SQL Server: How to edit a view without scripting it?

Question

How can i edit the definition of a view without having to "script" it in SSMS?

The previous easy-to-use tools from Microsoft let me:

1. Enter
2. wait a moment
3. Make change
4. Carefully move mouse to large OK button
5. Click OK
6. Down Arrow
7. goto 1

With SSMS i've having a much more tedious time of it:

1. Carefully move mouse to _small view to script
2. Right-click
3. wait a moment
4. Carefully move mouse to _small menu option Script View as
5. Carefully move mouse to _small menu option ALTER TO
6. Carefully move mouse to _small menu option New Query Editor Window
7. wait a moment
8. Press F5
9. Carefully move mouse to _{tiny x} icon
10. Click close button
11. Carefully move mouse to large No button
12. Click No
13. goto 1

i'm really not interested in scripting my view to a new query editor window. i want to edit the view definition. Microsoft seemed to implement editing the definition of a view by resorting to an ALTER VIEW in a new query window.

Is there a way to view/edit the definition of (a lot) of views, without having to resort to the UI tedium introduced with SQL Server Management Studio?

Solution

Maybe you could give us a hint as to what the aforementioned "easy-to-use tools from Microsoft" were?

There is a View Designer in SSMS as an option. In Object Explorer, right-click a view, click Design or right-click the Views node and click New View..., but it is a bit limited. If your views are at all complex (ie- much beyond simple JOINs) you're pretty much going to be scripting it.

Comments

[Seth Spearman]

I'm curious what "easy-to-use" tools you are talking about?

[Mark]

@Joel Coel: If i don't close the tabs then after 5 or 6 dozen SSMS really begins to get sluggish.

[Mark]

@Seth Spearman: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa215396(v=sql.80).aspx

[squillman]

What @Joel is trying to say is, instead of opening a new window every time you make your changes in the same window and hit F5. You don't need to reopen the view every time you want to make a change to it.

[squillman]

@Ian Ah, that makes more sense now!

[Mark]

Designer modifies the formatting, and removes comments, from views.

[Mark]

It doesn't matter, or affect the question, or answer. It's a tool that SQL Server 2005 refuses to accept a connection from. And since it's not supported since 2002, and has not been updated for 64-bit Windows, i can no longer run it without Windows XP Mode. Finally, the view designer modifies view definition formatting, and removes comments.

[Wil]

He more than likely, by his description, was previously using some kind of designer and made no mention of retaining formatting or comments ;)