I purchased the SQL Tools product last year, and I should say that I've not used all the tools in the set as yet - either I have no current need, or I've just not got around to exploring them. However, those tools that I do use - Schema Compare, Data Compare and SQL Complete, Search - are superb, and get used every day. Doing my work without them would be unimaginably harder. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
There are times when I think that the tools could work better together - for example, there's no link within the Schema compare product to say "Compare data" (or vice versa), which would be useful - even if it just opened the Data Compare product with the same active connection. And there are things which are slightly clunkier than I'd like - particularly when using SQL Azure. For example, Search only looks within the database you had selected when originally connecting the Object Explorer.... and if you want to search in a different Azure database, you have to disconnect the Object Explorer, then reconnect it to the db you want to search within. I understand that this is because Azure doesn't support the USE statement, but nonetheless an easier workaround would be nice. One more example - when two rows differ within Data Compare, it's not easy to see which columns are different. Yes, there's a sort-of "status bar" below the grid showing the data which says how many differences there are in that column but that's not easy to see - just highlighting differences in a different colour (as is the case with differences in Schema compare) would be really helpful. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
Hello,
Thank you for your kind words!
We'd like to add a few comments on what you dislike about SQL Tools.
1) Indeed, the option of launching the Schema Compare tool from the Data Compare tool and vice versa is absent in the current versions of these tools. However, we have this feature in plans.
2) To search within a different database, you don't have to return to the dbExplorer and establish a new connection. Instead, you can change the current connection in the Schema Compare Wizard:
1. Navigate to the Source and Target page.
2. In the Connection field, click <Manage...>.
3. Select the existing Connection, click Edit, and point to the Database you need.
Or, you can create a new Connection to the necessary Database.
3) To view the differences in rows in the Data Compare tool, you can use the dedicated Data Viewer feature.
1. Compare the databases and select the tables of interest.
2. In the bottom grid displaying the table rows, switch to the Difference tab.
3. Launch the context menu of View Difference
In the new Data Viewer window that will open automatically, you'll see the data discrepancies highlighted. When you are moving through the table rows, the Data Viewer will be displaying the differences precisely.
If you have any other questions, please contact us at support@devart.com. We'll be there to help you!
