SQLMetal OSUI 0.85 released

After few months without time to spent on, I just uploaded the new release of SQLMetal OSUI. Actually, there are not greats features added, just a coupled (both necessary).

One of the new features is the possibility to indicate alternative path of sqlmetal.exe command. Now it's possible through app.config file, indicating the absolute path into tag. On the other hand, the 0.80 version didn't allow to generate sqlmetal output files if the sdf database had password. Now, you can indicate the password (if required) of the database and SQLMetal OSUI will create either dbml, code or map file.

There are no bigger changes but little features. I will work on new ones in the future (I hope) ;-)

SQLMetal OSUI after Visual Studio .NET SP1

The propose of SQLMetal OSUI was to agilize the use of sqlmetal.exe within Visual Studio .NET because of LINQtoSQL designer didn't support, initially, SQL Server Compact databases.

Some posts appeared annuncing support for this kind of database provider in Service Pack 1, but after installing SP1, there is not support included yet, and I have'nt see any issue.

So, it made me though about the future of SQLMetal OSUI. In fact, a 0.85 version will be released early (in about few days) which will support custom path for sqlmetal.exe tool and will be able "to LINQtoSQL" encripted databases with password. But, what will be the next step then??

There are a lot of features could be added, including more integration with Visual Studio .NET IDE, but I don't know what is exactly what the developers need. So, if you have any suggestion, idea or other issue that could be introduced to the next versions, please, feel free to drop me a comment.