Announcing Azure Data Studio 1.44
Published May 25 2023 08:31 AM 4,468 Views
Microsoft

It seems like just last week we were just releasing Azure Data Studio 1.43 (oh wait, that was last month) and here we are announcing Azure Data Studio 1.44!

 

This release comes in the midst of Microsoft Build, where numerous Copilot-adjacent announcements have been shared for different applications.  We are excited to announce that the GitHub Copilot extension is now available in the extension gallery with the Azure Data Studio 1.44 release!  For complete details and some examples, please see Drew’s post, Introducing GitHub Copilot for Azure Data Studio.

 

Filter in Object Explorer

A frequent request we’ve seen from users is the ability to filter in Object Explorer, and we’re pleased to introduce that capability in Azure Data Studio 1.44:

 

Screenshot of Filter menu item in Object ExplorerScreenshot of Filter menu item in Object Explorer

 

Within the Filter settings dialog there are numerous properties on which you can filter the objects.  The available properties are specific to object type, the dialog below is for filtering tables:

 

Screenshot of filter settings for Object ExplorerScreenshot of filter settings for Object Explorer

 

This functionality is in preview, and to obtain access you must select the option Enable unreleased preview features within Settings. 

 

Delete Database

Another request that users often ask for is the ability to delete databases in the UX.  We are happy to announce that you can now right-click on a database and choose Delete from the menu. 

 

Screenshot of Delete database menu option in Object ExplorerScreenshot of Delete database menu option in Object Explorer

 

This functionality is also in preview and stay tuned: the ability to create a database in the UX is coming soon. 

 

We want to take a minute to thank AlexP, who created an extension for Azure Data Studio that simply provided the ability to delete a database.  That extension filled a gap for many users for a very long time, and we appreciate the assist.  

 

Connection

We continue to refine the connection experience, and if you’ve been following along, you know that’s been a theme for several releases.  Connecting to a server from Azure Data Studio is the initial experience for a user; it needs to be solid.  We have been working to address defects, but there also are deep, internal changes we are making to create robust connections.  We still see a lot of comments from users complaining of inconsistency and until those cease, we will keep iterating. 

In Azure Data Studio 1.44 the most noteworthy change for connection is that we’ve enabled the Sql Authentication Provider by default for Azure SQL connections and for the MSAL Authentication Library.  This provider is used with Active Directory Interactive authentication mode and enables server-side resource endpoint integration when fetching access tokens. After you upgrade to Azure Data Studio 1.44, on initial launch of the application, you will see the following message:

 

Screenshot of message about tenant list box removal after upgrading to Azure Data Studio 1.44Screenshot of message about tenant list box removal after upgrading to Azure Data Studio 1.44

 

With the Sql Authentication Provider, selection of a tenant is no longer required.  The Azure AD tenant list box has been removed from the Connection dialog because it's now handled by the underlying driver.  This change also allows for improved token refresh for Azure SQL Database connections.

 

For those of that you have had issues with token expiration, encountered scenarios where Intellisense stopped working, or experienced failures to view database objects or connect to the server when scripting, these changes should alleviate those problems. 

 

User Management

Finally, we have expanded the recent user management functionality to include the ability to create database and server roles.  Within the Security node in Object Explorer at both the server and database level, you can create new roles within the UX:

 

Screenshot of create new role menu item in Object ExplorerScreenshot of create new role menu item in Object Explorer

 

As with Filter in OE and Delete database, user management remains in preview.  If you don’t see the menu item you’re expecting, please verify you have the preview option enabled.

 

Summary

As we wrap up, a quick reminder for those of you that plan to try out the features that are in preview: we want to hear from you!  Hop over to the Discussions page in the ADS repository and start a discussion to ask questions or share suggestions.  Now is the perfect opportunity to provide feedback before a feature becomes generally available. 

 

We continue to steadily shift the direction of Azure Data Studio to align with the vision we established earlier this year.  The first part of that vision is making ADS a tool that supports core operational capabilities for Azure data users, which is why you’ve seen us make improvements in Object Explorer and add user management capabilities in the first part of 2023.  Database management is the second wave of changes; you’ll see that functionality introduced in our next release.  Remember that you can install the Insider build for the chance to try out anything new before it hits the release.  If you’re interested in search functionality and changes to grouping colors, we recommend checking out the latest Insider build!

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