The IBM^® Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio are a collection of features that integrate seamlessly into your Visual Studio development environment. You can work with IBM data servers and develop IBM database procedures, functions, and objects by performing the following activities:

Database Tools

With the commands on the IBM Database Tools submenu, which is on the Tools menu, you can open the database development and administration tools that are installed on the system, including the following tools:

• IBM Data Studio
• IBM InfoSphere Data Architect
• IBM Optim High Performance Unload
• IBM InfoSphere Optim Query Tuner and IBM InfoSphere Optim Query Workload Tuner

IBM Database Project type

The IBM Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio introduce a new IBM Projects folder that includes an IBM Database Project type for developing IBM data server scripts.

With an IBM database project, you can add these new or existing scripts:

• SQL and SPL procedure scripts
• SQL and SPL function scripts
• CLR procedure scripts
• SQL table scripts
• SQL index scripts
• SQL view scripts
• SQL trigger scripts
• Scripts based on generic templates that contain supported data definition language (DDL) and data manipulation language (DML)

With an IBM database project, you can also perform the following actions:

• Specify build configuration options including script build order.
• Check in your script files to a source control management system.

Server Explorer

The IBM Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio extend the Server Explorer in the Visual Studio environment. The add-ins provide Visual Studio users with access to IBM data connections.

In the Server Explorer, you can:

• Work with multiple named IBM data connections that support connect-on-demand technology.
• Specify database catalog filters and local caching for higher performance and scalability.
• View properties of server objects including tables, views, procedures, and functions.
• Open designers that create IBM database procedures, functions, tables, and views.
• Retrieve and update data from tables and views.
• Test SQL and SPL procedures and functions.
• Debug SQL and SPL procedures.
• View source code scripts for SQL and SPL procedures, SQL and SPL functions, and objects.
• Generate CREATE scripts for SQL and SPL procedures, SQL and SPL functions, and objects.

DB2 SQL Editor

The IBM Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio also include a DB2 SQL editor. With the editor you can change and view the code in your DB2 procedures, functions, objects, and scripts.

The DB2 SQL editor includes the following features:

• Colored SQL text for increased readability.
• SQL fragment insertion.
• Moving files into projects.
• Variable breakpoint creation.
• Line breakpoint creation.
• Integration with the Microsoft Visual Studio IntelliSense feature, which provides for intelligent auto-completion while you are typing DB2 scripts.

IDS SPL Editor

The IBM Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio also include an IDS (Informix^® Dynamic Server) SPL editor. With the editor you can change and view the code in your IDS procedures, functions, objects, and scripts.

The IDS SPL editor includes the following features:

• Colored SPL text for increased readability.
• Moving files into projects.
• Integration with the Microsoft Visual Studio IntelliSense feature, which provides for intelligent auto-completion while you are typing IDS scripts.

See Also

Getting Started | Supported IBM Data Servers and System Requirements | Customizing the IBM Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio | Support for DB2 User-Defined Data Types and Spatial Data Types

.NET Development Forum   developerWorks: Visual Studio .NET   DB2 FAQs   IDS FAQs

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