3.2 Build 41 Stabilizing API and Parsers
This build we spent our time on stabilizing API reports from users, and attempting to find some of those rare parser bugs. We now have over 400 NUnit tests, many of them specifically added to error cases found in the parser. We have also made efforts to give better messages when the syntax appears wrong to the engine. Are we 100% compatible with SQL Server? No, not yet. But we are continuing to close the gap. It is a big deal to me that the syntax get better prior to the TSQL Stored Procs because I honestly feel we are going to see a LOT more syntax than ever before. TSQL Procs are the #1 requested feature, by far! But there is a lot more to it than simply allows arbitrary SQL code to be run as functions. Many scripts have complex conditional handling internal to alter table schema, and do all sort of maintenance based on custom rules users have hand written. These scripts are going to be the hardest thing for us to bring in and run. There is no SPEC for TSQL Stored procs. No provider model, and the syntax can vary from version to version of SQL Server. Our goal is to get the functions required implemented first and get some basic TSQL Procs up and running. These releases will be classified as BETA (development) for VistaDB 3.3. The reason is that the number of portions of the engines that will be modified is huge. And we want to take every chance to test TSQL Procs and then to have you test and give feedback before we declare them stable. 3.3 looks like a tipping point for us. We have so many users waiting to see what it will be like before deciding to purchase or not. It will come down to another set of make or break it releases. The feature set is very large, but it will add a very large number of users to our base. I expect we will receive over 10x our normal download traffic for the first public trial. The interest level is very, very high. It is going to be a very exciting next 60 days for us. Thanks for coming along.
