Do I need a database reference for a linked server in a SQL Server database project?

Question

In my database project, I have added a reference to a linked server. When I use this linked server in a view and try to build my database project, SSDT reports errors because it cannot understand references to any of the schemas referenced on the linked server:

[LinkedServer].[DB1].[dbo].[Table1]

The above would returns an error that SSDT cannot decipher the reference to [DB1].[dbo].[Table1]. I tried to add a reference to this database, but SSDT required either a .dacpac file (produced by another database project) or a system database on the same server as the database in my project.

How do I handle referencing an external database? There are use cases where a project needs to reference an remote database that is not an SSDT database project. In my case, I am accessing the database of another company and putting this database under version control as a SSDT project is out of the question.

Answer 1

Create a new SQL project for the remote database, place any objects in the project that you need to reference (doesn't have to be the whole database), and then add that project as a Database Reference to your project. You don't have to deploy the remote database, just have the definition of objects you use so they can be referenced.