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Contents

1.0 Introduction

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express (SSMSE) community technology preview (CTP) provides a graphical management tool for SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express) instances. SSMSE can also manage relational engine instances created by any edition of SQL Server 2005. SSMSE cannot manage Analysis Services, Integration Services, SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition, Notification Services, Reporting Services, or SQL Server Agent.

SSMSE is a free download from the Web.

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2.0 Downloading and Installing

You must install the .NET Framework 2.0 and MSXML 6.0 Parser before installing SSMSE.

Note:
The .NET Framework 2.0 and MSXML 6.0 Parser might be already installed if you have a machine that is running SQL Server Express.

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2.1 .NET Framework 2.0

You must install the .NET Framework 2.0 before installing SSMSE.

SSMSE depends on the .NET Framework 2.0.50727.42 or later. If you have a different version, your SSMSE installation might function unpredictably. You can download the .NET Framework 2.0.50727.42 from this Microsoft Web site.

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2.2 MSXML 6.0 Parser

You must install MSXML 6.0 Parser before installing SSMSE. You can download MSXML 6.0 from this Microsoft Web site.

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2.3 SQL Server Management Studio Express CTP

SSMSE is available for download at this Microsoft Web site.

Note:
Be sure to follow the instructions provided at the download site for downloading and extracting the product.

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3.0 Known Issues

3.1 Side-by-side Installation

SQL Server Management Studio and SSMSE cannot be installed side-by-side on the same computer.

Note:
SQL Server Management Studio can be used to connect to SQL Server Express instances.

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3.2 Full Text Catalog

You cannot update the full-text catalog by using SSMSE because it is not supported by the tool. You can use sqlcmd utility or Windows Scheduler to update the full-text catalog. For more information see "Creating Full-Text Indexes," "CREATE FULLTEXT CATALOG (Transact-SQL)," and "ALTER FULLTEXT CATALOG (Transact-SQL)" in SQL Server 2005 Books Online at this Microsoft Web site.

In Object Explorer, you will see the Full-text catalog object, but only the Refresh command is available.

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3.3 Replication Support

Interactive Resolver, which lets you resolve conflicts manually during on-demand synchronization in Microsoft Windows Synchronization Manager, is not supported in SSMSE.

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3.4 SQL Server Agent

SSMSE does not support scheduling administrative tasks by using SQL Server Agent. In Object Explorer, only the Refresh command is available to refresh the state of the service for all SQL Server instances except SQL Server Express. This is because SQL Server Agent is not supported by SQL Server Express.

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3.5 Integrated Help

Integrated Help is not available for the SSMSE CTP. If you press F1, you will see an error that will point you to the download location for SQL Server 2005 Books Online.

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4.0 Additional Information

4.1 Object Explorer Behavior

In SSMSE, Object Explorer only supports Database Engine instances. The Connect to Server dialog box will prevent connecting to other services, such as Analysis Services.

All objects that would normally be enumerated for a specific Database Engine Object Explorer tree will still be visible in SSMSE CTP. If it is an object for an unsupported item such as Full-text Catalog, only the Refresh command will be available.

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4.2 Connecting to SQL Server Express

To connect to a SQL Server Express Database Engine instance, in the Connect to Server dialog box, specify any of the following:

.\sqlexpress, (local)\sqlexpress, or server name\sqlexpress

Note   The default installation of SQL Server Express uses an instance name (SQLExpress). This instance name must be supplied to connect to SQL Server Express by using SSMSE. If you have a instance name other than SQLExpress, connect by using computer name\instance name.

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4.3 Connecting to a User Instance

SSMSE allows developers to administer SQL Server Express user instances. The prerequisite for using SSMSE with a SQL Server Express user instances is that the user instance should be running and active. To activate a user instance, install SSEUtil.exe from this Microsoft Web site. When a user instance is running, SSMSE connects to the user instance using the named pipe protocol.

To determine which named pipe to use to connect to the parent instance of SQL Server Express

  1. To open SSMSE, click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and then click SQL Server Management Studio Express.

  2. To open a new query editor window in SSMSE, click New Query.

  3. In the new query window, enter the following commands:

    Use Master
GO
Select owning_principle_name, instance_pipe_name from sys.dm_child_instances
GO
  4. After the results are displayed, under the owning_principle_name column, find the user name for which the user instance was generated. From the instance_pipe_name column, copy the named pipe value.

  5. Create a new database connection. In Object Explorer, click Connect. In the Connect to Server dialog box, paste the named pipe value, preceded by np:, as shown:

    np:\\.\pipe\3C3DF6B1-2262-47\tsql\query

You can now use SSMSE to manage objects related to your user instance.

For more information about user instances, see “User Instances for Non-Administrators” in SQL Server 2005 Books Online at this Microsoft Web site.

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4.4 Configuring Remote Access to SQL Server Express

SQL Server Express listens on local named pipes and shared memory. With a default installation, you cannot remotely connect to SQL Server Express. You will have to enable TCP/IP and determine if the firewall is enabled.

To enable TCP/IP and Named Pipes:

  1. From the Start menu, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, point to Configuration Tools, and then click SQL Server Configuration Manager.

    Optionally, you can open Computer Manager by right-clicking My Computer and choosing Manage. In Computer Management, expand Services and Applications, and then expand SQL Server Configuration Manager.

  2. Expand SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration, and then click Protocols for InstanceName.

  3. In the list of protocols, right-click Named Pipes, and then click Enable.

  4. Right-click TCP/IP, and then click Enable.

    The icon for the protocol will change to show that the protocol is enabled.

To enable the firewall:

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Network Connections.

  2. From the navigation bar on the left, click Change Windows Firewall settings.

  3. On the Exceptions tab, in the Programs and Services box, you will probably see that SQL Server is listed, but not selected as an exception. If you select the check box, Windows will open port 1433 to let in TCP requests. Alternatively, if you do not see SQL Server listed, do the following:

    1. Click Add Program.

    2. Click Browse.

    3. Navigate to drive:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\BINN

    4. Add the file sqlservr.exe to the list of exceptions.

    5. Select SQL Server Browser as an exception.

4.5 Newsgroup Support

For newsgroup support, click the "SQL Server Tools General" link at this Microsoft Web site.

Do not use other Microsoft newsgroups for posting questions regarding SSMSE.

Note:
Newsgroups are supported in English only.

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4.6 Community Support

Resource Description

http://forums.microsoft.com/qawizard/ask.aspx

Ask a question – On this site, you can search through existing newsgroup postings for any questions that you might have. Use this as a starting point to see if someone else has encountered a similar situation to the one you are experiencing.

http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/productfeedback/default.aspx

Send feedback – On this site, you can participate in the development process by submitting suggestions and bug reports for SSMSE. You can search for bug reports and suggestions that others have submitted, and add your vote or enter a new bug report if you can’t find one that matches your scenario. Be as specific as possible in bug reports to help the development team reproduce the problem. You can also set up alerts to monitor the status of your report as changes are made by the development team.

http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/User/MyForums.aspx

Check question status – On this site, you can monitor responses to MSDN forums, threads, and posts that you have participated in or subscribed to.

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/default.mspx

A site for developers who are building SQL Server databases, reporting systems, and business intelligence solutions, and enabling their applications and Web sites to use these systems.

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4.7 SQL Server 2005 Books Online

SQL Server 2005 Books Online is available for download from this Microsoft Web site. For more information about SSMSE, see the "Tools and Utilities Reference" and "SQL Server Management Studio Tutorial" topics in SQL Server 2005 Books Online.

Note:
Microsoft periodically publishes downloadable updates to SQL Server 2005 Books Online. We recommend installing these updates to keep the information current in your local copy of the documentation.

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