Sql-server – SQL Server: How to edit a view without scripting it

sql serversql-server-2005sql-server-2008-r2ssms

How can i edit the definition of a view without having to "script" it in SSMS?

The previous easy-to-use tools from Microsoft let me:

  1. Enter
  2. wait a moment
  3. Make change
  4. Carefully move mouse to large OK button
  5. Click OK
  6. Down Arrow
  7. goto 1

With SSMS i've having a much more tedious time of it:

  1. Carefully move mouse to small view to script
  2. Right-click
  3. wait a moment
  4. Carefully move mouse to small menu option Script View as
  5. Carefully move mouse to small menu option ALTER TO
  6. Carefully move mouse to small menu option New Query Editor Window
  7. wait a moment
  8. Press F5
  9. Carefully move mouse to tiny x icon
  10. Click close button
  11. Carefully move mouse to large No button
  12. Click No
  13. goto 1

i'm really not interested in scripting my view to a new query editor window. i want to edit the view definition. Microsoft seemed to implement editing the definition of a view by resorting to an ALTER VIEW in a new query window.

Is there a way to view/edit the definition of (a lot) of views, without having to resort to the UI tedium introduced with SQL Server Management Studio?

Best Answer

Maybe you could give us a hint as to what the aforementioned "easy-to-use tools from Microsoft" were?

There is a View Designer in SSMS as an option. In Object Explorer, right-click a view, click Design or right-click the Views node and click New View..., but it is a bit limited. If your views are at all complex (ie- much beyond simple JOINs) you're pretty much going to be scripting it.

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