Missing Diagram folder in Database Explorer at Visual Studio 2012

sql-server database-design visual-studio-2012 database-diagramming
Lemurr picture Lemurr · Sep 22, 2012 · Viewed 18.4k times · Source

I was in a middle of designing a website when suddenly Database Diagram folder just disappeared from the Database Explorer. I have no idea what happened and what to do right now, as I desperately need it to continue my work - adding tables to database manually are not an option for me.

I've been seeking for the solution for a whole day, and I even re-installed the Visual Studio and local IIS server, but it wasn't helpfull at all.

Is there any way to bring the feature back or at least is there any free tool that would work on Windows 8 x64 and has diagram-based database designer for MSSQL 2008?

EDIT

It seems that Microsoft removed the diagramming for purpose. Which is pretty logical in a business logic - why would somebody buy Server Management Studio if they have basic tool (diagramming) built in Visual Studio?

Answer

user847990 picture user847990 · Sep 23, 2012

1) Database Diagram is a feature of SQL Server, not Visual Studio. I am not sure what VS uses to display that folder but you might want to verify with your DBA or check the configuration of the database to see if someone has not just disabled the ability to use diagrams. Have you tried refreshing your connection to the database server as well?

2) How is adding tables to a database manually not an option? If you get yourself dependent on doing things one way and only that one way you are setting yourself up for disaster in future projects, as you are in your current one. There are other ways from within VS to create a table, it just may not be a graphical picture that diagrams offers.

3) Have you looked at the database through SSMS to see if the diagrams folder shows up there?

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