T-SQL Tuesday #86 : SQL Server Bugs & Enhancement Requests : [SSMS] Intellisense for MDX

This months T-SQL Tuesday is hosted by Brent Ozar (b|l|t) and the invitation is found following this link.

T-SQL Tuesday was started by Adam Machanic (b|l|t) and this is the SQL Server community’s monthly blog party where everyone is invited to write about a common topic. Actually Adam just published a complete version of the rules of engagement here.
This time the topic is SQL Server Bugs & Enhancement Requests.

Introduction

I think this topic is a really good selection. I have previously worked on an idea to make connect items visible at the SqlSaturdays I helped organize here in Denmark. I haven’t come up with a really good solution yet, but I hope that we maybe next time will have a way to make the attendees aware of how they can impact the evolution of SQL Server.

[SSMS] Intellisense for MDX

The Connect Item I have chosen to write about is an old one and is about getting Intellisense for MDX in SQL Server Management Studio [SSMS]. Despite the fact that it was created back in 2009 by Jamie Thomson (b|l|t), it is still active and there has been a public acknowledgement back then, by the Analysis Service Team, that they will consider this request for an upcoming release. 2009, still active… True story.

Meat n’ Potatoes

This connect item is about a functionality many of you SQL Server Database Developers and Administrators take for granted, namely code completion. Either you have had it through a third-party product (here, here or here) for years or have been blessed by the SQL Server Team with the built-in functionality in SSMS, supported since, drum roll please, 2008.

I can’t stress enough how much productivity would go up by adding such a feature to Management Studio. If you don’t believe me, try turning off your T-SQL code completion for just one (1) hour – I bet you’ll be screaming by then. And with all I hear about MDX being hard to master, it really doesn’t invite new people in to join the party, not having code completion. So please vote here.

Yes, you may argue that MDX is slowly being replaced by DAX. But I predict (seems oh so popular these days) that SSASMD cubes and MDX will stick around for quite some time still. And you may have a point in that this might not even be up to the Analysis Services Team anymore – since the break up of SSMS and SQL Server releases, the responsibility for this feature request was probably dropped between two chairs – that’s why one could hope that the MSSQL Tiger Team was made aware of this request, because it really seems to have been forgotten. If not for this reply I got on Twitter:

Help make them become aware by voting here or shouting it out on Twitter or by any other means you have. I urge you to vote, as a fellow compassionate database developer, as a struggling BI Developer, as a project manager wanting to see his developers pick up pace. Even if you don’t care, please vote.

Vote

Please, if I could just get you to vote. Thank you!

Vote

Is it getting pathetic? 😉

Jamie Thomson who initially created the request doesn’t seem to think this stands a chance. I hope we can prove him wrong – Even if he seems to have moved onto other technologies and wouldn’t really benefit from this massive upgrade of the developing experience with SSAS and MDX.

 

 

Power BI – Ideas

On a side note, there is a similar forum for feature requests for Power BI, which I would like to advertise for that – in case you didn’t know.

Please see this link.