Get XP Service Pack 3

No more long wait. After Windows XP service pack 3 has reached RTM at beginning of this month, now you can get it via direct download or WU. Though I am using Windows Vista for my machine, my company laptop and virtual environment are still using Windows XP. It's quite stable after service pack 2. And it's hard to change to the new environment when you already familiar with existing one. For Direct OEM and Retail License Availability, the support end date is June 30, 2008. Yes, 2 more months. Let's see will support of Windows XP be extended by Microsoft.

First release of SQL Management Console

Finally, I decided to release the second .NET application I am developing: SQL Management Console, now. This version 0.1, which is still in beta phase, still has a lot of room for improvement. Use at your own risk.

Here are some of the screenshots of it:
1) Login screen


2) Main GUI with MSSQL 2005 in action

3) Main GUI with MySQL 5.0 in action

4) Object scripting

5) Dependency viewer

For this version, it will suport MSSQL 2000 & 2005, MySQL 5.0. I am planning to include PostgreSQL connector in the next version. The features include in this version are :

1. (IDE-wise) Open/Save/Drag-and-Drop file
2. (IDE-wise) query pane and result pane
3. (MS SQL 2000 & 2005) Object browser for system objects (Scalar function, Stored procedure, System table, Table function, Trigger, User table, View)
4. (MS SQL 2000 & 2005) Object browser for security (Users, Roles, Schemas)
5. (MS SQL 2000 & 2005) Object browser for constraints, columns, parameters (Columns, Keys, Constraints, Triggers, Indexes, Parameters)
6. (MS SQL 2000 & 2005) Dependencies viewer for objects (Scalar function, Stored procedure, System table, Table function, Trigger, User table, View)
7. (MS SQL 2000 & 2005) Object scripting for non-encrypted objects (Scalar function, Stored procedure, Table function, Trigger, View)
8. (MySQL 5.0) Object browser for system objects (Scalar function, Stored procedure, System table, Trigger, User table, View)
9. (MySQL 5.0) Object browser for security (Users, Privilege)
10. (MySQL 5.0) Object browser for constraints, columns (Columns, Keys, Triggers)
11. (MySQL 5.0) Object scripting for non-encrypted objects (Scalar function, Stored procedure, Trigger, View)

Since parts of the source code is came from MSDN, thus I think it's good to release it under Microsoft Public license (Ms-PL) to prevent any infringement, though the chance are very little.

Since I am not an expert on database, feel free to give to any constructive comment and recommendation. I will try to improve it.

You can get the source code at here and executable files at here.

Preview of another project I am developing - SQL Management Console

For the past two months, I am busy developing my second .net app. - SQL Management Console. It comes with a MSSQL-like object explorer/browser and a simple analyzer. All my time after working hours and weekends is devoted for this project. (The first one is widget-like analog clock; anyway first and second in context here means specially made with purpose).

Actually I first come out the idea on last year, when I was involved in a business project interface with different kind of RDBMS databases, eg. MSSQL, MySQL, FireBird, Oracle, OleDB, ODBC, .... Due to some personal reason, I was unable to continue it. With more exposure on interface design, suddenly I found it's interesting to start this project on my own. With the classes in namespace System.Data.Common, the ADO .NET programming becomes easier. Now It support MSSQL and MySQL. PostgreSQL is my next target.

While developing it, I also found few famous tools available on the market, like myLittleAdmin, Red-gate software. I hope one day my SQL tool can on-par with them. By the way, myLittleAdmin costs US$299.00.

Forget about the intro, let you all see some screenshot of it.

• MSSQL 2005

• MSSQL 2000

• MySQL 5.0

The full-source version 0.1 should be ready to download within these two weeks.

MSSQLSERVER & SQLSERVERAGENT (MS SQL 2000) failed after changing the password in active directory

PC must change the password periodically to maintain security, though you still have choice to not to do so if you work alone in default Windows domain. But when it comes to active directory, most MIS guys enforce user to change it through the AD management tools. Thus those softwares in your PC that ties to this AD account for login should be smart enough to changed accordingly.

But in MSSQL 2000, this is not the case. After changing the new AD password, the MSSQLSERVER & SQLSERVERAGENT will not be updated and it will give you error message (if you start it from SQL Server Enterprise Manager: Server Group->[Instance]->Management->SQL Server Agent):

"An error 1609 - (The service did not start due to a logon failure) occurred while performing this service operation on the SQLServerAgent service."

If you start it from Services.msc(Go to command prompt, type: "services.msc"), you will get the same logon error:

Due to the login account has changed, now MSSQL and SQL Server Agent cannot identify you correctly anymore, since the password it keeps is the one you saved last time. You must change the password to let it works.

1) Right-click the particular service (MSSQLSERVER or SQLSERVERAGENT).

2) Choose "Properties"

3) Select "Log On" tab.

4) Change the new AD password as shown, that is!