SQL Server Data Tools and Data-Tier Application Framework Update for February 2015

  • Article

The SQL Server Data Tools team is pleased to announce an update for SQL Server Data Tools in Visual Studio and the Data-tier Application Framework (DACFX) is now available.

Get it here:

SQL Server Data Tools: https://msdn.microsoft.com/data/hh297027

Data-Tier Application Framework (DACFX): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45886

What’s New ?

Support for the latest Azure SQL Database V12 features Many features were added to Azure SQL Database in V12, and now the developer tools in Visual Studio support V12.

Improved Cross-Platform Schema Comparison

Schema compare has required you to select the "allow incompatible platforms" option when comparing a source to a target that supports fewer objects, as when the source is SQL Server 2014 and the target is SQL Server 2008. Now you can compare anything without selecting the "allow incompatible platforms" option. If any compatibility issues exist, you'll be notified when you attempt to update the target. Note, though, that incompatible DML, such as procedure bodies, won't be identified. Look for that feature in a future release.

New advanced publish options

We've added new options to increase your control over publishing, including the ability to not drop users. For more details, click here.

Note: A known issue exists in this release with the deployment options configuration for debug deployment. This dialog is accessed through the Project Properties > Debug page by clicking the button labeled Advanced. On that dialog, the new Do Not Drop options are not displayed, but should be. This will be corrected in the next update of SQL Server Data Tools.

Bug fixes to customer-reported issues

This release includes fixes for the following issues:

Contact Us

If you have any questions or feedback, please visit our forum or Microsoft Connect page.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    March 02, 2015
    What is relationship between SSDT and DACFX? Is isntalling DACFX a pre-requisite for SSDT installation? In the past I remember only downloading and installing SSDT. I don't recall ever installing DACFX explicitly even though I just checked and I have it installed.

  • Anonymous
    March 03, 2015
    Hi Joe, The SSDT installation updates the copy of DACFX used by Visual Studio (for example, in the case of Visual Studio 2013, this is located in a directory like C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0Common7IDEExtensionsMicrosoftSQLDBDAC120). The separate DACFX download is generally used to update the copy of DACFX used by SQL Server Management Studio 2014 (located in C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft SQL Server120DACbin). There is no dependency between the two installers -- either can be run independently.

  • Steven Green SQL Server Data Tools team

  • Anonymous
    March 03, 2015
    I am downloading SSDTSetup.exe but when I run it there is no button to Update, just Repair, Uninstall, Cancel. I already tried Repair but it didn't updated SSDT.

  • Anonymous
    March 03, 2015
    I have the same issue as Darek.  When I launch Visual Studio it tells me there is an update for SSDT available.  However, when I download the SSDTSetup.exe file and run it, its as if there is not un update.  It is simply trying to repair or uninstall the current version (11.1.41025.0).  No update is completed.

  • Anonymous
    March 03, 2015
    Same as the previous two.. Looks like the file downloaded is for the current version of SSDT and not the updated version. Visual Studio 2012.

  • Anonymous
    March 04, 2015
    Same as others, no Update option. Repair doesn't update. Awaiting response from Steven.

  • Anonymous
    March 04, 2015
    The download links located at: msdn.microsoft.com/.../jj650015 ...are indeed the previous version.  This is a common problem for MS.  They announce an update, but it takes the people who put the files out for download a little while to actually update the download links.

  • Anonymous
    March 04, 2015
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    March 04, 2015
    Sorry about the inconvenience!  We had updated the link text, but it did not update the underlying admin links or the overall link.  This has been fixed and is now live.

  • Anonymous
    March 04, 2015
    Hi I installed the update for SQL Server Data Tools in Visual Studio 2013 (12.0.50226.0) hoping to resolve the bug "Schema Compare incorrectly showed differences for the IsPersistedNullable property." but this bug is still there. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2013 Version 12.0.21005.1 REL Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.5.50938 Installed Version: Professional ... SQL Server Data Tools   12.0.50226.0 Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools

  • Anonymous
    March 04, 2015
    VisualStudio2012 Keeps on notifying me about the update, even after downloading and installing, it still shows the update notification and just doesnt go away! Please fix it.

  • Anonymous
    March 05, 2015
    Hi John, I checked and you are indeed correct. The IsPersistedNullable issue is still present in the latest version. I've re-opened the issue. My apologies for the inconvenience.

  • Anonymous
    March 05, 2015
    What about some more PDW support? Like auto complete, right click on objects to get stuff done, we feel like we are 5 years behind ssms :(

  • Anonymous
    March 07, 2015
    can only agree with David Having purchased an APS it is somewhat annoing to to have intellisense, dacpac and a lot of other nice feature. Any timeline for bettr support of APS in SSDT?

  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2015
    my ssdt isn't listed in Extensions and Updates anymore.. so I wasn't alerted to the update. VS 2013 update 4 It still shows in about as v12.0.41025.0 but nothing. Used the ISO to update and now on 12.0.50226.0 but still nothing about SSDT in extensions and updates. Any ideas how to get this back in extensions and updates in VS?

  • Anonymous
    March 10, 2015
    I installed the Feb update but now my update in schema compare is not working from database to project: Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 Shell (Integrated) Version 11.0.61030.0 Q11REL Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.5.51209 SQL Server Data Tools   11.1.50226.0 Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools How can I revert to the prior release?  

