September 23, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Hello Everyone,
I am wanting to know if anyone is aware of a visual sql editor. What i am talking about is a graphical design tool that would allow me to create tables, views and most importantly stored procedures by way of drag & drop. Essentially code-less design.
I am experienced in SQL development and have used SQL 7-2008 and i know the disadvantage's to using a graphical designer vs a hand coded one. Until recently i was using Access in ADP mode connected to a SQL 2005 box, however we recently moved to a SQL 2008 and due to interoperability between those two, i can no longer enjoy the benefit of having the speed of development i once enjoyed.
Searching and downloading many numerous trials and demo's i am unable to locate a similarly compatible solution.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions : )
Jennifer
September 24, 2009 at 5:53 am
I don't think there's any tools out there that will do quite what you're looking for. You can get bits & pieces of it. For example, a good ER diagramming tool like Embarcadero ER/Studio will, within limits, let you drag & drop to create some of the database design. But it's very far from being able to call it a Visual Designer. You can get a bit of that type of thing within SQL Server Management Studio. Open a TSQL window and the Object Explorer window. Navigate in the object explorer window to the database you want (yes, there already has to be a database there). Then, you can drag tables or columns from the object explorer onto the TSQL window. You can sort of build out the query that way. Again, it's not exactly what you want, but it's a piece of it. Yet another way is to use the Query Designer. Right click a TSQL window in SSMS and select Design Query in Editor.... You can drag & drop tables & columns to build tsql statements.
None of these options are quite what you're looking for, but they move in that direction. The problem is, SQL Server is extremely deep and wide. Any tool that presumed to build your code for you is going to make assumptions about your system that may or may not be true which could lead to poorly performing or incorrect queries.
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