Features
- New project system
- Code files in QueryStorm are organized into projects. Projects contain user code, scripts, and configuration files, and are fairly similar to projects in Microsoft Visual Studio. Projects can be compiled after which the produced dlls are loaded by the QueryStorm runtime.
- Automation changes
- In the previous version of QueryStorm, automation was set up using the Automation pane in the UI. The Automation pane allowed defining jobs that consisted of a sequence of scripts to execute and a list of events that trigger the execution of the job.
- In the new version of QueryStorm, the automation pane is no longer - setting up automation is now done via code instead.
- This change highly improves automation performance, and offers .NET developers a rich, stable, and fast workbook automation API.
- SQL users should not be harmed by this change either, as they can now set up automation as part of their SQL scripts, using a very simple preprocessor syntax. They do not need to know any other programming languages to set up automation.
- Workbook automation via SQL
- SQL users can set up automation using a simple preprocessor syntax.
- Workbook automation via .NET (model-binding)
- Developers can automate workbooks using C# and/or VB.NET and a model-binding API. This API provides strongly typed access to data in Microsoft Excel tables, and uses bindings to sync changes between component classes and the workbook, allowing you to focus on business logic rather than on interacting with Microsoft Excel.
- NuGet support
- QueryStorm now lets you reference NuGet packages in your projects when automating workbooks and creating custom Microsoft Excel functions.
- VB.NET support
- QueryStorm now supports using VB.NET for automating workbooks and building custom functions.
- Independent tabs
- In the previous version of QueryStorm, all script tabs shared the same connection. In the new version of QueryStorm, each tab is its own independent context. This means you can have e.g. a Microsoft SQL Server connection in one tab, a SQLite connection in another and a C# code file in a third and you can switch between them without any ceremony.
- IDE improvements
- The IDE now offers additional advanced capabilities such as code refactoring, symbol renaming, navigating from error messages to source code, and better performance for a smoother code editing experience.
- Publishing and installing functions
- QueryStorm now includes a mechanism for sharing custom functions between users, called QueryStorm Extensions. Users of the full version of QueryStorm can create functions and publish them via a network share or via a proprietary Microsoft Azure Artifacts server. Users with the QueryStorm runtime can then download and install these packages (provided they have access to the repository).
- All QueryStorm users (Runtime and Full) can make use of the official packages that the QueryStorm team releases. For example, one such package contains a very useful
Query function, which is similar to the one available in Google Sheets.
- Smaller runtime installer
- The QueryStorm runtime is now distributed separately as a smaller installer. The runtime is intended primarily for business users and clients. It allows users to run automated workbooks and to install packages that contain custom Microsoft Excel functions. The installer for the runtime is ~8MB in size, while the installer for the full version is ~31MB.
- Note that the full version includes the runtime, so it's not necessary to download the runtime separately if you're using the full version.
Breaking Changes
- Some features that were available in the original version are not yet available in the new version (quick queries, csv tables and support for certain DBs).
- QueryStorm2 will not be able to see any embedded code files in workbooks made with the original version.
QueryStorm2 can run side-by-side with the original version of QueryStorm allowing for an incremental transition.
