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35-471: BIDS Helper was initially released on May 27, 2007. BI Developer Extensions for Visual Studio 2015, 2017 and 2019 is published in the Visual Studio Gallery. The last version for SQL 2005 (Visual Studio 2005), SQL 2008 (Visual Studio 2008), SQL 2008 R2 (Visual Studio 2008), BIDS Helper 1.7.0 was released on March 17, 2015. In Version 1.5, released on June 7, 2011, Varigence contributed key portions of

70-510: A "Sort by name" menu option to the "SSIS Packages" folder of an SSIS project in Visual Studio Sortable Package Properties Report - This report shows the following properties for every SSIS package in the project or solution: Package, Name, ID, Description, Creator Name, Creation Date, Creator Computer Name, Version Build, Version GUID, Version Major, Version Minor SSIS Performance Visualization - shows

105-418: A SSAS, SSIS, and SSRS files Enable/Disable features - allows for the enable and disable individual features Preferences - allows for the configuration of features via a Preferences screen Version Notification - assists in staying current by displaying an alert when a new BIDS Helper version is released Business Intelligence Markup Language Business Intelligence Markup Language (BIML)

140-632: A common declaration Biml has a well-defined set of root types, indicating the various kinds of BI assets that can be created: This is an example of the AdventureWorks DimCurrency table, authored in Biml: All BimlScript tags begin and end with <# and #> delimiters, respectively. Special types of BimlScript tags use augmented versions of these delimiters, to indicate specific usages. A Biml file, with BimlScript, begins with at least one directive. Directives provide instructions to

175-500: A common declaration Biml has a well-defined set of root types, indicating the various kinds of BI assets that can be created: This is an example of the AdventureWorks DimCurrency table, authored in Biml: All BimlScript tags begin and end with <# and #> delimiters, respectively. Special types of BimlScript tags use augmented versions of these delimiters, to indicate specific usages. A Biml file, with BimlScript, begins with at least one directive. Directives provide instructions to

210-415: A glance Expression List - provides a window that lists all the expressions defined in a package Fix Relative Paths - helpful in setting up packages to use relative paths in connection managers and in the path to dtsConfig files Non-Default Properties Report - displays on one screen all properties which have been changed from their defaults Pipeline Component Performance Breakdown - automates

245-531: A graphical gantt chart view of the execution durations and dependencies for a package to help visualize performance Variables Window Extensions - is designed to extend the Variables window in the SSIS package designer Dataset Usage Reports - displays a list of used and unused Reporting Services datasets Delete Dataset Cache Files - automates the deletion of the .rdl.data files Smart Diff - compares versions of

280-415: A report which shows all properties which have been changed from their defaults. Parent-Child Dimension Naturalizer - aids in converting parent-child dimensions into natural hierarchies. Printer Friendly Aggregations - allows for printing or exporting to PDF a report that lists every aggregation in a cube. Printer Friendly Dimension Usage - allows viewing and printing of a report encompassing all

315-481: A role with all of the associated settings and permissions Many-to-Many Matrix Compression - Analyzing the data in a m2m relationship to determine whether it can be compressed significantly requires building a complex SQL query. This feature automates this process and returns a report showing how much each m2m relationship can be compressed. Measure Group Health Check - checks various indications of measure group health. Non-Default Properties Report - generates

350-565: Is a domain-specific XML dialect for defining business intelligence (BI) assets. Biml-authored BI assets can currently be used by the BIDS Helper add-on for Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) and the Varigence Mist (now called BimlStudio) integrated development environment ; both tools translate Biml metadata into SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) and SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) assets for

385-493: Is an IDE for authoring Biml code and building BI assets. Mist leverages visual design capabilities and debugging features to simultaneously edit entire business intelligence models, including relational tables, SSIS packages, and cubes . Mist also incorporates modern programming IDE features, including text editors with syntax highlighting, Intelliprompt and quick-info displays, source control integration, and multi-monitor support. As Biml’s popularity has grown, key portions of

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420-509: The Biml engine, including dynamic package generation to BIDS Helper. Business Intelligence Markup Language (Biml) is an XML-based language that allows a developer to describe a BI solution in a declarative fashion, similarly to using HTML to describe how a web page should appear. Version 1.5 also had the Expression Editor contributed by Konesans. BIDS Helper has dozens of features that improve

