What's New In SQL Tools Version 2

What's New In SQL Tools Version 2?

Unless otherwise noted, these new features are available in both the Standard and Pro versions of SQL Tools Version 2.

SQL Tools Version 2 is now compatible with both PowerBASIC® and Microsoft Visual Basic®. In fact, SQL Tools Version 2 can be used with C, C++, Delphi®, Fortran, or any other 32-bit Windows programming language that can use standard DLLs. Now you can use SQL Tools for many more of your database projects, large and small! (Please note that declaration/header files and sample programs are currently provided for PB and VB only. Perfect Sync is in the process of creating header files and samples for other compilers. Contact support@perfectsync.com to inquire about other languages.)

In spite of the significant internal changes that were necessary for the support of multiple programming languages, SQL Tools Version 2 is over 99% code-compatible with Version 1 programs. Just make a few very simple changes -- a checklist is provided -- and recompile!

Unlike the SQL Tools Version 1 License Agreement, the Version 2 License Agreement does not restrict your use of SQL Tools in free, demo, and shareware projects. This licensing change does not affect programs that are still using SQL Tools Version 1. The new "relaxed" rules apply only to programs that use SQL Tools Version 2. Click here to read the new Version 2 License Agreement.

Greatly improved handling of Dates, Times, and Date-Time columns. The existing SQL_ResColText and SQL_ResultColumnText functions now return dates and times in much more usable formats, and you can change the default formats very easily.

The new SQL_ResColDateTime and SQL_ResultColumnDateTime functions have been added to make accessing and formatting Date-Time columns much easier.

New functions called SQL_ResColDate, SQL_ResColTime, SQL_ResultColumnDate and SQL_ResultColumnTime have also been added. These functions allow you to specify the date and/or time format that is returned on a column-by-column basis, using standard-Windows formatting strings like hh:mm:ss and dddd, MMM dd, yyyy.

Fully automatic handling of Signed and Unsigned Numeric columns. It is no longer necessary to use Manual Binding to handle databases that contain unusual numeric data types such as Signed Bytes (Tiny Integers), Unsigned Words, Unsigned Double Words, etc.

Fully automatic handling of all three Unicode Data Types. That means that SQL Tools is now compatible with ODBC Version 3.5, Level 2, which (as of this writing) is the current state of the art for ODBC databases.

Several "under the hood" improvements that increase the speed and memory efficiency of certain operations, such as connecting to a previously-opened database. (We can't be more specific than that because most of the improvements are driver-specific, so not all of the changes will affect all programs.)

The new SQL_Test.EXE program can be used to determine whether or not ODBC has been installed on a computer. If ODBC has been installed, SQL_Test will simply launch your SQL Tools program. If it has not been installed, SQL_Test will display an error message that you compose. This will result in a much "cleaner" failure if your SQL Tools program is run on an improperly configured system, because it will avoid displaying the intimidating Windows Error Message "The dynamic link library... could not be found in the specified path..." etc.

The new SQL_StringToType function can be used to assign the value of a string to a User Defined Type, such as a SQL_TIMESTAMP, SQL_DATE, SQL_TIME, or SQL_GUID value. (This function is provided primarily for Visual Basic programmers because PowerBASIC programmers can use the LSET function to perform this type of operation.) SQL_StringToType provides a very powerful technique for handling User Defined Type structures -- of all kinds! -- that are stored in a database.

SQL Tools Pro Only: In addition to the new Date-Time functions that are described above, SQL Tools Pro also includes new functions called SQL_ResColDateTimePart and SQL_ResultColumnDateTimePart. These functions can be used to obtain numeric values that correspond to part of a Date, Time, or DateTime column, including the Year, Month, Day, Day Of Week, Hour, Minute, Second, and Nanosecond. This is the most efficient way to deal with dates and times!

SQL Tools Pro Only: SQL Tools version 2 allows the Asynchronous (Background) Execution of SQL Statements without the complexities of using threads! Just use the new SQL_AsyncStatement or SQL_AsyncStmt function to "launch" a SQL statement, and then your program can go about its business. Periodically check the SQL_AsyncStatus function to find out whether or not the statement has finished, check for errors with SQL_AsyncErrors, then use the standard functions (like SQL_Fetch) to retrieve the results. Run as many simultaneous SQL statements as your driver will allow!

SQL Tools Pro Only: SQL Tools Pro now automatically tracks the current row number of each SELECT statement, and your programs can obtain that value by using the new SQL_FetchPos and SQL_FetchPosition functions. Two functions called SQL_SyncFetchPos and SQL_SyncFetchPosition have also been added, for special circumstances.

SQL Tools Pro Only: Three new functions called SQL_DataSourceAdd, SQL_DataSourceAdmin, and SQL_DataSourceModify have been added to allow your SQL Tools programs to manage Data Sources much more effectively. When used with a Microsoft Access database, the SQL_DataSourceModify function can also be used to perform operations such compacting (repairing) databases and creating new databases.

SQL Tools Standard and Pro: The SQL Tools documentation has been thoroughly updated and revised, including new sections that cover the questions that Perfect Sync Technical Support receives most often. The new Help File is over 800 pages long.

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