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SQL prompt configuration

SQL prompt settings file

How to import the settings

  1. Download the NWIS_STANDARD_SQLPROMPT_SETTINGS file to a local directory.

You can find the file from the Software Development Standards git repo under the Software Development Standards project on Application Development & Support's Azure DevOps instance.

  1. Open SQL Server Management Studio with Redgate SQL Prompt v9 or later installed and choose SQL Prompt > Options.

Select Import to load the NWIS_STANDARD_SQLPROMPT_SETTINGS.settings file.

The settings file explained

Suggestions
Behaviour Uses default settings
Connections Uses default settings with the following exceptions: Unchecks the Load suggestions for linked servers & Load suggestions for synonyms options. Note: This is done to improve performance. Specifying the databases to load may further improve performance, but this will vary between teams.
Join Conditions Unchecks Columns with matching names (not case-sensitive). Checks Individual columns in multiple-column foreign keys
Snippets Uses default settings
Warnings & highlighting Checks all options other than 'Show warnings for DROP statements'
Inserted Code
Objects and statements Uses default settings
Qualification Checks all options
Aliases Checks Assign aliases. Note: Custom aliases should be used to provide consistency across an application, but these cannot be defined here.
Special characters Uses default settings
Format
Styles For formatting styles see SQL Prompt formatting style file. In addition to default settings checks. Expand wildcards, Qualify object names, Insert semicolons, Apply column alias style, Column AS alias, Add/remove square brackets, Remove unnecessary brackets, Add/remove AS keyword on alias definition for tables and views, Add AS keyword
Tabs
History Sets Maximum number of tabs to restore: to 5. Unchecks Automatically reconnect restored tabs
Color Uses default settings. Note: Colour can be used to differentiate environments. However, separate credentials (e.g. NatTd, GIGNWI) should be used to connect to development and production environments; these accounts can support their own SQL Prompt settings.

SQL prompt formatting style file

How to import the style

  1. Download the NWIS_STANDARD_SQLPROMPT_SETTINGS file to a local directory.

You can find the file from the Software Development Standards git repo under the Software Development Standards project on Application Development & Support's Azure DevOps instance.

  1. You have a choice of two versions. If using SQL Prompt v10.5 or later, choose the newer .json file extension. If using an earlier version, choose the .sqlpromptstylev2 file type.

  2. With the correct style file selected, save it to "<Insert Drive Letter>:\Users\<Insert Test-Dev-NADEX-ID>\AppData\Local\Red Gate\SQL Prompt <Version>\StylesV2" or * "<Insert Drive Letter>:\Users\<Insert Test-Dev-NADEX-ID>\AppData\Local\Red Gate\SQL Prompt <Version>\Styles1

  3. Open SQL Server Management Studio with Redgate SQL Prompt v9 or later installed.

  4. From the menu choose SQL Prompt > Active Styles > Edit Formatting Styles

  5. Under Your styles (top right), select the vertical ellipsis next to NWIS_Custom style indented, commas before and choose Set as active.

The style file explained

Uses Redgate's Indented defaults as its base style with the following customisations applied: -

GLOBAL
Whitespace Wrapping: Sets Wrap lines longer than to 160 characters
Lists Commas: Checks Place commas before items. Sets Comma alignment to Before item. Checks Add a space after comma
Casing Sets Global variables to UPPERCASE
EXPRESSIONS
CASE Unchecks Place expressions on new line. WHEN: Sets Place first WHEN on new line to If there's an input expression; Sets WHEN alignment to Indented from CASE. THEN expressions: Unchecks Place THEN on new line. ELSE: Checks Place ELSE on new line; Checks Align ELSE to WHEN. END: Checks Place END on new line; Sets End alignment to To CASE. Short CASE expressions: Unchecks Collapse CASE expressions shorter than n characters

Notes & explanation

Commas before: -

  • clearly define a new column.

  • help identify when a comma is missing.

  • make it easier to comment out additional fields during development.

Indentation aids readability. However, long expressions may appear distorted when wrapped. See the section Exceptions prove the rule.

  1. E.g. D:\\Users\\NatTD_ge080206\\*AppData\\Local\\Red Gate\\SQL Prompt 9\\StylesV2* ↩