View Editor tab - Query Design

Last modified: May 28, 2025

The Query Design tab allows you to graphically represent the query structure and relations between database objects on the diagram. The tab is divided into two sections – the diagram and the Tabbed Editor.

The Tabbed Editor includes the following tabs:

• Selection – Define selection criteria for one or more columns retrieved from tables.
• Joins – Create different types of JOINs, including INNER, LEFT OUTER, RIGHT OUTER, FULL OUTER, and CROSS JOINs.
• Where – Add, edit, or remove filtering conditions to retrieve records that meet specific conditions.
• Group By – Group rows with the same values based on one or more columns.
• Having – Specify a condition and condition groups combined with a logical operator.
• Order By – Sort results in ascending or descending order.

Selection tab

Add tables or views to a query

When you create a query, you retrieve data from tables or other structured objects, such as views.

To add an object to the diagram, do one of the following:

• From Database Explorer, drag the object onto the diagram.
• In Database Explorer, right-click the selected object and select Send to > Query Builder.

Tip: You can add multiple objects to the diagram. To do this, select the objects by holding Ctrl (for individual selection) or Shift (for a range).

Note

The database objects you add to the diagram and the Query Builder document must be connected to the same server.

Add an alias for the table

On the diagram, double-click the table header, enter the alias, and press Enter.

Remove tables from a query

To remove the table from the query, on the diagram, right-click the selected table you want to delete, and select Remove from Diagram.

To remove multiple objects at a time, select the objects by holding Ctrl, right-click them and select Remove from Diagram.

Add all columns to the query

To add all columns, do one of the following:

• On the diagram, select the checkbox next to *(All Columns).

• On the diagram, right-click the selected object and select Select all columns.

• On the Query toolbar, select Select all columns.

Note

Ensure that no JOIN lines are selected on the diagram.

Add specific columns to the query

You can add columns on the diagram or in the Tabbed Editor.

To add columns on the diagram, select the checkboxes next to the columns you want to add.

To add columns in the Tabbed Editor:

1. Navigate to the Selection tab.

2. In the Column column, select the arrow.

3. In the Table and Functions window that appears, do the following:

• Under Table, select the table whose column you want to add.
• Double-click the column you want to add.

4. Optional: To add the function to the column, double-click the corresponding function from the list.

5. Optional: To add the operator to the expression, double-click the operator from the window.

6. Optional: To add an alias, in the Alias column, specify the alias for a table column.

7. Optional: To add an aggregate function, in the Aggregate column, select the aggregate function for the column.

The list of available aggregate functions is as follows:

Name	Description
avg	Calculates the average amount for the selected values in the column.
binary_checksum	Returns the checksum as a binary value for a row or specific columns of the table.
checksum_agg	Returns the checksum of the values in a table as an integer.
count	Counts the total amount of rows in a specific column.
count_big	Counts the number of items in the SELECT statement as a big integer data type, including NULL and duplicate values.
grouping	Calculates the values in the group of the column in the SELECT statement.
grouping_id	Calculates the level of grouping.
max	Returns the highest value in a specific column.
min	Returns the lowest value in a specific column.
stdev	Calculates the standard deviation for all values retrieved in the SELECT statement.
stdevp	Calculates the standard deviation for all values in the expression based on the entire data population.
sum	Returns the sum of all NON-NULL values in a specific column.
var	Returns the variance of all variables in the SELECT statement.
varp	Returns the variance of all variables in the SELECT statement based on the entire data population.

8. Optional: To arrange the column order, in the Order column, specify the order of values in the column.

9. Optional: To set a condition, in the Where column, enter the criteria based on which the data in the column will be filtered.

Remove columns from the query

To remove columns, do one of the following:

• On the diagram, clear the checkbox next to the column you want to remove.

• On the Selection tab of the Tabbed Editor, select the column and select Remove on the Tabbed Editor toolbar.

Remove all columns from the query

To remove columns in bulk, on the diagram, right-click the selected table whose columns you want to remove and select Unselect all columns.

Joins tab

Add JOINs

You can add a JOIN between two tables on the diagram or on the Joins tab of the Tabbed Editor.

To add a JOIN on the diagram, drag a column from the source table to the column from the target table.

Note

JOINs are automatically created when you add a table with a foreign key and its referenced table to the diagram.

To add a JOIN in the Tabbed Editor, follow the steps in How to make joins between tables.

Where tab

Set up filtering conditions

To set up a filtering expression or relation between tables, use the WHERE or HAVING clauses in the Tabbed Editor. For instructions, see How to build WHERE or HAVING clauses.

Group by and Order by tabs

Group and sort data

To group and sort data by specific columns, use the GROUP BY and ORDER BY clauses in the Tabbed Editor. For instructions, see Include fields in GROUP BY or ORDER BY clauses.

Save changes

An asterisk (*) in the object name on the tab title indicates unsaved changes. To save and apply them, select Apply Changes.

Refresh the view

To update the view to reflect the latest changes, on the View Editor toolbar, select Refresh Object.

Generate a SQL script

To generate a SQL script:

1. On the View Editor toolbar, select the Show Script Changes arrow in the Script Changes list.

2. To open the generated script in a new SQL document, select To New SQL Window.

Alternatively, press Shift+Alt+C.

3. To copy the generated script to the clipboard, select To Clipboard.

This script allows you to review, modify, or execute the script manually instead of applying changes immediately.