  • Anonymous
    March 12, 2015
    I have the same problem. After updating SSDT  in Visual Studio i have the problem that the "Update"-process after the schema compare to publish the changes to the database is very slow. Before the update it took about 30s. Now we have to wait over an hour to finish this operation. Half of our team can´t publish changes to the database

  • Anonymous
    March 16, 2015
    Likewise with the two comments above me, after installing the update using the Update button in Schema Compare does not complete. Also does not complete when using the Generate Script option. Cannot cancel the process without closing Visual Studio completely. Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2013 Version 12.0.31101.00 Update 4 Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.5.50938 Installed Version: Professional SQL Server Data Tools   12.0.50226.0 Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools Windows 7 Professional Service Pack 1 64-Bit Operating System

  • Anonymous
    March 16, 2015
    For folks that are posting here like I did and looking for a way to roll back, instructions and resources can be found here: social.msdn.microsoft.com/.../feb-release-schema-compare-wont-generate-script The issue we've described has been reproduced, and they're working on it now. The Connect bug report can be found here: connect.microsoft.com/.../ssdt-feb-2015-11-1-50226-0-generate-script-from-schema-compare-extremely-slow

  • Anonymous
    March 24, 2015
    I've loaded the Feb SSDT 2012 Release.  I just installed SQL Server 2014 SSAS on one of my servers and I want to deploy an existing 2012 cube to the 2014 server using SSDT 2012. I don't have the version 12/2014 SSAS option in the updated SSDT 2012 Feb release deployment settings.  When I try to install the SSDT VS 2013, it does not install a shell version of VS and it wants a full version of Visual Studio to already be installed. What is the recommended tooling I need to deploy a cube to 2014?  Are you doing away with the free shell and requiring developers to purchase a full version of VS 2013? Thanks, Chris

  • Anonymous
    March 24, 2015
    After updating to the latest SSDT, the database compare runs at the same speed. However, having it push the update or create an update script has gone from taking seconds to taking minutes, and that's on remote or local SQL server instances. I have rolled back to the previous version of SSDT and it's back to seconds. This occurred on both my home machine (Win7) and my work machine (Win81). I don't have any beta/preview stuff installed on my machines.

  • Anonymous
    March 25, 2015
    I downloaded today the SSDT for VS2013 - February 2015 via MSDN Subscriber Downloads and I got the 12.0.50226.0 build which appears to not be the latest and with structure compare issues. Please update to the latest build that is supposed to fix the issues (SSDT_12.0.50318.0_EN.iso).

  • Anonymous
    March 25, 2015
    I am using 12.0.50318.0 to compare schemas. I am getting "WITH (FILLFACTOR = 90)" differences although the option 'Ignore fill factor' is checked.

    • Anonymous
      April 04, 2016
      I am using SSDT 14.0.50616.0 and seeing the same issue.
      • Anonymous
        April 04, 2016
        This issue is also present in 14.0.60316.0

  • Anonymous
    March 31, 2015
    Have you guys worked on improving performance and reliability at all? On opening VS it spends a long time trying to verify every single object in our database project which is totally unnecessary for us (we'd like to just disable this feature). The schema compare wizard is also excruciatingly slow, causes VS to hang, and often fails to update schema (and the failed updates are when going from the database to the database project-which should never fail as all it needs to do is copy SQL definitions.)

  • Anonymous
    April 05, 2015
    The comment has been removed

    • Anonymous
      May 04, 2016
      +1 for this. Id like the opportunity to fix a bug in the Register function.

  • Anonymous
    April 13, 2015
    Hi I installed SSDT for VS2013 - February 2015 (12.0.50226.0) and then the fix (12.0.50318.0), but this bug is still there. SSDT is very slow generating the deployment script or  update the DB target directly(20 min). I captured the event log and opened a connect bug for this issue at connect.microsoft.com/.../ssdt-feb-2015-12-0-50318-0-is-very-slow-generating-the-deployment-script Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2013 Version 12.0.21005.1 REL Microsoft .NET Framework Version 4.5.50938 Installed Version: Professional SQL Server Data Tools   12.0.50318.0 Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools

  • Anonymous
    April 13, 2015
    I reinstalled the Nov release (12.0.41025.0) and ran exactly the same steps and it completed the script generate in 11 seconds.

  • Anonymous
    April 23, 2015
    It would be really nice if you guys gave any indication that you're actually working on fixing all the problems with these tools.

  • Anonymous
    April 28, 2015
    We are beginning to distribute dacpac's to our clients to update their databases instead of the old "run our scripts" deployments.  For the clients to have the latest SqlPackage.exe should we have them run "SSDTSetup.exe" even though they do not have Visual Studio?  Or is there a different redistributable? P.S. Thanks for all the hard work!

  • Anonymous
    April 29, 2015
    There are still a significant number of bug/issues with the newly expanded publish settings.  I ended creating work-arounds for most of them, but the following one I have no solution for:

  • All user accounts that are not specifically defined in the project are now receiving "REVOKE CONNECT" statements. Also, the FILESTREAM DIRECTORY_NAME setting is not dynamic, which causes problems when publishing to multiple databases, using different names, on the same server.  My current work-around for this is to add a PreDeployment script to change the name after the beginning of the script changes it to the static name.  Using a default of the published database name as the DIRECTORY_NAME would eliminate this issue as well.

  • Anonymous
    July 30, 2015
    do you have any plan not to drop column option? I find it very difficult to handle with deploymentcontributor.

  • Anonymous
    July 30, 2015
    Nevermind on my last post.  I see the link to the DACFX installer is posted at the top of the article.  Thanks