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 Graphical Tool

Author  Topic 

silas2
Yak Posting Veteran

65 Posts

Posted - 2005-08-22 : 11:11:02
Do you guys use a graphical tool for building SQL - like MS Query? I know its lazy but it does save lots of typing for long multiple-table queries.
Also, the graphical drag-drop method of adding relationships in Access would seem much quicker than adding rules thru sql.

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2005-08-22 : 12:56:57
I never use the query designer in Enterprise Manager. Our developers do though and what bad code it generates! It will put cross joins in there when you don't need them, almost always uses LEFT OUTER JOIN unnecessarily, and formats the code very badly so that it is unreadable by a DBA.

Tara
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peterlemonjello
Yak Posting Veteran

53 Posts

Posted - 2005-08-22 : 15:17:22
I use ApexSQLEdit. It's not a graphical query builder but it has some killer intellisense functionality.
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Kristen
Test

22859 Posts

Posted - 2005-08-22 : 15:24:11
I always use Enterprise Manager "Table Design" tool for changing the DDL of tables. However, I never let E.M. actually do it, I save the script to a file, check it, and then run it. And I then have a chronological set of files which will enabled me to re-do on Production what we did in Dev.

Kristen
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tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2005-08-22 : 15:26:55
Kristen,

I also use Enterprise Manager for DBA related queries, although not always.

My post was in reference to building SELECT queries using the query designer.

Tara
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Kristen
Test

22859 Posts

Posted - 2005-08-22 : 15:40:02
Tara,

Indeed, I realised that your answer was related to building querries, but the question was kinda open

"graphical tool for building SQL - like MS Query"
and
"graphical drag-drop method of adding relationships in Access"

:)

Kristen
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silas2
Yak Posting Veteran

65 Posts

Posted - 2005-08-30 : 14:15:18
Sorry to go on about this, but...when you run the Access Upsizing tool with the DRI button, you create (presumably) a lot of Constraints - is there a SQL Server equivalent for viewing/editing/creating these graphically like Access's "Relationship" window?
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tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2005-08-30 : 14:20:51
I've never used Access, so I'm not sure what it looks like when displaying the relationships. But if it actually is showing errors, then you'll need to build the ERD using the diagram option. Otherwise, you can view them via the GUI in Design table. It's one of the buttons on the toolbar.

Tara
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silas2
Yak Posting Veteran

65 Posts

Posted - 2005-09-01 : 10:59:10
Just to answer my own question, I've just discovered that using Access with the ADP file format allows you to manipulate SQL Server relationships (as they are called in Access - constraints to you) in the same graphical way as you can Access MDB files, is there a reason everyone is so reticent about this? Has it got some hidden demons?
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Kristen
Test

22859 Posts

Posted - 2005-09-01 : 12:05:48
I expect its fine. I prefer to script everything so I can first run the scripts on DEV and later on TEST and then PRODUCTION.

Horses for courses I reckon.

Kristen
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rockmoose
SQL Natt Alfen

3279 Posts

Posted - 2005-09-01 : 16:21:25
quote:
Originally posted by silas2

Just to answer my own question, I've just discovered that using Access with the ADP file format allows you to manipulate SQL Server relationships (as they are called in Access - constraints to you) in the same graphical way as you can Access MDB files, is there a reason everyone is so reticent about this? Has it got some hidden demons?



It's just that when you write the code you are in full control.
A knowledgeable human will beat the machine in almost all cases,
the machines get smarter though...
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