How do I see dbisql Messages tab in SQL Anywhere 17?

[Breck_Carter]

It appears that by default the MESSAGE TO CLIENT output is sent to the History tab along with all the SQL statement history, thus rendering the SQL Anywhere 17 dbisql utility unusable IMO.

Is there any way to restore the SQL Anywhere 16 behavior?

[VolkerBarth]

v17's dbisqlc is not option for you, right?

(I still use it in parallel with DBISQL, so I'm not sure whether my suggestion is more than silly...)

[former_SQLA_member1694940]

In DBISQL 17, the "Messages" tab was combined with the "History" tab. Text from a MESSAGE TO CLIENT statement shows up there, next to the MESSAGE statement itself.

[VolkerBarth]

A late reminder: Do we have to take the v17 design as given, or is there hope that this undesired behaviour change could be reverted/opted-out in coming releases?

As discussed here, it's not only disadvantageous for MESSAGE statements but also for statistics/row counts...

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(Sorry for using an answer for what is certainly a question - but I hope to get more visibility that way than when using just another nested comment...)

[Former Member]

Short of using version 16 dbisql I don't see such an option.

The messages tab was removed entirely from version 17.

[Michael_Fischer]

But why? It's a good idea to have a history of the messages, no doubt. But when you have a lot of instrumented code and you are testing procedures, the output squeezed into a cell in the history tab is a nightmare. We should have the option to receive the running messages in a separate tab, too.

[Breck_Carter]

> The messages tab was removed entirely

That certainly violated The Watcom Rule.

[reimer_pods]

Looks like someone forgot, that there are real users in the world outside using (and paying for) that product.

[VolkerBarth]

We should have the option to receive the running messages in a separate tab, too.

I fully second that suggestion.

As a workaround, it might help to add a further option for the History Results "Show" combo box to just list the messages instead of the issued SQL...

[Breck_Carter]

It really wouldn't take much time to ask for opinions ahead of such a drastic change... it doesn't have to be an expensive formal "focus group" or "customer advisory board" process, just a few friendly email conversations. That's what I do with Foxhound, and it has saved me from mistakes every bit as awful as the Cockpit 🙂

[VolkerBarth]

Well, that's the consequence of not offering a beta version anymore, I suspect...:(

[Breck_Carter]

Beta testing comes after decisions have been made, features have been frozen and the money's been spent. I prefer to avoid mistakes before sounding the horn, Let The Waste Begin! 🙂

[VolkerBarth]

Sure, but correcting issues during beta tests is still less expensive (or possibly more likely) than during maintenance...:)

[Breck_Carter]

OK... don't get me started talking about the useless beta process.