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OTA Sql Formatter

OTA Sql Formatter

Jeevathanan

|
86 installs
| (1) | Free
Open To All Sql Formatter
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Open To All SQL Formatter - User Guide

Supported Files

The formatter works with SQL files opened in Visual Studio:

  • .sql files
  • .txt files containing SQL code

How to Use

  1. Open a SQL file in Visual Studio
  2. Click on the Edit menu at the top
  3. Choose 'Format SQL Script' from the menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+1, Ctrl+2
  4. Your SQL code will be automatically formatted according to your settings
Note: The formatter processes the entire document content and replaces it with the formatted version.

Configuration Settings

Access formatting options through Tools → Options → OTA Sql Formatter

Keyword Formatting

Keyword Case

  • Options: UPPER, Lower, Title
  • Default: UPPER
  • Example:
    • UPPER: SELECT * FROM users WHERE active = 1
    • Lower: select * from users where active = 1
    • Title: Select * From Users Where Active = 1

Indentation Settings

Spaces Per Indent

  • Default: 4 spaces
  • Description: Number of spaces for each indentation level
  • Range: Any positive integer

Initial Indent Level

  • Default: 0
  • Description: Starting indentation level for formatted SQL
  • Use Case: Set starting indentation when embedding SQL in other code

Comma Formatting

Comma Positioning (Columns & IN Lists)

  • Options: CommaFirst, CommaLast
  • Default: CommaFirst
CommaFirst CommaLast
SELECT 
     column1
    ,column2
    ,column3
FROM 
    table
SELECT 
    column1,
    column2,
    column3
FROM 
    table

Conditional Statements (WHERE Clause)

Condition Break Style

  • Options: BreakEachCondition, Inline
  • Default: BreakEachCondition
  • Description: Controls how WHERE conditions are formatted
BreakEachCondition Inline
WHERE 
    status = 'active'
    AND age > 18
    AND country = 'USA'
				
WHERE status = 'active' AND age > 18 AND country = 'USA'

Logical Operator Placement

  • Options: OperatorAtStart, OperatorAtEnd
  • Default: OperatorAtStart
  • Description: Controls placement of logical operators (AND, OR)
OperatorAtStart OperatorAtEnd
WHERE
    status = 'active'
    AND age > 18
    AND country = 'USA'
				
WHERE 
    status = 'active' AND
    age > 18 AND
    country = 'USA'
				

Condition Indent Level

  • Default: 0
  • Range: 0 or higher (enforces minimum of 0)
  • Description: Indent level for conditions after the first (AND/OR continuation lines)

JOIN Formatting

ON Keyword Placement

  • Options: SameLine, NewLine
  • Default: SameLine
  • Description: Controls whether ON keyword appears on same line as JOIN or on a new line
SameLine NewLine
INNER JOIN orders ON 
    orders.user_id = users.id
INNER JOIN orders
    ON orders.user_id = users.id

JOIN Condition Break Style

  • Options: Inline, BreakEachCondition
  • Default: BreakEachCondition
  • Description: Controls how JOIN ON conditions are formatted
  • Example:
INNER JOIN orders ON orders.user_id = users.id
    AND orders.status = 'active'
    AND orders.total > 100

Function Formatting

Multiline Function Arguments

  • Default: false (single line)
  • Description: Break function arguments into multiple lines
Single Line (false) Multiline (true)
CONCAT(firstName, ' ', lastName)
CONCAT(
     firstName
    ,' '
    ,lastName
)

List Formatting

Enable List Formatting

  • Default: false
  • Description: Enable special formatting for SQL lists
  • Applies to: IN clause, CREATE TABLE columns, INSERT VALUES

Items Per Row

  • Default: 0 (one item per row)
  • Description: Number of items per row in lists. Set to 0 to disable (one per row)
  • Example with Items Per Row = 3:
WHERE id IN (1, 2, 3,
             4, 5, 6,
             7, 8, 9)

Profiles & Team Settings

The formatter supports profile management through Visual Studio's options system. Share consistent formatting across your team:

  1. Configure your preferences in Tools → Options → OTA Sql Formatter
  2. Export settings: Tools → Import and Export Settings → Export selected environment settings
  3. Share with team: Distribute the .vssettings file
  4. Import profiles: Tools → Import and Export Settings → Import selected environment settings

Best Practices

Recommended Team Settings

For consistent, maintainable SQL code across your team:

Setting Recommended Value Reason
Keyword Case UPPER Distinguishes keywords from identifiers
Comma Positioning CommaFirst Better version control diffs
Condition Break Style BreakEachCondition Improves readability of complex conditions
Spaces Per Indent 4 Industry standard
Logical Operator Placement OperatorAtStart Modern SQL style guides

When to Format

  • Before committing code to version control
  • After importing legacy SQL scripts
  • When reviewing complex queries
  • Before sharing SQL with team members

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Appearing in Tools Menu

  1. Verify installation: Go to Extensions → Manage Extensions, check if OTA SQL Formatter is installed and enabled
  2. Restart Visual Studio completely
  3. Check file type: Ensure you have a .sql or .txt file open

Formatting Not Working

  1. Check file validation: The formatter validates the document before processing
  2. Review error messages: Look for validation warnings in the output window
  3. Verify file content: Ensure the file contains valid SQL syntax

Updating Settings

Changes to formatting options take effect immediately—no Visual Studio restart required.

Requirements

  • Visual Studio 2019 (16.x) or Visual Studio 2022 (17.x)
  • .NET Framework runtime (included with Visual Studio)
  • SQL or text files for formatting

OTA SQL Formatter v1.0.11 | Open To All SQL Formatter

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