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Category: SQL Server Management Studio

Pinned SSMS Tabs in a Separate Row

Published 2022-07-22 by Kevin Feasel

Kenneth Fisher keeps ’em separated:

I use this all of the time. I have a solution in SSMS to store all of the queries I use on a regular basis. I open one of the queries and then pin it to the top to keep it sperate from the rest of my sometimes literally dozens of queries. Things like my query to figure out where the backups for this instance are, and my diagnostic queries are almost always up there at the top left. So I open the file, pin the file. A few days later when I end up re-opening SSMS I open the file, and I pin the file. Not hard, but rather repetitive.

The other day though I found a fantastic option.

Click through to learn what Kenneth found.

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Binding a “Preview” Shortcut in SSMS

Published 2022-04-28 by Kevin Feasel

Daniel Hutmacher previews a table with a keyboard shortcut:

On the surface, these query shortcuts are just what the name implies – a key combination that you can press to run a command or execute a stored procedure. But there’s a hidden super power: whatever text you’ve selected in SSMS when you press the keyboard combination gets appended to the shortcut statement.

That is quite useful, though I’ve already bound all of those SSMS shortcuts to various forms of WhoIsActive.

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Modifying Multiple Lines of Text at Once in SSMS

Published 2022-04-13 by Kevin Feasel

Chad Callihan has some advice:

A quick T-SQL/SSMS trick that I know and love is the ability to add text to multiple lines at a time. I tend use macros in Notepad++ to accomplish these types of repetitive actions but this type of work can be completed in SSMS.

Annoyingly, this doesn’t work quite the same way in VS Code or Azure Data Studio. Alt + Down moves a line down one, Alt + Shift + Down copies the current line. To replicate this behavior in VS Code / Azure Data Studio, hold down Alt + Shift and use the mouse to select the lines you want.

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Creating Local Server Groups in SSMS

Published 2022-03-22 by Kevin Feasel

Andrea Allred creates a local server group:

In the past, I have talked about CMS (Central Management Servers), but now I don’t have CMS configured and still want to query multiple instances at once. Local Server Groups are my friend.

My preference is CMS, especially as the number of data platform professionals increases. Keeping track of all of those new instances can be a pain otherwise. But if you’re in an environment in which that’s not an option, local server groups provide a reasonable alternative.

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SQL Tools Updates

Published 2022-03-01 by Kevin Feasel

Timi Oshin has updates on SSMS and Azure Data Studio:

Azure Data Studio 1.35 now supports easier keyboard navigation in notebooks without mouse clicking. This is done by hitting the Esc key and navigating between cell rows using the Up and Down arrow keys. To enter edit mode, hit the Enter key on the keyboard. The new Table Designer preview feature supports creating new tables and editing existing tables on a connected SQL Server instance. This is a highly requested product enhancement and enables more productive schema management with a modern, streamlined UX.

Haha! It only took several years but my hectoring finally pays off. Now for the full set of Jupyter keyboard shortcuts…

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SQL Server’s Central Management Server

Published 2022-02-22 by Kevin Feasel

Lee Markup builds a SQL Server inventory:

Today, we will be looking at using T-SQL and a Central Management Server to create a SQL Server inventory. Let’s say that you’re  new at this company or in this role and all you have right now is the list of SQL Servers that people know about. you haven’t been able to run the MAP Toolkit or maybe you’ve been told that you can’t run it for some reason. the list of SQL Servers that people “just know about” probably isn’t anywhere near complete, but you have to start somewhere.

These things are a life-saver, especially once you have more than a couple of instances to worry about.

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Version Control for SSMS Templates

Published 2022-02-18 by Kevin Feasel

Kevin Chant saves some templates:

Previously I wrote a post about how to do version control for SQL Server Management Studio templates using Azure Repos. I wanted to highlight some things I did not point out in that post. In addition, I thought it was only fair that I showed how to do it with GitHub.

Plus, in my last T-SQL Tuesday post I mentioned the SQL Server diagnostic queries provided by Glenn Berry. Which reminded me to do this post. Because I want to do an example based on sharing one of the queries with your colleagues via GitHub. Like in the below diagram.

Click through to see the process.

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Fun with the SSMS Extended Events UI

Published 2022-02-16 by Kevin Feasel

Grant Fritchey airs a few grievances:

I like Extended Events and I regularly use the Session Properties window to create and explore sessions. I’m in the window all the time, noting it’s quirks & odd behaviors, even as it helps me get stuff done. However, found a new one. Let me tell you about just a few of them.

Click through for some examples of UI oddities when working with session properties.

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Finding Looked-Up Columns on Queries

Published 2022-01-25 by Kevin Feasel

Grant Fritchey searches for included columns:

A common issue in performance is the lookup, key or RID, but the question frequently asked is, which columns are looked up? You need to know in order to try to address the issue. The answer is easy enough to find. Let’s take a quick look.

Read on for the answer, which you can find in SQL Server Management Studio. Or by shredding a bunch of XML if that’s the kind of thing you’re into.

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