SQL Server 2012 : The Data Tools installer is now available
November 21st, 20115
SQL Server 2012 : The Data Tools installer is now available
November 21st, 20115
 
 

Last week when RC0 was released, the updated installer for "Juneau" (SQL Server Data Tools) was not available. Depending on how you tried to get it, you either ended up on a blank search page, or a page offering the CTP3 bits. Important note: the CTP3 Juneau bits are not compatible with SQL Server 2012 RC0.

If you already have Visual Studio 2010 installed (meaning Standard/Pro/Premium/Ultimate), you will need to install Service Pack 1 before continuing. You can get to the installer simply by opening Visual Studio, going to File > New > Project, and then choose the option "SQL Server" that appears under the "Other Languages" category (not the "SQL Server" option that appears under the "Database" category):

 

When you click OK, you will get another dialog that prompts you to install SQL Server Data Tools:

 

When you click Install, your web browser will be launched on the Data Tools "Get Started" page. There you will see a link to "Download SQL Server Data Tools" which will launch or download SSDTSetup.exe:

 

At this point I would close Visual Studio 2010, because you'll probably be prompted to close it anyway.

As usual you'll be prompted with a security warning:

 

Next you'll need to agree to the lengthy license terms and conditions:

 

Next it will download LoaclDB (the new dev/Express runtime) and install. For me on multiple installs the Installation Progress bar held at 99% for a noticeable amount of time:

 

With a little bit of luck you should end up at the "Success" screen:

 

Now you can open Visual Studio directly (or from the "SQL Server Data Tools" menu item under All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2012 RC0. Choose File > New > Project and again choose "SQL Server" under "Other Languages." The option depicted above has changed to "SQL Server Database Project":

Click OK. You will find a Toolbox and a familiar Object Explorer on the left, where you can easily create new objects:

 

And now you can go to town developing your project. I haven't tried upgrading a project from CTP3 or from a previous version of "Data Dude." You're on your own there, sorry.

As an aside the "other" SQL Server option under "Database" contains all the old project types that you may not want to use anymore. I hope they straighten this out and consolidate by RTM:

If you already had Juneau CTP3 installed, you should be able to install SQL Server Data Tools CTP4 as an upgrade by simply downloading the updated SSDTSetup.exe from the "Get Started" page. You may still need to install Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 prior to doing so. For what it's worth, I completely removed SQL Server 2012 CTP3 and Juneau CTP3 before attempting to install the updated bits. If you try an upgrade and come across any issues, please let me know.

You may be wondering why the versioning seems out of cadence – SQL Server is at RC0 while Juneau is at CTP4. This is because SQL Server is feature complete and an upgrade to RTM will now be supported. Juneau is not quite complete (there are still some pending changes before RTM); the naming remains CTP so that folks do not get the impression that an upgrade to RTM will be supported.
 

By: Aaron Bertrand

I am a passionate technologist with industry experience dating back to Classic ASP and SQL Server 6.5. I am a long-time Microsoft MVP, write at Simple Talk, SQLPerformance, and MSSQLTips, and have had the honor of speaking at more conferences than I can remember. In non-tech life, I am a husband, a father of two, a huge hockey and football fan, and my pronouns are he/him.

5 Responses

  1. AaronBertrand says:

    Also here is some further background to the installation issue with VS2010 SP1 and a registry workaround:
    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ssdt/archive/2011/11/30/ctp4-installation-issue-with-vs2010-service-pack-1.aspx

  2. AaronBertrand says:

    Aaron, sorry about the delay, I do have some pointers for you. The old projects are will still continue to work – you can use them side-by-side. In Data Dude the projects were named .dbproj; in Juneau these have shifted to .sqlproj. Note that Juneau is missing several key features from Data Dude so you may not want to rush to get your projects migrated or re-created until you are sure that Juneau covers all of the functionality you want.
    Some good information from Gert Drapers, a.k.a. the data dude himself:
    What's new in SQL Server Data Tools CTP4?
    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ssdt/archive/2011/11/21/what-s-new-in-sql-server-data-tools-ctp4.aspx
    SQL Server Data Tools CTP4 vs. VS2010 Database Projects
    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ssdt/archive/2011/11/21/sql-server-data-tools-ctp4-vs-vs2010-database-projects.aspx
    Top VSDB->SSDT Project Conversion Issues
    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ssdt/archive/2011/11/21/top-vsdb-gt-ssdt-project-conversion-issues.aspx
    Uninstalling SQL Server Developer Tools CTP3 (Code-named "Juneau")
    http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ssdt/archive/2011/11/21/uninstalling-ssdt-ctp3-code-named-juneau.aspx
    HTH
    Aaron

  3. AaronLS says:

    Will the old "Data Dude" database projects continue to work after installing the new data tools?  I've heard that the old Database Project types are being deprecated since Juneau serves the same/similar purpose.  I am just wondering if my old projects will continue to work until we are upgraded to SQL Server 2012 and I have time to migrate the projects.

  4. AaronBertrand says:

    Thanks Jim, I didn't have the courage to try this, but relied on testimony from colleagues who said the upgrade went smoothly. I think it's much cleaner and safer to wipe off previous CTPs first…

  5. Jim says:

    I had to uninstall Juneau CTP3 before it allowed me to CTP4.