User Guide

A pragmatic tour of DB TEAM for people using it, not writing it.

The shell

┌── Menu ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ File  Edit  Database  Tools  View  Help                    │
├── Toolbar ──────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ [+DB] [+Query] | [▶ Execute] | [Schema↔] [Data↔] [Diag] …  │
├──────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Connections     │                                          │
│  Object Explorer │            Document tabs                 │
│  (side pane)     │     (Welcome, Queries, Compare, …)       │
└──────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────┘
   Status bar — active connection · current status

Panes can be docked, floated, auto-hidden — drag their headers (AvalonDock).

Connecting

1. File → New Connection or Ctrl+N.
2. Connection name is free-form — shown in the list.
3. Server: localhost, MYHOST\SQLEXPRESS, tcp:myhost,1433, . (local default instance), Azure FQDN, etc.
4. Authentication:
   • Windows Authentication — uses your Windows account (no credentials needed)
   • SQL Server Authentication — login + password
   • Azure AD – Integrated — current Windows account authenticates to Azure AD
   • Azure AD – Password — AAD user + password (interactive MFA not supported yet)
5. Trust server certificate — leave on for dev; turn off for prod with a valid cert.
6. Load enumerates databases; pick one (or leave empty to use the default).
7. Test → Connect.

Saved connections appear in the left side panel. Double-click to reconnect.

Object Explorer

The tree lazily loads per node. Icons indicate type:

Right-click on any node for the context menu:

• New Query Here — opens a new editor with the selected connection + database; if it’s a table or view, pre-fills SELECT TOP 100 ….
• Script Object — opens the DDL as a new query.
• Disconnect — removes the connection from the tree (saved connection stays).

Double-click a table/view = quick SELECT TOP 100.

Query Editor

• F5 = Execute
• Ctrl+K = Format (T-SQL reformatted by ScriptDom)
• Ctrl+Space = Autocomplete (keywords + tables + views + procs + functions; columns after .)
• Database dropdown (toolbar) switches the context without opening a new tab.
• Results grid supports multiple result sets. A Messages tab captures PRINT / errors.
• Row count and elapsed time shown in the toolbar.

Execution plans

• Estimated Plan — without running, shows SHOWPLAN_XML.
• Handled by the Tools → Query Profiler tab (see below) for a structured view.

Schema Compare

Database → Schema Compare

1. Pick source connection + database, target connection + database.
2. Compare — enumerates tables, views, procedures, functions on both sides.
3. Results list shows the state for each object:
   • ➕ green = only in source
   • ➖ red = only in target
   • ≠ orange = different definition
   • ✓ grey = identical
4. Click an item to see its Source and Target scripts side-by-side.
5. Sync Script opens a T-SQL script in a new Query tab that applies the diff from source to target.

Tables with definition differences currently emit a -- TODO: manual ALTER TABLE placeholder. Column-level ALTER is slated for v1.1.

Data Compare

Database → Data Compare

Compares rows between two tables with the same primary key.

1. Pick source connection/database, target connection/database, and a table.
2. Compare fetches both sides and diffs by PK.
3. Differences list shows only non-identical rows.
4. Sync Script produces INSERT / UPDATE / DELETE under BEGIN TRAN / COMMIT for the target side.

A primary key is required; the compare aborts otherwise.

Table Designer

Database → New Table

Visual editor for CREATE TABLE:

• Pick connection + database + schema + name.
• Add columns with Name / Type / Length / Nullable / Identity / PK / Default.
• Generate DDL opens the resulting CREATE TABLE script in a new Query tab (not executed automatically — run it yourself after review).

Query Profiler

Tools → Query Profiler

Analyze a query’s plan and runtime statistics:

• Estimated — just parses and gets the XML plan.
• Run with actual plan — actually executes, captures STATISTICS XML, populates the operator table with cost, estimated rows, actual rows, logical reads.

Database Diagram

Tools → Database Diagram

Visual canvas of tables and FK lines:

• Pick connection + database → Load.
• Grid layout, scroll to navigate.
• Each box shows PK columns with a key icon and the first columns of the table.

Drag, zoom, and proper FK edge routing are v1.1 items.

Data Generator

Database → Data Generator

Fill a table with realistic fake data using Bogus:

• Pick table and row count.
• Preview generates 50 sample rows in a grid.
• Export as script produces INSERT statements in a new Query tab.
• Insert to database runs them directly (asks confirmation first, shows progress).

Column name heuristics kick in: email → email addresses, phone → phone numbers, firstname/lastname/city/country/company/url/ip/user/password/description all get appropriate fakers.

Documenter

Database → Documenter

Generates a self-contained HTML document with every table, column, index, FK, view, procedure, and function of a database. Saved in Documents\DBTeam-Docs\ and opened in your default browser.

Themes & Language

• View → Theme — Light / Dark / System (persisted).
• View → Language — English / Français (live swap, persisted).

Keyboard shortcuts

Troubleshooting

Reporting bugs

The error dialog (triggered on unhandled exceptions) has a Report button that opens a prefilled GitHub issue with the stack trace. Or manually: https://github.com/khalilbenaz/DBTeam/issues