SSMS -> Visually format JSON/XML while Developing?

Question

Hello....

I am writing some query with JSON being return. The output of course, looks like this:

When I click on the highlighted data, it would be nice if I saw something like this, instead of one really-long line:

Is that possible? Would be awfully handy.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Not in SSMS that I'm aware of. Note that a tooltip may be good for small JSON sets but for large sets it would not fit well. But I do agree looking at formatted data like XML or JSON is painful in the query results.

Azure Data Studio doesn't support this either yet but it is extensible, definitely more than SSMS, and therefore could be updated to support something like this. Alternatively you can save the result as JSON (an option in ADS) and then load the JSON file into your favorite browser.

Answer 2

Hi,

It is exists since the private preview of SQL Server 2016 and was released first time in 2016 by Ronen Ariely (yes me). The last version fits SSMS 14,15,16,18,19 (last version of SSMS) and all my clients use it

In 2016, during the SQLSaturday #481 conference, I used it in my session about JSON and I gave the extension to anyone who came to my lecture and asked for it:

https://sqlsaturday.com/2016-04-04-SQLSat-0481/

Several months ago I present in .Net conference how to develop extensions to SSMS and this was one of the demo code I showed fully. All you need to do is to search google and check the first reasult: https://www.google.com/search?q=ssms+.net+ronen+ariely

or use the direct link to my blog: https://ariely.info/Blog/tabid/83/EntryId/333/Ariely-SSMS-Extension.aspx

where you can download the extension and the code.

Note! This was developed for my personal use and any use is on your responsibility :-)

This is how it's looks when installed: