MSDN Magazine - October 2007 - (Page 11)

Manage Databases, Easier FTP, and Clustered Caching SCOTT MITCHELL There are many tools available for managing databases, exploring and modifying schemas, and writing and executing queries. One such off-the-shelf tool worth investigating is DatabaseSpy 2007 by Altova. DatabaseSpy can connect to a wide variety of different data stores—Microsoft® Access®, Microsoft SQL Server™, Oracle, MySQL, Sybase, and so on—and provides a uniform user experience regardless of the database. When first connecting to a database through DatabaseSpy, a new project is automatically created. Projects serve as repositories for connection details, credentials, commonly used queries, and so forth. The contents of a project can be quickly searched, and frequently used elements can be stored in the Favorites folder. Moreover, the project manager’s menus and toolbars can be customized and configured to launch external tools. DatabaseSpy’s SQL Editor also offers a modern query editor. For starters, the Autocomplete feature gives the editor IntelliSense®-like behavior. When typing in a query, a drop-down list of possible SQL keywords, functions, and table names appear. When executing a query, the results are displayed in a grid. Unlike the result grid in SQL Server Management Studio, however, DatabaseSpy’s grid can be sorted by clicking on a column header. The SQL Editor also includes tools for exporting data to a variety of formats, including XML, CSV, HTML, and Excel®. In addition, DatabaseSpy includes a rich graphical Design Editor that enables developers to create and modify tables with a few points and clicks. As the table is being created or modified, Effectively Manage Your Database Projects DatabaseSpy maintains a database structure change script and displays it on-screen. This information is handy to verify what specific changes have been made and for applying the same changes to another database. If you are looking for top-of-the-line tools for managing databases and executing queries, take the time to explore alternative, third-party options such as DatabaseSpy 2007. Price: $129 www.altova.com/DatabaseSpy FTP Made Easy The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is an open and well-known protocol for exchanging files between a server and a client over a network. Web browsers are one of the most popular and ubiquitous FTP client applications available, but the FTP features and user experience—while straightforward—typically lack the more advanced features that are found in most stand-alone FTP client applications. One such stand-alone FTP client application is FileZilla (version 2.2), an open-source project started by Tim Kosse. Launching FileZilla displays the Site Manager, which stores FTP server account information. Here you can add and categorize the FTP servers you commonly access, storing authentication credentials, connection options, and other configuration information. FileZilla DatabaseSpy’s Design Editor Helps You Create and Modify Tables Toolbox october2007 11 http://www.altova.com/DatabaseSpy

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of MSDN Magazine - October 2007

Cover Contents Toolbox CLR Inside Out Basic Instincts Data Points Cutting Edge Pooled Threads WPF Threads Parallel Linq Parallel Performance Mobile Apps Test Run Foundations Windows with C++ Netting C++ .NET Matters { End Bracket } Net Nuptials

MSDN Magazine - October 2007

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