Very Computer

I got kinda used to having a description/comments column available in
Access for helping me remember what fields are doing in tables.  Ditto
for the Description property that could annotate a table itself in the
database window.

Is there a similar function for SQL 2000?

thanx,

Steve Shapiro
University of Oregon

Access XP adds that feature if you use an ADP to SQL 2000. But not Access
2000.
Paul Shapiro

Quote:> I got kinda used to having a description/comments column available in
> Access for helping me remember what fields are doing in tables.  Ditto
> for the Description property that could annotate a table itself in the
> database window.

> Is there a similar function for SQL 2000?

SQL Server 2000 implements similar functionality through the use
of extended properties (not available in SQL Server 7 or lower).
They are more easily accessible, viewable in Access 2002 but no
matter what front end you use, they are there in SQL Server 2000.
If you use Enterprise Manager in SQL 2000, that's where the
description information is from.
You can find more information in SQL Server Books Online as well
as the following links:
http://www.sqlmag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=20886

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnsq...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/crea...

--Sue

Thanks Sue & Paul.

I see how to create extended properties, and how they can be
retrieved, but can not quite figure out how to display them in a
useful way.

I'd like to create several properties for a table that will display in
the table definition screen.  I'd like to see, for example, in
addition to the Column Name, Data Type, Length, and Allow Nulls
columns; a column for a Description, a column for possible values, a
column for the data source, etc.

Is there a way to do this, and if so, how?

thanx,

Steve

Quote:>I got kinda used to having a description/comments column available in
>Access for helping me remember what fields are doing in tables.  Ditto
>for the Description property that could annotate a table itself in the
>database window.

>Is there a similar function for SQL 2000?

>thanx,

>Steve Shapiro
>University of Oregon

You could create your own table editor that would implement whatever custom
properties you desire, but the easy way to get the ones you're used to in
Access is to use an Access XP adp project with SQL Server 2000. The table
designer in Access XP gives you all the properties you've had with mdb files
in earlier versions. The form builder will use those properties just like
they've been used for native Access databases in the past.
Paul Shapiro