Table Types

A table type is a user-defined data type that defines a table structure, including columns and data types. You can use table types to pass multiple rows of data to stored procedures and functions.

In Database Explorer, you can perform operations on table types using the shortcut menu. Right-click a table type to access commands for specific tasks, such as duplicating table types or generating scripts for them.

Create a table type

You can create a table type in SQL Editor using:

• Code completion feature to write a script.
• SQL snippets to insert predefined or custom code.

Duplicate a table type

1. Right-click the required table type and select Duplicate Object.

2. In the Duplicate Object dialog, configure the object settings:

• In Destination connection, select the target server.
• In Destination database, select the target database.
• In Destination schema, select the target schema.
• In New object name, specify the object name.
• Select Drop destination object to drop the destination object if it already exists.
• Optional: Select Script Changes, then select To New SQL Window to open the generated script in a new SQL document, or To Clipboard to copy it to the clipboard.

3. Click OK.

Delete a table type

1. Right-click the table type you want to delete and select Delete.

Alternatively, press Delete.

2. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Note

You cannot undo the drop operation. Back up the database before you delete the table type from the database.

Generate a script for a table type

1. Right-click the required table type, select Generate Script As, then select the statement type.

2. Select one of the following options:

• To New SQL Window – Opens the script in a new SQL document.
• To File – Generates the script to a .sql file.
• To Clipboard – Copies the script to the clipboard.

For more information, see Generate the DDL and DML statements for database objects.

View properties of a table type

To view properties of a table type, right-click the table type or Table Types node and select Show Details.

Object Viewer opens and provides detailed information about the table type.

Refresh table types

To update the table type to reflect the latest changes, right-click the table type or Table Types node and select Refresh.

Alternatively, press F5.

Open the Properties pane

To open the Properties pane, right-click the table type and select Properties.

Alternatively, press F4.

Filter table types

1. Right-click the Table Types node and select Filter.

2. In the Filter Settings dialog, configure the filter parameters.

3. Click OK.

Note

When you open the Table Types node, the number of objects it contains appears in parentheses next to the node name. This number changes based on your filter settings.

Shortcut menu options for a table type

The following table describes the shortcut menu options available for a table type in Database Explorer.

Name	Description
Source Control > Source Control Manager	Opens Source Control Manager, where you can track and manage changes to database schema and static data. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it.
Source Control > Commit	Opens Source Control Manager with all local changes (if any) selected and ready to commit. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it and selects all local database changes.
Source Control > Get Latest	Opens Source Control Manager with all remote changes (if any) selected and ready to retrieve using Get Latest. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it and selects all remote database changes.
Duplicate Object	Opens the Duplicate Object dialog to duplicate the table type.
Generate Script As	Generates a script for the selected object using the CREATE, DROP, and DROP and CREATE statements. The script can be saved to a new SQL document or to a file, or copied to the clipboard.
Show Details	Opens Object Viewer that displays object details.
Delete	Drops the selected table type from the database. Shortcut: Delete
Refresh	Updates the object to reflect the latest changes. Shortcut: F5
Properties	Opens the Properties pane that displays the object information. Shortcut: F4

Shortcut menu options for the Table Types node

The following table describes the shortcut menu options available for the Table Types node in Database Explorer.

Name	Description
Source Control > Source Control Manager	Opens Source Control Manager, where you can track and manage changes to database schema and static data. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it.
Source Control > Commit	Opens Source Control Manager with all local changes (if any) selected and ready to commit. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it and selects all local database changes.
Source Control > Get Latest	Opens Source Control Manager with all remote changes (if any) selected and ready to retrieve using Get Latest. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it and selects all remote database changes.
Filter	Opens the Filter Settings dialog to control which table types should appear in Database Explorer.
Show Details	Opens Object Viewer that displays object details.
Refresh	Updates the object to reflect the latest changes. Shortcut: F5

Note

The Source Control shortcut menu is available only after you link the corresponding database to a source control system.

Bulk operations

In Database Explorer, hold down Ctrl and select table types. Then right-click the selection and select the required option.

The following table describes the shortcut menu options available for multiple table types.

Name	Description
Source Control > Source Control Manager	Opens Source Control Manager, where you can track and manage changes to database schema and static data. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it.
Source Control > Commit	Opens Source Control Manager with all local changes (if any) selected and ready to commit. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it and selects all local database changes.
Source Control > Get Latest	Opens Source Control Manager with all remote changes (if any) selected and ready to retrieve using Get Latest. When Source Control Manager is already open, this option refreshes it and selects all remote database changes.
Source Control > Link/Unlink Static Data	Opens the Source Control Link Static Data dialog that displays the tables whose data you want to link.
Generate Script As	Generates scripts of the selected objects using the CREATE, DROP, and DROP and CREATE statements. The scripts can be generated to a new SQL document or to a file, or copied to the clipboard.
Delete	Drops the selected table types from the database. Shortcut: Delete