SlashDB version 1.7.0 is now available for download or for instant launch on Azure and AWS clouds.

This release adds 3 new features and a number of improvements to performance, user experience, security and documentation.

What’s new?

Filtering with multiple range segments

Range filtering is SlashDB’s querying capability for quantifiable column types such as numbers and dates, which allows to select values falling within a given range. Up until now we have not supported logical OR for such queries (other than to define a SQL Pass-thru query). With this release this becomes possible in the Data Discovery mode. For example, to select Invoice rows where values in column Total fall in ranges between 3 and 5 or between 10 and 15:

https://demo.slashdb.com/db/Chinook/Invoice/Total/3..5,10..15.html

Filtering for NULL values

Although some data formats such as comma-separated text file often make no distinction between an empty string or a NULL, those values carry distinctive meaning in databases. It is now possible to explicitly search for either. To build on the the above example, suppose we wanted to only find records, for which the BillingPostalCode column is not a NULL:

https://demo.slashdb.com/db/Chinook/Invoice/Total/3..5,10..15/~BillingPostalCode/.html

The special marker is configurable both in the slashdb.ini file for the default as well on each URL using the ?nullStr modifier.

Using NULL for parameters to SQL Pass-thru queries is also possible.

Update license via API

Updating license keys is now possible using the API, as described in our documentation. This can help clients with multiple servers to automate license key update in bulk.

What’s improved?

Security

As with every release we had penetration testing performed for this release by a reputable specialist vendor. No major issues were found. The following are enhancements and fixes related to security:

• Added capability to automatically configure OpenID Connect, if so supported by identity provider
• Enhanced SAML 2.0 auto-configuration with the ability to send metadata from SlashDB (SP) to identity provider
• Added defensive code against a SAML 2.0 replay attack
• Fixed an issue where optional SAML property NameId Policy was required
• Fixed an issue where authenticated user could see certain properties associated with his/her account without being granted administrative privileges
• Fixed an issue where user with administrative privileges was able to perform actions in the UI that could reveal presence or absence of certain files (enumeration)

Performance and Core Functionality

Of note are:

• Significant performance improvement for limit/offset queries in SQL Pass-thru achieved by wrapping defined statement as a sub-query where possible instead for cursor iteration
• Dramatic performance improvements with PostgreSQL (and derivatives) by using server-side cursors by default
• Where possible updated third party dependencies to latest versions
• Fixed condition where a change to a SQL Pass-thru statement would not propagate to all workers under multi-process concurrency
• Avoid errors on incorrectly encoded strings in plain character types in Oracle by using a character replace mode; possible to disable
• Fixed field missing from the SQL Pass-thru query definition API response
• Fixed ambiguous behavior when searching for an empty string is in the last segment of the URL
• Include NULL values in wildcard “*” filter

User Experience

Various fixes and feature improvements including:

• Making certain error messages clearer
• Clickable database names in the list of connected databases
• Fixed button placement in Query Studio on narrow screens
• Fixed button for XML in the SQL Pass-thru query execution screen
• Fixed URL generated for filtering on string “*” explicitly
• Fixed URL generated for fields that a primary key and contain special characters such as an asterisk or a comma
• Fixed display issues and error messages with the connection string override feature

Dev/Ops and Administration

These changes improve configuration, administration and troubleshooting:

• Added support for Python 3.10, dropped support for version 3.7 and below
• Formatting of log messages in all components is now uniform, which allows for concatenating log files and easier troubleshooting
• Product version is now output to log files on application start
• Fixed misleading log message on table relationship naming
• Ability to configure advanced connection string settings in the slashdb.ini per database type in addition to per database name
• Use TDS protocol version 7.4 by default for compatibility with wider range of newer versions of the MS SQL Server
• Separated support for Oracle into its own package, which is optional to install and can be updated separately from the main application

Documentation and Testing

• Added chapter on upgrading
• Updated outdated screenshots
• Automated about 75% of UI tests

Connect with us

We invite you to get in touch with us. You can reach us via:

• Gitter.im (chat room)
• StackOverflow (use tag “slashdb” to post questions)
• Contact form

Image attribution

The image is “a realistic green meadow and blue sky with a black cat hiding in the grass” as generated by the Microsoft Bing powered by DALL-E.