SQL Server Data Tools Preview update for October 2015

The SQL Server Data tools team is pleased to announce an update for SSDT Preview is now available. The SSDT Preview update for October 2015 adds a support for SSAS and SSRS projects in Visual Studio 2015. SSIS has addressed various issues reported from August and September preview releases. This update includes SQL database project features for SQL Server 2016 CTP3 and Azure SQL Database.

Important!

  • If you are trying out SSMS, SSDT and SQL Server 2016 CTP release on the same machine, please install or upgrade SQL Server 2016 CTP version to CTP3.0 before updating SSDT or SSMS to avoid a known issue on SSMS.

Who can benefit from using the Preview?

  • Analysis Services and Reporting Services developers on Visual Studio 2015 using SQL Server 2008 to 2014 and developers who would like to try the new CTP features SQL Server 2016. Check more detail about Analysis Services and Reporting Services features in this update.
  • Integration Services developers on Visual Studio 2015, experiencing issues from an existing installation of SSDT August and September 2015 preview update, or would like to try SSIS project on Windows 7 OS.
  • SQL Server 2016 CTP3.0 database developers who would like to try the new CTP features.
  • Azure SQL Database developers who would like to try the latest GA and Preview features.

Get it here:

Download SSDT October 2015 Preview for Visual Studio 2015 and Visual Studio 2013

  • The version number for the latest preview in Visual Studio 2015 is 14.0.51026
  • The version number for the latest preview in Visual Studio 2013 is 12.0.51026

Download Data-Tier Application Framework October 2015 Preview

  • The version number for the latest preview of DacFx is 13.0.3124.1

What’s New in SSDT and DacFx?

  • SSDT One-Installer support for SSAS and SSRS.
  • New SSIS features including Hadoop connector, control flow template, relaxed max buffer size of data flow task.
  • Various bug fixes in SSIS and support for Windows 7 OS.
  • SQL Server 2016 CTP3 feature support for database project.

Known issues:

  • SSDT side by side installation with SQL Server 2016 CTP2.4 and SSMS September release.
    • A breaking change was introduced between SQL Server 2016 CTP2.4 and CTP3.0. This may cause SSMS to crash if SSDT Preview October 2015 update is installed on the same machine where SSMS September 2015 update and SQL Server 2016 CTP2.4 are already installed. A workaround is to install SQL Server 2016 CTP3, SSMS October 2015 update first before SSDT Preview October 2015 update to avoid this issue.
  • SSIS side by side installation
    • SSIS developers may encounter an issue when SSDT Preview October 2015 update is installed side by side with SQL Server 2016 CTP 2.4 or older version on the same machine.
    • Debugging package with Data Flow Task may result in "Unable to save to XML" error. A workaround is to set "Run64BitRuntime" SSIS project property to False
  • SSIS Template issues
    • Connection managers binding to template instances can also be listed by other normal tasks or foreach loop containers. A workaround is to ignore the connection manager binding to template instances. Using those connection managers in other executables may lead to a unknown issue.
    • After renaming a template file, packages which contain the template reference cannot be updated automatically. A workaround is to manually edit the .dtsx.designer file to update the template references.
    • After replacing an executable in a template, the template instance in a package will be refreshed, but the connection manager name of the template instance is not prefixed with "(template)". A workaround is to remove the existing template instance and add a new one.
    • If an executable in a template is changed from a task to a container or vice versa, an existing package which contains the template cannot add any executable by double-clicking toolbox. A workaround is to add an executable by drag & drop.
    • When designing a package with template, some layout issue may occur. A workaround is to save a package before next operation after adding a new template instance.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or feedback, please visit our forum or Microsoft Connect page.  We are fully committed to improve the SSDT experience and look forward to hearing from you!