How to Add Line Numbers in SQL Server Management Studio
Line numbers are a useful feature in any code editor, and SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is no exception. They can help you to debug code, navigate through long blocks of code, and keep track of your changes.
In this article, we will show you how to add line numbers to your SQL Server code in SSMS.
Step 1: Open SQL Server Management Studio
Figure 1: Launching SQL Server Management Studio Opens in a new window
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The first step is to open SQL Server Management Studio. You can do this by clicking on the Start menu and then selecting SQL Server Management Studio.
Step 2: Connect to a SQL Server Instance
Figure 2: Connecting to SQL Server instance in SSMS Opens in a new window
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Once SQL Server Management Studio is open, you will need to connect to an SQL Server instance. To do this, click on the Connect button on the toolbar.
In the Connect to Server dialog box, enter the name of the SQL Server instance you want to connect to and click Connect.
Step 3: Open a Query Window
Figure 3: Opening a new query window in SSMS Opens in a new window
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Once you are connected to a SQL Server instance, you can open a query window by clicking on the New Query button on the toolbar.
Step 4: Access the Options Dialog Box
Figure 4: Opening Tools Options menu in SSMS Opens in a new window
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To add line numbers to your SQL Server code, you will need to access the Options dialog box. To do this, click on the Tools menu and then select Options.
Step 5: Enable Line Numbers
Figure 5: Expanding Text Editor and selecting All Languages in SSMS Options Opens in a new window
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In the Options dialog box, expand the Text Editor node and then select All Languages.
Figure 6: Selecting the General tab and checking the Line Numbers checkbox in SSMS Options Opens a new window
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In the General tab, check the Line numbers box.
Step 6: Save Changes
Figure 7: Clicking the OK button in SSMS Options Opens a new window
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Click OK to save the changes.
Step 7: Verify Line Numbers
Figure 8: Checking line numbers in SQL query editor window Opens in a new window
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Line numbers will now be displayed in your SQL query editor window.
Step 8: Using the Go to Line Dialog Box
You can also use the Go to Line dialog box to quickly jump to a specific line of code. To do this, press Ctrl+G or click on the Go to Line button in the toolbar.
Figure 9: Launching Go to Line dialog box Opens in a new window
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In the Go to Line dialog box, enter the line number you want to go to and click OK.
Step 9: Benefits of Line Numbers
Line numbers help debug SQL Server code, especially when error messages refer to specific line numbers. They can also help navigate through long blocks of code.
Can I customize the appearance of line numbers in SSMS?
Yes, you can customize line number appearance in “Tools” -> “Options” -> “Environment” -> “Fonts and Colors” -> “Line Number”.
FAQs and Answers
Is there a keyboard shortcut to toggle line numbers on and off?
Yes, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + G and then check or uncheck the “Line numbers” option.
Do line numbers appear in print and/or when I export query results?
Line numbers are not printed or exported with query results. They are only visible in the SSMS editor.
Can I change the starting number of the line numbers?
No, SSMS doesn’t provide a built-in option to change the starting number of line numbers.
Do line numbers impact the performance of executing queries?
No, line numbers are purely for display purposes and do not affect the performance of executing queries.
How can I quickly navigate to a specific line using line numbers?
Press Ctrl + G, enter the line number and press Enter to navigate to a specific line.
Can I change the color of the line numbers in SSMS?
Yes, you can customize the color of line numbers in “Tools” -> “Options” -> “Environment” -> “Fonts and Colors” -> “Line Number”.
Conclusion
In this article, we showed you how to add line numbers to your SQL Server code in SSMS. We also discussed the benefits of line numbers and how to use the Go to Line dialog box
