best sql server client tool and refresh management studio edit window? - sql

After using other GUI tools for databases like oracle sql developer, plsql editor, etc, I am not quite comfortable with sql server management studio, so I want to ask:
Is there any better client tools for sql server?
In management studio, if I've already opened edit window, how to refresh the data in the window?

This question answers this part.
All you have to do is click on the "Execute SQL" [!] button up in the toolbar and it will refresh the data.

Check out this old (but still pretty good) SO post
If by "edit window" you mean a query window, you can simply re-execute the query (highlight the query you want to re-run, then hit F5) and it will refresh with updated data. If by "edit window" you mean the "Edit table" view then I am unaware of an easy way to do it.

Related

SQL Server Profiler not available in Sql Server Management Studio tools

SQL Server Profiler is not available in Sql Server Management Studio tools for a few users.
They can run Profiler as a seperate application but can't find this app in SSMS. Do you know what can be a reason?
Considering that profile is deprecated, and has been for quite some time, wouldn't they be better off using Extended Events anyway?
Otherwise, I suspect they have (in error) removed it. You can readd the link in the Customize menu.
Right click the toolbar and select Customize:
Select the Commands Pane, and then change the Menu bar drop down to Tools. Then find the point you want to add the Command (by default above Database Engine Tuning Advisor) and then select "Add Command" and add SQL Server Profiler:

How to change the connection in Sql Server Data Tools Editor in Visual Studio

My goal is to keep SQL Server stored procedures under source control. I also want to stop using SQL Server Management Studio and use only Visual Studio for SQL related development.
I've added a new SQL Server Database project to my solution. I have successfully imported my database schema into the new project, and all the SQL objects (tables, stored procedures) are there in their own files.
I know that now if I run (with F5) the .sql files then my changes will be applied to my (LocalDB). This if fine, but what if I want to very quickly run something on another machine (like a dedicated SQL Server shared by the entire team)? How can I change the connection string of the current .sql file in the Sql Server Data Tools editor?
I have the latest version of Sql Server Data Tools extension for Visual Studio 2012 (SQL Server Data Tools 11.1.31203.1). I don't know if this is related to the current version, but I cannot find anymore the Transact-SQL Editor Toolbar.
I have also tried to Right-click on the sql editor, choose Connection -> Disconnect. If I do the reverse (Connection -> Connect...) the editor directly connects automatically (probably to my LocalDB), without asking me a dialog to choose my connection.
Another strange thing I've observed, if I try to run a simple SQL query (like select * from dbo.ApplicationUser I receive the following message (even if the autocomplete works):
Thanks.
(Note: I have the same issue with Visual Studio 2013)
Inspired by srutzky's comments, I installed the latest SSDT pack (12.0.41025). And bingo, like srutzky said there is a Change Connection option. But what's more, you can specify your Target DB by right clicking on the Project in the Solution Explorer, and going to Properties->Debug and changing the Target Connection String! If you're stuck on an older SSDT, then the below instructions will still work.
For SSDT 12.0.3-
I've also been plagued by this problem! My solution is below, but it has some Pros and Cons to it...
SOLUTION
I'm assuming that you are using a SQL Server Project in VS (I'm using VS2013 and SQL Server 2012).
Right click on your .sql file in the Solution Explorer and view Properties.
Change Build Action to None.
If the file is open for editing, then close it.
Reopen the file, and the T-SQL Editor should appear at the top.
Click Connect, and you will connect to your (localdb).
Click Disconnect.
Click Connect again and the SQL Server Connection dialog should appear.
Switch the connect string of '(localdb)\Whatever' to '.' (for some reason using '(localhost)' didn't work for me).
Voila, you should now be able to query against your SQL Server DBs! Rinse and repeat for every file you want this capability with... :/
PROS
You can finally run queries directly against your SQL Server DB
Your code can be organized in a nice VS solution (SSMS doesn't allow folders! :/)
You can (after switching Build Action setting back) Build the project
CONS
I'm not seeing any autocomplete/intellisense against the remote DB, although if you import your DB, then you could gain the intellisense from that
Requires each file to switch Build Action to None
This should be a fairly simple and straight-forward thing to do, that is, if you are using SSDT version 12.0.41025.0 (or newer, one would suppose):
Do either:
Go to the SQL menu at the top of the Visual Studio window
Right-click inside of the SQL editor tab
Go to Connection ->
Select Change Connection
Then it will display the "Connect to Server" modal dialog window.
If you do not see the options for "Disconnect All Queries" and "Change Connection...", then you need to upgrade your SSDT via either:
Visual Studio:
Go to the "TOOLS" menu and then "Extensions and Updates..."
Direct download:
Go to: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/tools.aspx
The fastest way to achieve this is create a new SQL Connection, copy and paste the code then execute.
What I do is Tools->SQL Server->New Query.
Enter the database credentials (And make sure that the Database at the top is correct - I have hundreds of sp's in my master db on local :) )
Copy the source code from the editor, paste into the new query window.
Then Execute (CRTL-Shift-E).
You can leave this 'scratch' window open and pinned for easy access for subsequent executes.
If you want to deploy (i.e. publish) the entire database then you can setup a publish destination for each server, right click on the xml and select publish..

