The latest versions of the Entity Framework Beta and Entity Framework Tools CTP are available according to the ADO.NET Team Blog.
Entity Framework Beta 3 includes:
Performance improvements
- Much quicker object query execution
- Simpler generated SQL
- Faster view generation
Easier disconnected operation
- Public, serializable EntityKey property on EntityReference
- ApplyPropertyChanges
- Attach on EntityReference
- Improvements to EntityKey serialization
Extensibility and business logic enhancements
- Partial methods in code generation for property changing and property changed events
- Load with MergeOption
Query improvements
- Additional canonical functions for LINQ to Entities
- Apply operator elimination (makes more operations work in SQL Server 2000 and other databases)
- Compiled LINQ query
- ToTraceString() method on ObjectQuery<T> and EntityCommand to facilitate debugging
Other
- Connection management refinements
- Provider interface allows better reasoning about primitive types
Entity Framework Tools CTP2 includes:
? Map using stored procedures: you can now map entities to insert/update/delete stored procedures in the mapping details window in the designer
? FunctionImports: Create, update and delete FunctionImports in your model
? ?Update Model From Database??: update model and mappings if tables or columns in the database change. Very useful during iterative development when the database changes after you initially generate the model & mappings
? Embed artifacts in output assembly: package CSDL/MSL/SSDL files as resources in the output assembly. This makes it easy to deploy projects with Entity Data Models
? Easier to find and fix errors: Double-click a validation error selects the offending entity, property or association to make it easy to fix errors
? Cut/copy/paste: Cut/copy/paste entities and properties
? Abstract entity types: Create and map abstract entity types in your model
? Support for more properties: Concurrency control for properties and documentation nodes for entities, properties, etc
? MSBUILD integration: new EntityDeploy MSBUILD task that replaces the erstwhile EdmxDeploy.exe command line tool
? Connection Management: Automatic Entity Connection string management in App/Web.config when .edmx file is moved/renamed in Solution Explorer
? Easier Navigation: Navigate to nodes in the model browser from entities and properties on the designer surface
? Enable MARS by default: Wizard sets MultipleActiveResultSets to “true” in Entity Connection string when connecting to SQL 2005
? Usability: Numerous changes based on UI/usability feedback
? Supported editions of Visual Studio 2008 RTM: Standard, Professional, Team Edition, and Express editions (C#, VB and Visual Web Developer)
This version has support for Visual Studio 2008 RTM, which the last releases did not.
I plan on installing on two of my development systems and will report any problems later.