How do I edit a text field (or ntext) in SQL Server 2000 or 2005 using the GUI?

Question

1. Is there a way to do this with SQL Server tools?
2. If not, is there a 3rd party tool that does this?

There doesn't seem to be a good way to edit longer text columns in the SQL Server Managers for SQL Server 2000 or 2005. While SQL Server Manager is really not for editing data in your db, what other tool does Microsoft provide that would normally allow you to do this? Every other field is pretty easy to edit, except long text fields. In Access, you could hit shift-f2 and it would pop up a nice dialog to edit your text in.

alt text http://techinterview.org/edit.png

Answer 1

Generally, SQL Management Studio is an administrative tool for your database and not meant for data entry other than a quick edit here or there. Generally you would script the data or it would be entered by an application that uses the database for persistence.

(Although I have pointed Access to my SQL Server DB for a better quick and dirty UI.)

Answer 2

This may fight your bill - SQL LOB Editor.

The other option you might want to look at is EMS SQL Studio for SQL Server.

Marc

Answer 3

If you are specifically after a nice big multi-line edit dialogs, then yes you definitely need to look outside of the Microsoft SSMS line of tools. They don't support it.

Answer 4

This is just stupid. Enterprise Manager for SQL Server 2000 handled multiline text just fine. Just silly to go backward and loose functionality that was pre-existing. Not like it is rocket science to reproduce formatted text. Someone really dropped the ball on this one.