depth integration with popular VCS vendors. Currently, Toad has integrated version control with Visual Source Safe.
   

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New Features in Toad for SQL Server 3.0 and 3.1

General

• Add notes to objects―Quickly add notes to objects in the Database Browser, Object Palette, ER Diagram, and Query Builder, as shown in the following example.
  
   

Data Management

• One-click export―Easily export data using default settings from the Editor, Query Builder, and Database Browser.
  
   

Database Administration

• Object lists―Group different types of objects in one location. This is useful if you frequently work with a few database objects on a server and want to quickly access them in the Database Browser.
  
  
   
• Duplicate data editor―Ability to edit or delete duplicate rows of data for tables. To access this feature, right-click a table and select Edit Duplicate Data.
  
  
   

• Microsoft Excel integration―Open existing reports or spreadsheets without leaving Toad.
   
• Data Diff Viewer―Compare differences between datasets using the new Diff Viewer.
  
  
   
• Job management―Manage your SQL Server jobs across multiple servers in an Outlook-type view.
  
  
   

• Reports management―Quickly manage reports or use canned reports provided by Toad.
  
  
   

• Spotlight integration―Monitor your SQL Server databases from Toad if Spotlight for SQL Server is installed. You can launch Spotlight using the following methods:

  • From the Tools menu or the toolbar:
         
     

  • By right-clicking a database in the Database Browser and selecting Monitor Database Performance:
    
     

  • By selecting Activity in the Database Browser, selecting Processes, and then right-clicking a process in the Object Details panel and selecting Monitor Session Details. Spotlight launches for the specific process ID.
    
    
     

Troubleshooting

• SQL trace support―Log information for all executed SQL to a file or the Output window by enabling SQL Trace. You can store trace information in a log file or display it in the Output window.    

• Troubleshooting help―Use Troubleshooting topics in the online help to resolve connection, debugging, and other issues you might encounter.
  
  

• Web search―Google without leaving Toad using the new Web Search feature! Customize your searches by adding your own search engines or web sites under Tools | Options | Environment | Quick Search.
  
  

Automation

• Graphically create a flow of activities to run or schedule the activities to run at a later time. For example, a single script can run reports, queries, and scripts; save results in Excel spreadsheets and other files; and distribute results to the business community via email or shared file locations. You can also add the automation activities to the Project Manager and double-click them to run them automatically. 

Note: Toad Automation requires Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0. If .NET Framework 3.0 is not installed on your system, you are prompted to install it when you try to open the Automation Script Designer.

Automation Activities let you automatically:

• Execute Query Builder queries and SQL scripts, then export the results to Excel spreadsheets.

• Run Toad reports, then save the results in PDF, RTF, or MHT files.

• Create zipped archives for saving or emailing files such as scripts, queries, reports, and ER diagrams.

• Place files in a folder such as the Toad Shared folder.

• Connect to a database for the SelectToExcel and ToadReport activities. Both require a database connection.  

• Email the business community and automatically publish results for scripts, queries, and reports. The files generated by an automated script can be emailed by the script.

To access this feature, select Tools | Automation Script Designer from the menu.

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Resolved Issues and Enhancements

The following is a list of issues addressed and enhancements implemented in this release of Toad for SQL Server.

Resolved Issues and Enhancements in 3.2

Resolved Issues and Enhancements in 3.1

Resolved Issues and Enhancements in 3.0

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Known Issues

The following is a list of issues known to exist at the time of Toad for SQL Server release.