455-632: The Microsoft SQL Server platform; however, emitters can be created to compile Biml for any desired BI platform. While Biml’s declarative design is sufficient to author BI assets, BimlScript extends the language by enabling authors to embed C# or VB.NET code within Biml, similar to how ASP.NET includes .NET code within static HTML markup. BimlScript is used to merge changes into existing Biml assets, automatically generate Biml code, and apply changes across multiple Biml files during compilation. Mist

490-419: The Varigence Mist (now called BimlStudio) integrated development environment ; both tools translate Biml metadata into SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) and SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) assets for the Microsoft SQL Server platform; however, emitters can be created to compile Biml for any desired BI platform. While Biml’s declarative design is sufficient to author BI assets, BimlScript extends

525-577: The Biml engine, including dynamic package generation, have been contributed to the BIDS Helper open source project hosted on CodePlex. BimlScript.com is a community website for developing and sharing Biml solutions to BI problems, and contributing Biml content to share with others. Along with tutorials, walkthroughs, and videos, the site provides an online Biml editor. Biml has a syntax that’s common to all XML languages. Tags begin and end with < and >, respectively. Furthermore, tags can have attributes and nested elements. Biml documents begin with

560-577: The Biml engine, including dynamic package generation, have been contributed to the BIDS Helper open source project hosted on CodePlex. BimlScript.com is a community website for developing and sharing Biml solutions to BI problems, and contributing Biml content to share with others. Along with tutorials, walkthroughs, and videos, the site provides an online Biml editor. Biml has a syntax that’s common to all XML languages. Tags begin and end with < and >, respectively. Furthermore, tags can have attributes and nested elements. Biml documents begin with

595-538: The Biml engine, regarding how to process the BimlScript and generate its Biml. Directives are single tags that begin with <#@. Each directive begins with a single term, followed by attributes that supply required values. The two most common directives are template and import. This directive indicates that the file's BimlScript uses the C# programming language. This directive specifies .NET namespaces that should be imported for

630-441: The Biml engine, regarding how to process the BimlScript and generate its Biml. Directives are single tags that begin with <#@. Each directive begins with a single term, followed by attributes that supply required values. The two most common directives are template and import. This directive indicates that the file's BimlScript uses the C# programming language. This directive specifies .NET namespaces that should be imported for

665-523: The Error List in Visual Studio for any items that need to be investigated. dtsConfig File Formatter - watches for when a window is activated or created for a file with a .dtsConfig extension and automatically initiates the Visual Studio formatting feature Expression and Configuration Highlighter - gives a visual indicator so that the influence of expressions and package configurations can be seen at

700-472: The Schemas and Tables collections, respectively. This example shows how developers can use Biml and BimlScript to: Biml Business Intelligence Markup Language (BIML) is a domain-specific XML dialect for defining business intelligence (BI) assets. Biml-authored BI assets can currently be used by the BIDS Helper add-on for Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) and

735-423: The attribute relationships that have been defined for a dimension in an Analysis Services solution Smart Diff - compares versions of a SSAS, SSIS, and SSRS files. BIDS Helper pre-processes XML files so that the diff versus source control is more meaningful. Tabular Actions Editor - provides a UI for editing actions for Tabular models. For example, this feature allows the model designer the ability to customize

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770-598: The column definitions in a few simple steps. Deploy SSIS Packages - quickly deploy SSIS packages directly from BIDS without having to create a deployment manifest and use the Package Installation Wizard. Design Warnings - provides similar functionality to the Design Warning feature in Analysis Services 2008. It compares the current package against a list of design guidelines, and adds warnings to

805-464: The columns returned by drillthrough. Tabular Display Folders - provides a UI for editing display folders on measures, columns, and hierarchies. All display folders are edited in the same place. Tabular HideMemberIf - allows HideMemberIf setting to be changed Tabular Pre-Build - catches the build event and checks features for BIDS Helper settings that have been lost. Because these settings were backed up in annotations, they can be restored, and

840-504: The data types on the KeyColumns and NameColumn of dimension attributes. It displays any discrepancies and lets the user fix them with the click of a button. Dimension Health Check - checks various indications of dimension health Dimension Optimization Report - This report lists all dimension attributes and hierarchies on rows. On columns, it lists various properties which can be used to optimize dimensions. Duplicate Role - copies

