SQL Compact 3.5 features by platform

Since SQL Compact is now fully supported on the desktop, a divide in features between the original platform (Windows Mobile/Windows CE) and the ”new” platform (Win32), has now become apparent. It is therefore useful, if you are palling to use SQL Compact across platform, to know which features are available on each platform. I have attempted to collect this information in the attached document, and will continue to update this as the RTM approaches, and during subsequent releases and service packs.

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TOP clause now supported

So now in SQL Compact 3.5 you can make queries against Northwind.sdf with the following syntax:

SELECT Top(10) *

FROM [Order Details]
ORDER BY [Unit Price] * Quantity DESC

And you will get the 10 most valuable orders listed.


It's nice to see this omission finally added to the SQL Compact syntax.

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Hidden gem: Rename table

This new feature is not mentioned anywhere, but listed in the docs:

sp_rename: Changes the name of a user table in the current database. Currently, sp_rename support in SQL Server Compact 3.5 is limited to tables.

sp_rename [ @objname = ] 'object_name' , [ @newname = ] 'new_name' [ , [ @objtype = ] 'object_type' ]
In the following example I will demonstrate it's use (using the VS 2008 beta 2 Server Explorer):

The current tablename is Test.

Run the sp_rename command, with the 2 parameters: Old name and new name

The query parser complains.

But runs the query none the less.

Do a refresh...

And voila... all from plain old T-SQL!

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SQL Compact 3.5 - Manage relationships

Now foreign key relationships can be managed via the UI in Server Explorer, as two new pages have been added to the Table Properties dialog:









This is the "classic" dialog from SQL CE 3.1
(click to enlarge)









Notice the two new pages, a "Add Relations" page.







And a "Manage Relations" page.

This is a nice addition to the SQL Compact Management UI - and is a missing piece requested by many users.

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SQL Compact 3.5 testing

I have begun testing SQL Compact 3.5 (as part of VS 2008 beta 2) and will start to post my findings in this blog.

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