Connection familiar name/description in 3.2.10.09.57

Question

Hi,
I just downloaded 3.2.10.09.57. And, I'm setting up my preferences and connections. I usually have about 6-8 connection names for our database (production plus several test beds). So in the past I've named them something like this:
AA - PROD 8.5.1.1
BA - DEVL 8.5.2
BB - PPRD 8.5.0.5
CC - TEST 8.5.1.1
WX - UPGRD 8.5.1.1
WY - SPTEST 8.5.1.1
Where "AA" is a forced sort in the list, "PROD" is the SID, and "8.5.1.1" is the "version" of the database tables and architecture, etc., as a convenient way to remember which testing instance is on which version. I change the "version" number manually when upgrades are applied.
But, in this version of SQL Devleper, I'm getting an error message when I attempt to name my connections like this. It tells me "Connection Name invalid. Connection Name may contain only alphanumeric characters, the underscore (_) and the hyphen (-)."
Why this change? Is this intended? If this is an absolutely necessary change, would you consider allowing period (.)? ... just seems odd after using this tool for so many years, and having a comfortable connection naming convention for myself, that this change came along now.
thanks//jacob

Answer 1

Hi Scot,
The Connection naming rules have yet to be finalized, but in current form for the next release they are something like:
Connection Name may not contain characters the file system restricts from use in directory and file names.The character exclusion list may or may not vary by operating system and, more or less, will probably contain...
<:/\|?*()%&'$@^~#">
{code}
-Gary