SQL Server 2008 will have IntelliSense
With so many exciting new features in Visual Studio 2008 to explore, I haven’t had much time to look at the preview releases of SQL Server 2008 (aka Katmai). The last I heard, there wouldn’t be that many new goodies for developers, mainly features for DBAs and BI analysts with a few performance optimisations thrown in.
The last upgrade, SQL Server 2000 to 2005, was a huge leap forward for developers and added significant advances like CLR integration, SQL Server Management Objects (SMO), Integration Services (SSIS) and a native XML data type; as well as T-SQL enhancements like Common Table Expressions (CTEs), structured error handling with try/catch, pivot, apply, top(n) and row_number.
I was surprised to see how much new stuff is packed into the latest SQL Server 2008 CTP release, even, finally, IntelliSense for Management Studio, which was much anticipated but conspicuously absent from SQL 2005:
Also notice the new collapsible code regions, just like you get in Visual Studio. Editing T-SQL has never been such fun! Although, you have to feel a bit sorry for RedGate, whose SQL Prompt plug-in has been filling the auto-completion gap for the last few years.
about 2 years ago
Ah nice to see, nice to have a little bit of an upgrade in the User Interface sense. The one thing I always thought about SQL2005 Management studio is there wasn’t much new functionality over previous SQL2000 manager, but it was always a LOT slower.
about 2 years ago
Nice… that is a really useful thing
about 2 years ago
Nice! Hopefully it will be more solid than RedGate SQL Prompt. I kept getting unhandled exceptions after installing these tools.
Collapsible regions will be HUGE, especially for T-SQL programmers.
Maybe the guys at JetBrains will jump on this.
about 2 years ago
not sure which CTP you’re looking at, I just pulled the 2008 CTP in January and intellisense is not enabled for sql queries only for xml editing. help file states intellisense will not be set up for sql editing (I hope this is for the ctp only)
about 2 years ago
SQL Management studio needs better object browser, like Toad from Quest Software for example. It has filter, but its pain to use it. It even doesn’t have any shortcut keys.
about 2 years ago
Very nice to hear that sql 2008 has this feature. We don’t need to depend on third-party tools like RedGate, which is very slow and lots of error.
about 2 years ago
Unfortunately intellisense only works when you’re working against an SQL 2008 database. There is no support for it against 2005, 2000, or previous DBs. Kind of useless, in my opinion.
about 2 years ago
I agree w/ Kevin. I went and installed the 2008 SQL Server Management Studio just to use Intellisense on my current SQL Server 2005 instance. No go though…only works for 2008 instances…
about 2 years ago
The intellisense in SSMS 2008 only works for 2008 database instances and only works on selects. IMO RedGate’s SQL Prompt is a much better solution.
Gary
about 10 months ago
MS has committed to churning out a new SQL Server version every 2 to 3 years. So SQL Server 2011 will surely have better intellisense. I’ve waited this long… pretty much don’t need it anymore. Thanks anyway MS.