minisql-admin.exe is the native Windows graphical client for MiniSQL. Its
workflow follows the parts of SQuirreL SQL that are useful for MiniSQL: saved
connection aliases, a session object tree, SQL worksheets, reusable bookmarks,
query history, object-detail notebooks, result tabs, and a structured result
grid. It intentionally has no driver manager or support for other DBMSs.
Build the public applications and launch the workbench:
.\build.ps1 -AppsOnly
.\build\bin\minisql-admin.exeThe first-run Local MiniSQL alias connects to a trusted loopback server on
port 7432. Select Trusted local loopback only when minisqld was started with
--serve; this mode cannot target a remote address. For an authenticated
server, clear that option, enter the MiniSQL user, and supply the password when
connecting. Passwords exist only for the connection attempt and are never
written to the alias file or SQL history.
Failed DNS, TCP, TLS, or authentication attempts open an owned error dialog with
an actionable reason. Dismissing the dialog returns focus to the enabled
connection manager, where the endpoint or credentials can be corrected and the
connection retried. Direct --connect* launch failures open the same dialog and
then fall back to the connection manager instead of terminating at the console.
MiniSQL serves one database per endpoint. The alias therefore stores a database
label for the UI; it does not send a USE command or expose databases belonging
to a different server process.
Enable Native TLS 1.3 / X.509 and enter the certificate DNS name in TLS server name. With an empty pin field the client uses the Windows trust store,
validity dates, hostname, EKU, signature, TLS 1.3 policy,
TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384, and X25519 validation implemented by the native client.
For a self-signed leaf certificate, enter its exact SHA-256 DER fingerprint in
the pin field, with or without the sha256: prefix and colon separators. Pinning
only permits an otherwise unknown root; it does not bypass hostname, validity,
EKU, signature, protocol, cipher-suite, or key-exchange checks.
The left sidebar switches between:
- Objects: the connected database and all tables returned by
SHOW TABLES; - Bookmarks: MiniSQL-specific SQL templates; double-click to insert one;
- History: the latest 100 worksheet batches, searchable through the filter above the list; secret-bearing account DCL is replaced by a redaction marker.
The main area switches between the SQL worksheet and object details. Current executes the explicit selection, or the complete statement containing the caret when no text is selected. Run script executes every statement in the editor in source order. Both paths use the quote/comment-aware SQL scanner, so semicolons inside strings, quoted identifiers, line comments, or block comments do not split a statement. Explain uses the same current/selection scope and requires exactly one statement.
Execution runs on a native MiniLang worker thread so window messages continue to
be processed. Connection handshakes, object-tree refreshes, table descriptions,
and the automatic refresh after SQL execution use the same non-blocking worker
model. Controls that read shared session state remain disabled until the active
worker publishes its result. Each execution creates a bounded result tab with
elapsed time, success state, columns, rows, and server messages. Export CSV
writes the active result with RFC-style quote escaping through the native Save
As dialog. Every result tab has a trailing × that closes only that result;
Clear results still closes the complete result set. Select a table
and choose Open object to load Summary, Columns, Indexes, Data, Row Count,
and reconstructed DDL pages. Columns, indexes, preview data, and row counts are
rendered as native report grids with real column headers, selectable rows,
independent column widths, and horizontal/vertical scrolling rather than as
pipe-delimited text.
The Data page is a native multi-select report grid. It loads 100 rows per
page, displays the filtered row count, moves with Page controls, and sorts a
column ascending or descending when its header is clicked. The filter accepts a
single WHERE predicate; statement terminators and SQL comment openers are
rejected before the query is sent. Paging, filtering, and sorting are disabled
while edits are pending so a row cannot silently change underneath a staged
operation.
Add row, Copy row, and Edit row open a resizable field editor. A
double-click opens the editor on the clicked cell. Use <NULL> for SQL NULL;
identity and default fields use <DEFAULT> during inserts. Text is SQL-escaped,
and numeric and Boolean input is validated before it can be staged. Copy
writes selected rows plus their header as escaped tab-separated Unicode text;
Paste validates the matching header and stages up to 1,000 inserts. Multiple
selected rows may be staged for deletion in one operation.
Insert, update, and delete operations remain local until Apply changes is chosen. The grid marks pending rows, SQL preview shows the exact generated statements, and Revert discards the local batch. Apply executes the batch atomically, using a transaction or savepoint as appropriate, and rolls the whole batch back when any statement or commit step fails. Updates and deletes require a primary key or unique index; the workbench refuses an unsafe mutation that could target multiple rows.
Schema opens a structured designer for create/drop/rename table, add/drop/ rename column, create/drop index, and add/drop constraint operations. The form quotes identifiers component by component, rejects statement terminators and comment openers in definition fields, and continually shows either the exact generated DDL or a validation error. Insert into SQL opens the statement in a new worksheet without changing the database. Execute DDL requires an explicit warning confirmation and refreshes the object tree only after success.
The selected SQL/Object Details workspace is part of the session state, so metadata completion, refreshes, and full renders cannot switch the user back to the worksheet. The toolbar also exposes EXPLAIN, BEGIN, COMMIT, ROLLBACK, refresh, clear-results, and disconnect actions.
Every SQL worksheet uses the system Unicode RichEdit control and highlights MiniSQL keywords, strings, numbers, quoted identifiers, and comments while preserving the caret, selection, and scroll position. Recoloring is debounced until 120 ms after the latest native text change. The editor raises the text limit to the native signed-count ceiling and transfers text through dynamically sized UTF-16 buffers, so scripts are not truncated at the compiler FFI scratch-buffer size. Generated metadata SQL quotes Unicode and punctuation-bearing object names and doubles embedded quote characters according to MiniSQL syntax.
Use + SQL or Ctrl+N to open another independent worksheet and Close SQL
or Ctrl+W to close it. The trailing × on each worksheet tab performs the
same action and can close a background tab without first activating it.
Non-empty worksheets require confirmation before their text is discarded. If
the final worksheet is closed, the workbench immediately opens a fresh blank
worksheet so the editor remains usable. F5 executes the current statement or selection,
Ctrl+Shift+Enter runs the whole script, and Ctrl+E exports the active result.
Data grids, result grids, the object tree, and the editor expose matching context
menus.
Both the connection manager and the session workbench use DPI-independent layout units. Native controls, Segoe UI fonts, editor panes, result grids, and toolbars reflow when a window is resized, maximized, restored, or moved between monitors with different scaling. Minimum client sizes prevent controls from being clipped. The workbench persists its last valid top-level position and size next to the alias file and restores them on the next start. Tab and Shift+Tab traverse editors and actions, while Enter invokes the current default action.
Stopping an executing worker also disconnects that session. MiniSQL wire protocol v1 has no server-side statement-cancellation frame, so disconnecting is the only way to guarantee that response framing cannot be reused incorrectly.
Aliases are stored atomically in
%APPDATA%\MiniSQL\workbench-profiles.json. Set
MINISQL_ADMIN_PROFILE_PATH to override this location. The schema stores the
endpoint, database label, user, TLS settings, optional certificate pin, and
trusted-local setting. Windows profile paths and JSON fields preserve Unicode.
The file never contains a password, and password-bearing CREATE USER or
ALTER USER SQL is redacted from worksheet state, history, and result tabs.
.\build\bin\minisql-admin.exe --connect-local 7432 shop
.\build\bin\minisql-admin.exe --connect 127.0.0.1 7432 admin shop
.\build\bin\minisql-admin.exe --connect-tls db.example.test 7443 db.example.test admin shopAppend a SHA-256 pin after the database label in the TLS form when connecting to a pinned self-signed certificate.