Software Update: SQL Server Management Studio 18.9.1

Microsoft has released version 18.9.1 of SQL Server Management Studio, often abbreviated to SSMS. With SSMS you can manage a Microsoft SQL environment, for example an on-premise SQL Server, but also an Azure SQL Data Warehouse in the cloud. It provides tools for the configuration, monitoring and deployment of the various data tier components. You can also put together queries and scripts. The corresponding changes look like this:

What’s new in 18.9.1

• Azure Data Studio installation integration – Installation of SSMS installs Azure Data Studio 1.28.0.

Bug fixes in 18.9.1

• IntelliSense – Fixed issue where column names were omitted from suggestions and error indicators are falsely displayed under the column names.

What’s new in 18.9

• Always Encrypted
  • Updated the New Column Master Key and New Column Encryption Key dialogs to support provisioning and managing column master keys stored in Azure Key Vault Managed HSMs.
  • Enabled specifying a key length when generating column master keys in Azure Key Vault.
  • Improved diagnostics for provisioning and managing column master keys stored in Azure Key Vault.
• Azure Data Studio installation integration – Installation of SSMS installs Azure Data Studio 1.27.0.
• Azure SQL DB – Improved the diagnostic reporting when an error occurs while interacting with Azure.
• General SSMS
  • Added command /resetuserdata to ssms.exe, which resets the user data including the “Most Recently Used” lists.
  • Updated MSODBC and OLEDB drivers installed with SSMS. The updated version to MSODBC notably adds a workaround to connection error AADSTS530000 (AAD configuration with Conditional Access policies that would require Windows Account Manager).
• IntelliSense/Editor
  • Added support for greatest and least in IntelliSense
  • Added support for BACKUP_STORAGE_REDUNDANCY syntax (CREATE/ALTER DATABASE).
• ShowPlan – Always show Estimated Number of Rows for All Executions property

Bug fixes in 18.9

• Accessibility – Fixed issues in narrator: Items order for New Column Master Key UI to move in a logical order from top to bottom, Narrator focus order on Filter Settings.
• Always Encrypted – Fixed the Always Encrypted wizard to not include a port number in key paths for column master keys stored in Azure Key Vault. The bug caused failures in the ODBC and PHP drivers that did not expect port numbers in key paths.
• Always On Availability Group – Fixed in issue where the “Add New Availability Group” Wizard does not join AG databases into new AG automatically on secondary replica.
• Auditing – Fixed an issue where SSMS was throwing an error dialog when trying to bring up the Properties on Audit Specification.
• Auditing – Fixed an issue were some Audit Specifications wizards and property dialogs where not working properly on some localized versions of SSMS (eg Create, Japanese).
• Azure SQL DB – Fixed an issue that was causing the “Create firewall rule” to fail in some cases.
• Azure SQL DB – Fixed an issue where the “Properties” dialog on a Table was displaying the incorrect server name (local machine instead of the Azure SQL DB server name).
• Azure SQL DB – Fixed an issue that was causing the “Create firewall rule” to fail when the server name had invalid characters (such as capital letters) in the name.
• Import/Export Data-Tier Application – Fixed in issue where importing a bacpac into SQL Express may fail. See SQL Server user feedback.
• General SSMS – Fixed a crash (in the Visual Studio Shell) that was causing SSMS to crash when re-docking tabs. See SQL Server user feedback
• General SSMS – Fixed an issue in “Browse folder” dialog that was causing SSMS to stop responding.
• General SSMS – Fixed an issue where Object Explorer can lock up the UI thread, and ultimately cause the UI to freeze (and the user to have to hard close the SSMS.
• General SSMS – Addressed issue where there is no option available in SSMS to rebuild a clustered columnstore index online. SSMS offers an online ON checkbox on the UI, where we can select if the particular index has to be built online.
• General SSMS – Fixed the logic to page the user to a proper page in most error dialogs originating from exception at the SQLClient (driver) level. Previously, for almost all the error/exceptions, the help button was always tasking the user to a non-existing page.
• General SSMS – Fixed issues around the “Server Properties / Processor” UI where SSMS is SSMS shows incorrect CPU Processor information or an error similar to “An item with the same key has already been added.” See SQL Server user feedback and another SQL Server user feedback.
• General SSMS – Fixed errors that may show up while resetting settings. See SQL Server user feedback.
• General SSMS – Fixed an issue that was causing SSMS to throw an error message when trying to use the “PresentOn” feature in QuickLaunch. Also, added back the “PresentOff ” functionality, which resets the UI to its regular size.
• General SSMS – Fixed the logic that prevents the creation of a (clustered) columnstore index, which was overly restrictive for newer versions of SQL Server. See SQL Server user feedback.
• General SSMS – Fixed an issue where SSMS was displaying an incorrect error message when changing the connection of an editor window to DAC (“Dedicated Admin Connection”). The error message was misleading in asserting that the connection was not successful, when indeed it was. Note: while the error has been removed, due to the nature of DAC, keep in mind that: (1) IntelliSense experience will be significantly limited (2) SSMS will still block the Object Explorer experience when connecting using DAC.
• High DPI/Scaling – Fixed an issue where the Data Collection Wizard could result in being clipped on High DPI monitors (at 150% scaling).
• High DPI/Scaling – Fixed an issue where DB Mirroring security wizard may render poorly on High DPI (at 150% scaling).
• High DPI/Scaling – Fixed an issue with the “New Job Schedule” dialog which was rendering poorly on High DPI (4K monitors and 200% scaling).
• High DPI/Scaling – Fixed an issue with the “New Session” (XEvents) where some elements of the UI were truncated on High DPI (4K monitors and 200% scaling).
• Import Flat File – Fixed issue where some messages displayed by the Import Flat File wizard are not localized.
• IntelliSense/Editor – Updated IntelliSense to display more useful information on built-in functions TODATETIMEOFFSET and SWITCHOFFSET.
• Log Shipping Wizard – Fixed in issue where Log Shipping Wizard may throw an error “Cannot show requested dialog” when clicking on Edit Job for Transaction Log Backup/Copy/Restore Setting Tab.
• Log Viewer – Addressed an issue where on some locales (eg Korean) some UI elements looked truncated/clipped.
• Maintenance Plans – Fixed an issue where SQL Server Management Studio 15.0.18338.0 can’t explore “Expression” property in Maintenance plan. See SQL Server user feedback.
• Query Tuning Advisor – Fixed an issue where an error message like “User does not have enough permissions.” was displayed when trying to use the “New Database Upgrade Session” wizard on a database containing a dot in the name. See SQL Server user feedback.
• SMO/Scripting – Fixed script generation for DW databases where it only worked if the object explorer was connected to logical master instead of the user database.
• SSMS Setup – Fixed an issue where SSMS Setup was not properly executing the Post-Install Custom Action, thus not running “ssms.exe /setup”. This is believe to be the cause for some sporadic issues when SSMS is started after an upgrade (see known issue session for AS).
• Vulnerability Assessment – Disabling menu options “Tasks -> Vulnerability Assessment” for Azure SQL databases and adding collapsible message tip for better user experience for Azure SQL VM users.
• XEvent UI – Fixed capability to filter Extended Events using the event name instead of id. Supports the use of map_value column instead of map_key in wait_type filter predicate as the key value is subjected to change during version upgrade. Originally added in SSMS 18.8.