SQLAnalyzer

Introduction
SQL Analyzer is an open-source utility tool for developers working with SQL Server. It is a stand-alone windows application that can be used to connect to a SQL Server and analyze various database objects in the server. Features include fast searching, code generation and reporting.

Features
1. Connects to different versions of SQL Server (7, 2000, 2005)
2. Lists out different database objects like Tables, Views, Stored Procedures and User Defined Functions in different panes enabling a quicker search and with following additional features:
a. Tables
i. Lists column properties (name, type, length, etc.)
ii. Lists data in a grid where it can be sorted by columns
iii. Lists Referring and Referred tables
iv. Lists triggers and other dependent objects
v. Generates SQL scripts for Insert, Update, Delete, Select and Create
vi. Exports data in a table as Insert SQL statements
b. Views
i. Displays the data in a grid where it can be sorted by columns
ii. Displays the content text of the view
c. Stored Procedures
i. Displays the parameters and its properties
ii. Displays the content text of the stored procedure
iii. Generates VB and SQL codes to execute a stored procedure
d. User Defined Functions
i. Displays the parameters and its properties
ii. Displays the content text of the User Defined Functions
3. Provides a basic query window for execution of SQL statements.
4. Provides Search inside db objects. This feature can be used to search for a text (like table name or an author name) that appears inside a stored procedure, view or user defined functions.
5. Generates Excel reports of database objects with details of table properties.
6. Easy backup and restore options

Limitations
The tool was developed in VB 6.0, targeting SQL Server 2000 and on Windows 2000 Professional. A thorough testing on other versions is not done, though it appears working fine on other versions of SQL Server and Windows. Minor errors are expected.

How to download
The SQL Analyzer tool is freely available on net (Executable and source code) at http://wayfarer.bizhat.com/downloads/sqlanalyzer.html (On this page, right-click on the download link and choose ‘Save target as…’). Any queries, comments or suggestions about SQL Analyzer should be posted here.

My Windows Malayalam Experience

When Microsoft released Windows XP Language Interface Pack for Malayalam recently, I downloaded thinking that it would just help me localize application in Malayalam Language. I didn't bother to read much about it, before I installed it on my home computer. It asked for re-booting and I was taken back by seeing the Malayalam login screen. There were more surprises after logging in. The 'Start' button was named 'Aarambham' and all the default windows applications were in Malayalam.

I had seen forwarded emails and SMSs where in those imaginative people had visualized how a Windows XP Malayalam version named 'Janalukal XP' will have menus like 'Rakshikkoo...' (Save), 'Ellarem Rakshikkoo...' (Save All), Vettoo (Cut) and Ottikkoo (Paste) and Kuppathotti (Recycle bin). It was really funny and I had laughed a lot discussing these things with friends and creating more such equivalent words in Malayalam.

Now I was really amused to see the original Windows Malayalam items. All the default
applications were in Malayalam and the menu was having commands like 'Samrakshikkuka'
(Save), 'Ithaayi Samrakshikkuka' (Save All), ‘Murikkuka’ (Cut) and 'Ottikkuka’ (Paste). Recycle bin was called 'Punarupayogathotti'! After having fun for a while, I slowly realized how bad I am in my own mother tongue. The words like 'Prathisthapikkuka' (Replace) Chaithanyam (Refresh) confused me a lot, and the only way I could manage to do things in, was by remembering the icons and the usual places of items/commands in the English version. Who could ever imagine menu named ‘Paryaveshanam’ will open up our usual windows explorer and you need to click on 'Gunaviseshathakal' to see the properties of any files!


After an hour of real fun (Pity us… reading words in our own language is now like reading a joke, when we compare them with their English equivalents which we are used to since years), I tried all the shortcuts using 'L' to change the language back to English. Nothing worked! Then my aim was to locate Control Panel for some settings. Nothing worked!! At last I found the Language Pack listed in 'Nilavil Samsthapikkappetta Programukal' (Add/Remove Programs window) and managed to uninstall it to get my familiar interface back!

I don’t think any computer literate Malayali would love to have a Malayalm version of operating system to do his or her day to day works. Post your comments on this.

Bill Gates at Bangalore

“You have seen him on billboards… you have seen him on TV… you have seen him in news papers…. And now…. See him…. Live!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....... Billlllllllllllll Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaates!!!!!!”

And there he is… slowly walking to the center stage… through the cloudy smokes in the background… that gave him an outlook of a super hero… and of course, he was welcomed like one… with cheers and screams and applause… that made him say “This is the most liveliest crowd I have ever seen”!

