Devart recently released LINQ Insight 2.0 with support for RavenDB, List<T> and array parameters in addition to LINQ to Entities, LINQ to NHibernate, LINQ to SQL, LinqConnect, LINQ to XML and LINQ to Objects. It allows execution of LINQ queries at design time directly from within Visual Studio without starting a debug session including the ability to use LINQ queries through extension methods.
LINQ Insight doesn't make use of emulation and provides an ability to execute queries through the used ORM. It provides support for anonymous queries and enables you to make use of all the features included with Visual Studio editor while designing and testing queries. There is no need to prepare context and assemblies in order to work with the tool.
LINQ Insight automatically resolves context and connection string while executing queries. The context must have a constructor without parameters or a constructor with a string parameter. However, if the constructor accepts the connection string from the project config file, LINQ Insight can parse it and use the connection string from it.
The connection string editor has been significantly improved with the ability to specify connection string parameters in a properties windows like dialog box as seen in Visual Studio. Moreover, it also includes several improvements to SQL logging of Entity Framework queries
The values for the parameters should be provided when you initially execute a query. When the same query is again executed then the tool will remember the values and will not prompt to provide parameter values.
LINQ Insight displays the SQL generated in a grid if you use LINQ to SQL, LINQ to Entities and LinqConnect. The grid provides an ability to sort, group, edit and filter data. It is also possible to filter data by providing the relevant filter string and the results are highlighted inside the grid.
A developer reported that his LINQ queries execute without any problem but doesn't display SQL unless results are returned.
MariiaI of Devart Team replied that the SQL will be shown only after the LINQ query is performed. However, this restriction will be removed in the new version which was ultimately released this week.
