SQL Formatting and more with SQL Pretty Printer

Formatting SQL statements, for improving code readability, and maintainability when the SQL statement is changed , or when fields are added, is  one of the tedious job I need to do during development . 

SQL Server still does not have any formatting option -   to make the above statement look better . Hence,   I pasted team as it is ,  even knowing that  Stringbuilder would have done justice , and maintaining the SQL statement shall be a little difficult compare to the formatted statement.

Later, while searching for a quick solution to the above, I came across SQL Pretty Printer.  On using it, I found it an amazing tool, which has the following features.

Main Features

• Formats SQL statements
• Beautifies SQL statements, alomg with customizable templates.
• Converts SQL to various language formats, C#, VB, HTML
• Converts C#, VB, PHP code to SQL; I have only tested with C#, and have seen it working
• SQL Re-factoring / Renaming of Tables and Columns .

The short video below  explains the functionalities of the software.

The software comes in three versions ; namely desktop , SQL Server Addin and Visual Studio Addin.

I have used the Desktop version, and found it very handy and useful tool, for formatting SQL statements and converting them to relevant programming language syntax.

My Wish List :

While SQL Pretty Printer does as promised, I have prepared a small wish list :

• Conversion of SQL to parameterized queries.
• Conversion of SQL to LINQ – converting old SQL statements shall help developers to use LINQ and its functionalties.