SQL Compact 4.0 CTP1 Support

A new version of Data Port Console (1.8 preview) has been uploaded with support for SQL Compact 4.0 CTP1. The maintenance features are not yet available.

Primeworks.Data Licensing

If you are trying out the latest version of Primeworks.Data, please make sure that you are correctly using the Primeworks.Data.License class:

1. Create an instance of the object using empty strings on both arguments of the constructor
2. Assign it to the License property of either the Pipe object (if you are using the SqlCe.Core classes) or to the License property of the SqlCeConnection object (if you are using the ADO.NET-compatible classes)

Here's a sample (C#):

Primeworks.Data.License license = new Primeworks.Data.License("", "");
SqlCeConnection connection = new SqlCeConnection();
connection.License = license;

Data Port Wizard 2.1.290

Data Port Wizard 2.1.290 has just been released. This version includes the following improvements:

1. Persistent data entry on most dialog fields;
2. The data transfer log is available even when the data transfer succeeds;
3. Corrected an error that caused data corruption after transferring very large databases to desktop SQL Compact.
   

Data Port Wizard 2.1.280

Data Port Wizard has been updated to version 2.1.280. Besides correcting some minor bugs, this version adds a new feature: the data transfer event log. If an error occurs during data transfer, a detailed log of the data transfer process is displayed along with the exception to help determine the cause of the error.

Data Port Wizard 2.1.250

There is a new minor revision of Data Port Wizard available for download: 2.1.250. This version adds the ability to attach an MDF database file to the SQL Express database server when importing and exporting.

During the testing period I found out that this feature may cause some strange errors, but they are all generated if you have a faulty installation. If when opening the attached MDF file you get an error E_FAIL with an error number in the "Native error" box, then odds are that you must somehow change your SQL Express setup. I have found a few different scenarios:

• Your user does not have admin privileges, so the database cannot be attached;
• The name you give to the attached database already exists on the list of attached databases;
• Your user does not have read rights;
• You don't have the latest Service Pack installed.

If you find some other error, just search the internet for "SQL Server Native Error ##".

Primeworks.Data Preview

The preview version of Primeworks.Data is now available for download. Before you download the ZIP file, please read through this post where I will explain what the new product is and how to use it.

What is Primeworks.Data?
Primeworks.Data is the successor of DesktopSqlCe and DataPortSync. To put it simply, it replaces and enhances both products in a single package. This is a desktop .NET 2.0 / 3.5 component that allows your application to:

• Access local and remote SQL Compact 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 databases. Local database access is limited to 3.0 and 3.5 because Microsoft never shipped a 2.0 desktop provider. Remote databases can be accessed through RAPI (ActiveSync or WMDC), Sockets and through a serial port (enabling a Bluetooth connectivity scenario). Access to the databases is achieved through two layers of classes: the high level ADO .NET classes and the lower level Core classes. The ADO .NET classes are implemented on top of the Core classes and these provide extra features such as the ability to enumerate the database schema, rename tables and columns, and much more.
• Import data from Microsoft Access (JET 4.0 and ACE 12.0), SQL Server (2000, 2005 and 2008) to any version of SQL Compact, both local or remote.
• Export SQL Compact data to Microsof Access, SQL Server and DataSet XML formats (same database versions as above).
• Synchronize data between a Microsoft Access database and multiple SQL Compact databases through the simplified desktop synchronization mechanism.

Both Data Port Wizard 2.0 and Data Port Console 1.4 make extensive use of Primeworks.Data 1.0. This means that by using Primeworks.Data, your application will be able to implement any of these product's features.

What's in the distribution file?
The distribution ZIP file contains the full C# sources, the VS 2005 and VS 2008 projects, the desktop redistributable files (please note that a zlib DLL is included) and the device installation CAB files.

How can I set up Primeworks.Data on my development PC?
Please download the distribution ZIP file and expand it into one directory. You will find no compiled assemblies, so you must make include the Primeworks.Data.csproj file (in the Primeworks.Data\FX directory) in your solution and add a reference to it.

What other components do I need to run my applications?
On the desktop, please make sure that all the DLL files in the Redist\Desktop folder are copied to your application directory. If you are developing for a Windows CE or Windows Mobile device, please make sure that you install the correct CAB file (just copy it to the device and "execute" it using the device File Explorer). Please note that you will also have to install the SQL Compact runtimes on the desktop or on the device. When installing SQL Compact on a device, please make sure that you install the replication CAB (it contains the required OLE DB provider).

Can I use Primeworks.Data in my projects?
The current version of Primeworks.Data is not the final 1.0 and will change in the course of the next weeks. You can expect to see some (maybe more than some) breaking changes to the code. Some classes may still change and others are still being built, most notably on the ADO .NET layer where support is being added to SqlCeResultSet. The short answer is: no, please use it for testing purposes only.

Is there any online documentation for Primeworks.Data?
Yes, you can find the preliminary reference documents here. Please note that these will change quite frequently and in lockstep with the code.

Does this version require a license?
Yes, but you can work with this code for 90 days without having to worry about it. If you have a licensed version of DesktopSqlCe you can use that license in your code. Please note that this will change in the final release.

What are the major changes from DesktopSqlCe?
We have moved from a flat namespace to a richer namespace design. The distributed code declares the following namespaces:

• Primeworks - Generic classes.
  
• Primeworks.API - These classes interface to the low-level DLLs.
  
• Primeworks.Data - Base classes for data access.
  
• Primeworks.Data.Jet - Microsoft Access classes.
  
• Primeworks.Data.OleDb - Base OLE DB classes.
  
• Primeworks.Data.Sql - SQL Server classes.
  
• Primeworks.Data.SqlCe - SQL Compact classes (ADO .NET).
  
• Primeworks.Data.SqlCe.Core - Core SQL Compact classes.
  
• Primeworks.Data.Sync - Synchronization classes.
  
• Primeworks.Data.Xml - XML export classes.
  
• Primeworks.Remote - Remote device access classes.

Are there any source code samples?
There are no samples for this component yet, but you can adapt the DesktopSqlCe samples. A ful set of samples (in both C# and VB) will be made available in the course of the next few weeks.

What are the upgrade options from DesktopSqlCe?
Current DesktopSqlCe users will have the option to upgrade to the new product - when it becomes available - at a reduced price. Customers that own licenses of both DesktopSqlCe and DataPortSync will have a six-month period to claim a free upgrade.

What's new in Console 1.4 - Statistics

New in version 1.4 of Console is the ability to display index statistics for the whole database, a single table or an index. Index statistics are very useful when determining the "useful indexes" for the Query Analyzer. A useful index generally has a high selectivity (or low density), meaning that each index value matches the minimum number of table rows. A primary key is by definition a useful index because it has the lowest possible density and the highest selectivity: each index value matches one and only one table row.

To display the index statistics, select the new "View Statistics" context menu option on the database, table and index tree nodes of the "Data Explorer" view. The views correspond to the execution of the following stored procedures:

• sp_show_statistics
• sp_show_statistics_columns
• sp_show_statistics_steps

This option is not available for SQL CE 2.0 databases due to lack of engine support.