Visual Basic using SQL Database

So this is a homework question but I'm probably missing something really simple. I am working on a project where I was given a database. I'm not in the programming part of the assignment but I have to write the test case scenerios for the project before starting the project. Because I am working with an SQL Database that was provided. I am supposed to write the expected output from the database. If the user chooses shampoo from the products menu then the different brands of shampoo should then populate in my datagrid.
Because they gave us a sample database. How do I view it? I am I supposed to be able to write the expected output if I don't know what has been pre-programmed into the database?
Thanks in advance. I have already designed my layout and I guess I'm just stuck because I have been taught to plan your output before you program that way you know the program is working correctly. I don't want to write the assignment to find my output in case I did it wrong I guess, if that makes sense.
Here is how to do it in Visual Studio 2010
To create a data connection to the Northwind database—SQL Server
database file (.mdf)
On the View menu, click Server Explorer/Database Explorer.
In Server Explorer/Database Explorer, right-click Data Connections and
click Add Connection.
After you click Add Connection, either the Add Connection dialog box
or the Choose Data Source dialog box will appear.
If the Choose Data Source dialog box appears, select Microsoft SQL
Server Database File, and then click OK.
If the Add Connection dialog box appears, verify that the Data source
is set to Microsoft SQL Server Database File (SqlClient). If it is not
set to Microsoft SQL Server Database File (SqlClient), click Change to
open the Change Data Source dialog box, click Microsoft SQL Server
Database File, and then click OK.
Click Browse to locate the .mdf file that contains the Northwind
database.
Depending on the requirements of your version of the Northwind
database, either click Use Windows Authentication or click SQL Server
Authentication and type a user name and password to log on to the
computer running SQL Server. For more information, see Add/Modify
Connection (Microsoft SQL Server Database File).
Click OK.
A data connection to the Northwind database is added to Server
Explorer/Database Explorer.
Okay, so this should be pretty straight forward then:
Download and install SQL Management Studio Express.
Attach the database.
I wouldn't normally just list links in an answer, but this one really calls for it. These are very foundational URL's and won't be moving.

Is there a way to import SQL script into MDF database in Visual Studio?

I created a "Service-Based Database" (.MDF) in Visual Studio and now want to import a SQL script into it, but cannot find any way to do this:
I can right-click on the .mdf file and choose "New Query" but there is no place to copy in query text as in Management Studio
Does the Visual Studio 2008 Database Explorer have a way to enter or import SQL query text?
When you choose "New Query", the default behavior is to open the Query Editor. So you have to close the Add Table. After that, you should see a window with four panes - Diagram, Criteria, SQL and Result pane. You should be able to put your script to SQL pane and run from it. The Studio may complain about being unable to parse the script, just ignore it and hit ok, the script should run.
If you cannot see these panes, ensure you have "Query Designer" toolbar enabled and "SQL pane" button pushed.
However, I would recommend installing SQL Management Studio, there is a free express version available.
Why don't you just attach the database directly to your SQL Server (or SQLExpress) and then copy the database objects. The detach from the sql server again.

Editing SQL query with Visual Studio 2008

Would you recommend me the best approach to edit SQL query with Visual Studio 2008 Professional, please?
I know I can open Query window from context menu in Server Explorer and edit text in SQL Pane. But unfortunately I am not allowed to save query to a file and Find and Replace commands are not working there.
Alternatively I can open text file with extension .SQL in Visual Studio editor obtaining syntax highlighting and full editing capabilities but losing possibility to execute the script.
Now I copy query text from one window to another and back but I hope there is better solution.
Many thanks for suggestions!
When I have to connect to Sql Server, I use NetBeans, as it has a number of features that make it much easier to use than Visual Studio. One of these is intellisense, which is very useful when you have an alias for a table name and lots of long field names. The general handling of connections and connection pools is also much cleaner in NetBeans. I could go on, but suggest trying it for yourself. You will almost certainly need the Sql Server jdbc driver, which can be downloaded from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/aa937724.aspx
If you create a Database project within your solution in Visual Studio, then you can set up a default database connection for that project. Then any *.sql files that are included in the database project can be executed against that connection. What I usually do is select the text to be exectued and right-click it, then select "Run Selection".
You can set up any number of database connections under the "Database References" node in the solution explorer, and choose the one you want to run your query against.
Wow you are right, this is a real pain. Would it be acceptable for you to use a local copy of the SQL Management Studio (the name might be wrong)? You would be outside of VS but you could still edit your query and run it at the same time. Definitely not optimal but better than nothing.
Good luck.