RedGate Toolbar for SSMS and VS

[fatherjack]

Would it be possible to have a RedGate toolbar that we can place regularly used actions on rather than have to select them from the SQL Refactor or SQL Prompt drop down menus please?

Things like SQL Prompt Snippet manager and Options have no key combination and for some reason the key combos for actions of SQL Refactor like Summarise, Unused variables and so forth dont stick in my mind so I have to go track them down. If we can gather the most used ones onto a custom toolbar then they are right there, ready to use.

If the user has to use the mouse then just getting to a toolbar button is way faster than getting to the menu, scanning it and then selecting.

thanks

Jonathan
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Senior DBA
Careers South West Ltd

[David Atkinson]

That's a nice idea. Would these all be best placed on a button bar rather than, say, on the right click context menu?

David Atkinson
Product Manager
Red Gate Software

[fatherjack]

Hi David,

If I right click in SSMS (2008) currently I get 23 options on the context menu and that is greater that 50% of the height of the screen - I think thats plenty. If I have to go get the mouse anyway then moving to the top or bottom of the UI and picking off a button is easier in my opinion.

I guess it would depend on what options you can give me to customise the Right Click context menu. I can add/remove/reorder buttons on a toolbar with the SSMS/VS interface already. Using the context menu button on the keyboard would be OK if I am 'going solo' and not using the mouse - but then to navigate that with up/down or letter keys is slower I think. How would the Refactor/Prompt options be displayed/grouped? Can you create your own context menu - Right Alt + Shift or something to have just your(RedGate) options?

Personally I have the Standard, SQL Editor and SSMS Tools Pack toolbars visible at the top and none at the bottom of the SSMS UI; this leaves >30% of the toolbar area free (i reckon I could fit another 20+ buttons if I ever need to have them!). Toolbars can also be set to float over the UI and then can be kept close to hand but not intrusive to the editor. Its a shame they dont dock to the side of the text editor area like some other apps allow. Losing the width of a single column of buttons would be easily accommodated and be very close to hand (ie close to the cursor).

Not sure this helps - I started not liking the context menu idea but am warming to it... how about both?!!

Jonathan
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Senior DBA
Careers South West Ltd