Open Table Query's Capabilities

I'm using the Client Tools installation.
The Open Table Query feature on a table (by right clicking on the table) is
rather userful for non-technical people as it is visual and one can easily
set up some queries without actually key in the SQL code.
Somehow I just can't find the features that I need :
(1) save this query so that I can reuse it. (Query Analyzer can do it but
then it is not visual)
(2) to output the result as a file in some path.(Again Query Analyzer can do
it )
Hope someone can share their experience on the above .> The Open Table Query feature on a table (by right clicking on the table)
> is
> rather userful for non-technical people as it is visual and one can easily
> set up some queries without actually key in the SQL code.
IMHO, Enterprise Manager is somewhere between non-technical and technical.
The query designer can help someone with cursory database knowledge retrieve
data but doesn't support some of the more advanced SQL constructs. This is
why many technical users prefer Query Analyzer.
Be aware that SQL Server client tools are not really intended to be used for
end-user ad-hoc reporting. Consider an application like Excel or the Report
Builder feature of SQL 2005 Reporting Services for end-user ad-hoc queries.

> (1) save this query so that I can reuse it. (Query Analyzer can do it but
> then it is not visual)
Copy/paste the generated SQL and save to a file. To reuse that query, paste
the SQL into a query designer SQL pane and click the check SQL syntax button
to refresh the GUI.

> (2) to output the result as a file in some path.(Again Query Analyzer can
> do
> it )
If you don't want to use QA for this task, you can copy the result grid,
paste into Excel and save in the format you prefer.
Hope this helps.
Dan Guzman
SQL Server MVP
"Delf" <Delf@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:72C6A9C1-F843-47C7-A4E6-19F1E8DA7805@.microsoft.com...
> I'm using the Client Tools installation.
> The Open Table Query feature on a table (by right clicking on the table)
> is
> rather userful for non-technical people as it is visual and one can easily
> set up some queries without actually key in the SQL code.
> Somehow I just can't find the features that I need :
> (1) save this query so that I can reuse it. (Query Analyzer can do it but
> then it is not visual)
> (2) to output the result as a file in some path.(Again Query Analyzer can
> do
> it )
> Hope someone can share their experience on the above .
>|||Thanks for the reply. Was expecting it to have a similar save as query and a
way of outputing directly.
One more question :
When right click on either the SQL or Diagram pane after Open Table Query,
there is a "Save As" and "Save" but when I click on them, there is no
response at all. Is that a bug ?
"Dan Guzman" wrote:

> IMHO, Enterprise Manager is somewhere between non-technical and technical.
> The query designer can help someone with cursory database knowledge retrie
ve
> data but doesn't support some of the more advanced SQL constructs. This i
s
> why many technical users prefer Query Analyzer.
> Be aware that SQL Server client tools are not really intended to be used f
or
> end-user ad-hoc reporting. Consider an application like Excel or the Repo
rt
> Builder feature of SQL 2005 Reporting Services for end-user ad-hoc queries
.
>
> Copy/paste the generated SQL and save to a file. To reuse that query, pas
te
> the SQL into a query designer SQL pane and click the check SQL syntax butt
on
> to refresh the GUI.
>
> If you don't want to use QA for this task, you can copy the result grid,
> paste into Excel and save in the format you prefer.
> --
> Hope this helps.
> Dan Guzman
> SQL Server MVP
> "Delf" <Delf@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:72C6A9C1-F843-47C7-A4E6-19F1E8DA7805@.microsoft.com...
>
>|||> When right click on either the SQL or Diagram pane after Open Table Query,
> there is a "Save As" and "Save" but when I click on them, there is no
> response at all. Is that a bug ?
This is documented behavior. From the SQL 2000 Books Online
<Excerpt
href="vdtsql.chm::/ _visual_database_tools_usage_considerati
ons.htm">
Although Query Designer provides menu options for saving, these options are
disabled.
</Excerpt>
The chapter also mentions the copy/paste method to print/save results and
queries. I believe the Query Designer tool is intended to be used as a
visual method to create SQL queries and not much else.
Hope this helps.
Dan Guzman
SQL Server MVP
"Delf" <Delf@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C480D47F-F225-40CD-8FD3-E5252A1A97FA@.microsoft.com...[vbcol=seagreen]
> Thanks for the reply. Was expecting it to have a similar save as query and
> a
> way of outputing directly.
> One more question :
> When right click on either the SQL or Diagram pane after Open Table Query,
> there is a "Save As" and "Save" but when I click on them, there is no
> response at all. Is that a bug ?
>
> "Dan Guzman" wrote:
>