Would you consider using an alternative to MS SQL Server Management Studio?

Question

At work we recently upgraded from Microsoft SQL Server 7 to SQL 2005. The database engine is a lot more advanced, but the management studio is pretty awful in a number of ways. Most of our developers decided they preferred to stick with the old Query Analyzer tool, even though it had a lot of limitations.

In my spare time, I decided to write a replacement for Query Analyzer / Management Studio that did the things our developers most needed to do. I finally got permission to release it for free: Versabanq Squel (versabanq.com/squel).

Like I said, it's free, so this isn't a sales pitch. But it got me thinking. What I'm wondering is: are most of you satisfied with SQL Studio the way it is? Do people just use it because it's what Microsoft pushes on them? Are there many people out there looking for something better? Maybe I can get some support for long-term development of this, if it looks like there might be some wider interest.

By the way, check out SQL Server Management Studio Alternatives, someone else's earlier question on this topic. What I see there is that there are surprisingly few options. Why do you think that is?

Answer 1

I, for one, would definitely like something other than Management Studio. Is it just me, or do other people feel that it is wayyyyy slower than SQL Server 2000's Enterprise Manager? More features or not, I need something that can get the job done quickly.

Answer 2

I've used Apex SQL Edit before and preferred it over Management Studio. It provided intellisense well before SQL Server 2008's Management Studio.

http://www.apexsql.com/sql_tools_edit.asp

Answer 3

While I would love something better, it would have to be significantly better and free. SMS is definetly a hog but I've gotten used to it. What I miss the most is Query Analyzer. I don't mind using SSMS to manage the server but having a fast lightweight, editor for SQL queries would be awsome...

Did I mention free? Not something I'm willing to pay for right now.

EDIT

FYI I downloaded your tool looks neat but you need to add support for Windows Authentications unless I am just missing how its done.

Answer 4

I just moved to developing on linux with mysql and boy do I miss MS SQL Management Studio. It is a fantastic tool. I agree it takes a bit getting used to after using query analyzer, but the query tool in management studio is actually better. I really do not think there is a better alternative. I tried the Apex SQL Edit also but found MS to be superior.

I also suggest using SQL Prompt from Red-Gate to get intellisense (autocomplete). Their other tools are also excellent.

Answer 5

I think Management Studio is far superior to the old SQL 2000 tools. Enterprise Manager was a shocker of a tool, forever hanging and crashing. Query Analyzer is still ok if ALL you ever do is create and run SQL queries, but to be honest once I started using Management Studio I never went back to EM/QA.

Answer 6

My vote for Quest Toad

Answer 7

Yes, but they have almost always had their own problems.

Out of all of them, I used Toad for quite a bit, but found it to be a bit less responsive compared to Management studio. Maybe it was the building of intellisense (which was also very picky - it always required me to put in the Database.owner. prefix and had trouble with aliases), but it just didn't feel as comfy.

Back to SQLMS...

Answer 8

I was quite happy with the Enterprise Manager of 7.0 and 2000. I kind of liked the ideas of MMC snapins. As long as you remembered to hit refresh, it wasn't that bad.

The new 2005 Management Studio is ok too. I see no point in choosing anything else. I fail to see the grand improvement that could justify a move for me. Everybody seems to use the stuff that comes with SQL Server, and compared to the stuff that comes with Oracle, it is pretty good. Oracle developers have more choice, and it is no mystery!

Books Online is great, and has been since 7.0.

My favourite part about Query Analyzer is and has always been the execution plan view. It's such a Good Thing!

Every new version of SQL Server has a lot of new stuff, but sadly some stuff gets dropped too. I think it's sad that English Query is gone. I never found a project for it, pushing it in Norway was part of the problem, but I thought it was brilliant.

Answer 9

Does your tool handle relationship management between tables, something SSMS is absolutely horrible at?

Answer 10

I was having issues determining how to set up user permissions on SSMS. Eventually I accidentally ran into the correct way to do it and it works nicely now. I never used any tools previously for SQL Server so I can't compare but I think this does everything I need it to at the moment.

Answer 11

I have tried a handful of them including TOAD, ApexSqlEdit and a couple of others. The problem with all of them is that while they include great features Management Studio is missing they also lack critical features Management Studio already has, I always found myself with two windows open, my third party editor and Management Studio. This is one area where I think Red-Gate has really nailed it, they don't try to replace management studio, just make up for it's deficiencies by extending it, adding intellisense, light refactoring, and code formatting. So far my favorite solution by quite a margin is Management Studio with RedGate SqlPrompt Pro added in for the intellisense and formatting which boost my productivity quite a bit.

Answer 12

SQL Server Management Studio 2008, when used against a SQL Server 2008 database, supports Intellisense for SQL Queries. Nuff said!

edit: sorry, didn't realize you said SQL 2005. Eh, I like SSMS 2005 as well.

Answer 13

Anything is better than the tripe called SQL Server Management Studio. Sorry, but it's plain awful for us non-DBA guys. Maybe you DBA and programmer types like it, but it's a major PITA for those of us who are just the Server guys who schedule backups and such. It's slow. SLOW. And the Maintenance Plan interface is a living nightmare of bugs and gotcha's. Enterprise Manager wasn't perfect, but it was far, far easier to use than SSMS.

It really reminds me of Visual Basic 4 compared to VB3 - MS was trying to go in the right direction, they just did a really poor job. Of course, we eventually got VB6, so maybe in MSSQL Server 2011 we'll have something decent again. But for now, I just wish I could run Enterprise Manager against my SQL2005 servers, as SMSS makes me batty.

However, I haven't yet had any problems running the Query Manager from 2000 against my 2005 servers, at least not for the simple queries I do. At least that still works.

Answer 14

I agree completely. SMSS is a very slow rather buggy piece of software with rather poor usability to boot. Bring back Enterprise manager and query analyzer

Answer 15

Ha, I came from exactly the same standpoint, so I made a tool, code completion and all, plus there's a free edition available. It's at http://www.atlantis-interactive.co.uk - it's basically for people who miss QA. Your tool looks nice, good job.

Answer 16

Management Studio is imperfect, and has a few bugs but I find it FAR and away better than the old 2000 tools. No contest. I use SSMS 2008 to manage all my servers including the SQL Server 2000 (ack!) instances.

Even with its warts, I have yet to see someone create a tool that is better for what it does - nobody probably has time to (re)build out every feature.

My 2 cents.