Query designer, some options are greyed out

Question

Query designer, some options are greyed out

Fishbarnriots

SSCrazy

Points: 2568
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November 4, 2008 at 10:30 am

#383302

Hello,
I'm trying to use query designer and am having a few problems. I have opend a new query window and right clicked. Then selected design query in editor. I have then added a table and selected some columns.
When I right click in the query designer, the execute SQL option is grayed out, as is Result from the pane option.
Also all the buttons on the query designer tool bar are grayed out.
Any suggestions??

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

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denglishbi SSCrazy Eights Points: 8831 More actions · Answer 1

That is just the area to design the query, not execute the statement and view the results. Kind of odd that you are not able to do that like in other editions or like you can when you create a new view. You just need to click OK and then you can execute the query from the query tab that you opened up originally and view the results.

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Dan English - http://denglishbi.wordpress.com

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004324 More actions · Answer 2

Heh... I use Query Designer about 0nce every 8 years whether I need to or not. I've not ever used the Query Designer in 2k5 before. No other way to say it but this inablity to "Execute SQL" from the Query Designer window absolutely sucks and they shouldn't tease us by even showing the option.

As a side bar, the ability to execute queries from the Query Designed used to work just fine in SQL Server 2000. I wish Microsoft would stop taking away useful features like "Execute SQL" and the old "f4" key. Obviously MS was planning on allowing it because the bloody thing has entries for clearing the results pane that is clickable, etc, etc.

My understanding is that MS made the same "mistake" in 2k8.

If anyone from Microsoft ever reads this, please take a message back from me... please stop removing useful features in your new and "improved" products and stop deprecating things. SQL Server Enterprise is expensive enough without having to fix all the stuff that's no longer available when you supposedly "upgrade".

Rant complete... regard all further alarms. 😉

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Steve Cullen SSCertifiable Points: 5598 More actions · Answer 3

If you right-click on a table in the object explorer and select "Edit Top 200 Rows", you can get a usable query designer that will execute. You can add, delete tables, join etc etc. You can edit the sql to remove the Top 200 clause as well.

Converting oxygen into carbon dioxide, since 1955.

doc_sewell SSC Eights! Points: 850 More actions · Answer 4

Yeah, but that Query designer feature (by right clicking on a table) does not work in SQL 08.

Steve Cullen SSCertifiable Points: 5598 More actions · Answer 5

doc_sewell (2/17/2010)
Yeah, but that Query designer feature (by right clicking on a table) does not work in SQL 08.

It does for me.

Converting oxygen into carbon dioxide, since 1955.

denglishbi SSCrazy Eights Points: 8831 More actions · Answer 6

If works if you right-click on the tables, but it does not work with the Design Query in Editor option if you follow the steps that were originally posted. Seems kind of odd that you get different results in different areas of the application.

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Dan English - http://denglishbi.wordpress.com

doc_sewell SSC Eights! Points: 850 More actions · Answer 7

Yes the edit 200 rows then click on the Diagram then right click in the table area does work in SQL08. Interesting. But like the man said, who really uses it?