The 5000 strong developer community in Bangalore then settled down, listening with all ears to their idol and super model.

This was the first time, I am attending an event of this kind, and the experience was overwhelming. Microsoft’s Ready Launch Tour 2005 on December 9th at Palace Grounds in Bangalore to launch the products Visual Studio 2005, SQL Server 2005 and Biztalk Server 2006 was indeed a show of its kind. The number of security check points at the venue itself is a proof for that. I have been examined by five or more security persons, which included metal detector checks and frisking the body.

Bill’s speech was more or less like a technical presentation, as most of the time, he focused on the exciting new features of the products he launched. Then there were detailed demonstrations by his team on each product that included working samples and presentations.

Bill Gates appeared again on stage… this time to answer some selected questions from developers. He looked more energetic and the session was lively, unlike his previous speech. He mentioned about his ‘Upma’ breakfast and said he enjoyed it. He still does snippets coding to understand the latest languages like C#, but however it was in 1983, he did complete coding for a product. When asked about cricket, he said he is happy that the Indian cricket team is using a Windows MediaCenter PC to watch their opponent’s movements closely!

After the event, the participants were given a carry bag containing CDs and DVDs of trial versions of these latest softwares and some product brochures besides a waist pouch as gift.

Linguistic Nimbility

Linguistic Nimbility (LN) consists of two skills. First, is the ability to determining the meaning of something given a short series of capital letters. Second, is the ability to understand what someone is referring two when the name for the thing has changed 3 or 4 times over the last 6 months. J

DSV-Data Source View
RDL-Report Definition Language
SMDL-Semantic Model Definition Language
SMQL-Semantic Model Query Language
TFC-Team Foundation Client
TFCS-Team Foundation Core Services (Earlier Burton Integration Services)
TFS-Team Foundation Server
VSTF-Visual Studio Team Foundation
VSTS-Visual Studio Team System
WITDL-Work Item Type Definition Language
WIQL-Work Item Query Language


Code Names
Everything in software has to have a code name. Why is that, you might ask? The reason is that no-one is allowed to name a software product or component except for marketing. And marketing is not willing (and rightfully so) to name a software product until the very last minute before it comes out. So, software teams come up with code names to refer to the product or feature they are working on.

Burton-Visual Studio Team System
Cassini-VS 2005 Built-in Web Server
Currituck-VSTS Work Item Tracking System
F1-VSTS Profiling System.
FxCop-Static Code Analyzers for managed code
Hatteras-VSTS Source Control System
Longhorn-Windows Vista
Okracoke-VSTS Web Testing System
Orcas-Visual Studio 200x targeting Longhorn
PREfast-Static Code Analyzers for C/C++ code
Rosetta-SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services
Whidbey-Visual Studio 2005 and .NET Framework 2.0
Whitehorse-VSTS Distributed System Designers
Yukon-SQL Server 2005

DLL Names (Beta and Final)
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Currituck.Client-Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Client
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Currituck.Cache-Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Client.Cache
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Currituck.Controls-Microsoft.TeamFoundation.WorkItemTracking.Controls
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Hatteras.Client -Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Client
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Hatteras.Diff-Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Common.DiffEngine
Microsoft.visualstudio.teamsystem.elead.common-Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Common.Library
Microsoft.visualstudio.teamsystem.elead.sdk-Microsoft.TeamFoundation
Microsoft.visualstudio.teamsystem.elead.vsip.sdk-Microsoft.VisualStudio.TeamFoundation.Client
Microsoft.visualstudio.textmanager.interop-Microsoft.VisualStudio.TextManager.Interop

Google Desktop Sidebar

Power of Google Desktop Search (http://desktop.google.com) is already appreciated and accepted by everyone. Recently I came across with a new feature in that, called 'Sidebar', that made me reinstall Google Desktop again on my machine, as I had abandoned it long back, just because I never do vigorous searches on my computer.

Google Desktop now includes Sidebar, a floating panel that gives one-glance access to all sorts of personalized information. This panel can be conveniently placed on the desktop and can be minimized, if we require more desktop space.

There are a lot of tiny plug-in panels that can be added to this sidebar and I was specifically happy with To Do List, Scratch Pad, Calendar, Analog Clock and Word-A-Day. Scratch Pad is like having a notepad open all the time, so that we can key down whatever we want, which will get saved instantly.

May be I will choose panels like Weather, Maps, Traffic, etc. later on when they make it available for Indian cities rather than just US cities.