This article has the goal to show a way to explore an Azure SQL Database, in especial the datatable design view.
IntroductionMicrosoft SQL Server Management Studio is a great tool for management our databases, but for how is using Azure SQL Database there is an “issue” we find in the first time we try to explorer the database. When we try to see a table in design mode we cannot do it, only is possible to use SQL script, what can be a slow process for how don´t have so much experience with SQL.
SolutionVisual Studio 2013 allow to explore SQL database and has feature for show de design view.
Let’s see how it works for show an Azure SQL Database.
First in Server explorer, we need to connect to Azure account and then selecting the SQL Database we should click in “Open SQL Server Object Explorer” like we can see in the follow image:
After this, will be show a popup to connect to the database (you maybe need to set your IP in Azure Firewall)
Now we are connected to the Azure SQL Database:
This sample uses a free database with two scheme (dbo and testforblob).
Now we are available to see the data and see the table in design view, for it we should use the context menu:
The result of “View Designer” is:
In this view we can edit the table definition using design view.
And the result of “View Data” is
In this view we can change the data about orders that is a quickly way for it, without SQL.
ConclusionIn conclusion, Visual Studio 2013 has a great mode to explorer database and allow to have design view for Azure SQL Database what is very useful for management databases. And the other great thing is I not need to have Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio installed in our machine (at least for simple and basic task!)
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