875-521: The diff versus source control is more meaningful. Show Extra Properties - exposes hidden properties on several Analysis Services objects. It also provides a better UI for editing descriptions on Analysis Services objects. Sync Descriptions - if the source database has descriptions for relational tables and columns (for example, using the Kimball Dimensional Modeling Spreadsheet) this function will import those descriptions to

910-729: The dimension in Analysis Services. Test Aggregation Performance - test the performance of aggregations Tri-State Perspectives - this feature operates in the Perspectives tab of the cube designer. It highlights any measure groups or dimensions in which not all visible children are part of the perspective Update Estimated Counts - updates the EstimatedCount property of every dimension attribute and every partition with exact counts Validate Aggregations - quickly check whether any aggregations violate restrictions or best practices Visualize Attribute Lattice - allows for visually seeing

945-430: The file. It is functionally equivalent to the C# using statement or VB.NET Imports statement. When authoring BimlScript, additional delimiters may be used. These delimiters match the behavior of T4 template delimiters. This BimlScript example imports a database's assets via a connection, declared in a separate file, named "AdventureWorksLT". Each schema and table from the imported database is then embedded directly within

980-430: The file. It is functionally equivalent to the C# using statement or VB.NET Imports statement. When authoring BimlScript, additional delimiters may be used. These delimiters match the behavior of T4 template delimiters. This BimlScript example imports a database's assets via a connection, declared in a separate file, named "AdventureWorksLT". Each schema and table from the imported database is then embedded directly within

1015-608: The functionality of BIDS , SSIS and SSAS . They are classified into one of five categories listed below based on where they increase functionality in SQL Server: Aggregation Manager - an advanced interface for manually editing aggregations Calculation Helpers - enhances the Calculations tab of the cube editor Column Usage Reports - opens two reports about column usage: Unused Columns Report + Used Columns Report Delete Unused Aggregations - automates

1050-499: The information from the Dimension Usage tab. Roles Report - recursively list the members of the role and the members of groups in order to easily determine which members actually have access via each role Similar Aggregations - allows viewing a report that lists any aggregations which are very similar to each other. Smart Diff - compares versions of a SSAS, SSIS, and SSRS files. BIDS Helper pre-processes XML files so that

1085-815: The language by enabling authors to embed C# or VB.NET code within Biml, similar to how ASP.NET includes .NET code within static HTML markup. BimlScript is used to merge changes into existing Biml assets, automatically generate Biml code, and apply changes across multiple Biml files during compilation. Mist is an IDE for authoring Biml code and building BI assets. Mist leverages visual design capabilities and debugging features to simultaneously edit entire business intelligence models, including relational tables, SSIS packages, and cubes . Mist also incorporates modern programming IDE features, including text editors with syntax highlighting, Intelliprompt and quick-info displays, source control integration, and multi-monitor support. As Biml’s popularity has grown, key portions of

BIDS Helper - Misplaced Pages Continue

1120-462: The methodology for determining which piece of a data flow task is the bottleneck and shows a trend of component performance as different settings and design alternative are tested Reset GUIDs - resets the IDs for all tasks, connection managers, configurations, event handlers, variables, and the package ID itself Smart Diff - compares versions of a SSAS, SSIS and SSRS files Sort Project Files - adds

1155-517: The model to users in another language. For example, the model might be coded in English but display to users in Spanish. Batch Property Update - Allows for updating multiple packages properties at once Biml Package Generator - provides the ability to create packages from Business Intelligence Markup Language (Biml) Create Fixed Width Columns - allows for the use of an Excel spreadsheet to create

1190-444: The process of detecting which aggregations are unused and deleting them Deploy Aggregation Designs - deploys just the aggregation designs in a cube. It does not change which aggregation design is assigned to each partition Deploy MDX Script - allows for right clicking on a cube in an Analysis Services solution and deploy just the calculation script Dimension Data Type Discrepancy Check - runs checks that DSV data types match

1225-401: The user will be prompted if this is necessary. Tabular Sync Descriptions - if the source database has descriptions for relational tables and columns (for example, using the Kimball Dimensional Modeling Spreadsheet) this function will import those descriptions to the table in a Tabular model in Analysis Services. Tabular Translations Editor - allows for coding in one language but display

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