SSMS add comma delimiter - shortcut - sql-server

Question

Is there a shortcut for adding commas for values for IN clause? e.g. if my query SELECT * FROM Persons WHERE Id IN(.....)
and I've copied
356
9874
5975
9771
4166
....
Person's Id values let's say from some Excel file, How can I quickly add ',' comma to the end of each line, so I can paste it IN(....) clause?

Answer 1

Here's what you need to do:
Put your cursor one space after the 356 (you'll see what you need that extra space in step 2).
Hold down ALT + SHIFT and click the down key for as many numbers as you have. You should see a blue line just to the right of your numbers. This is why you needed the extra space after 356 - so that you can just arrow down the entire list without having to move left or right.
Release the keys, and press the comma key. A comma should appear in all of the lines.
You can use this method to add quotes or other characters to your SQL queries as well.

Answer 2

I use this in SSMS 2014;
I am not sure if this can be done in previous versions

Answer 3

Yeah, that's always a pain.. There are a few things you can do:
insert commas in the cells to the right of the numbers in Excel and copy them with the list into SSMS
in Notepad++, copy the list with values and click CTRL+H (find and replace), in the Search Mode box click Extended. In the Find box type "\n" (without quotations) and in the Replace with it with a comma ""
Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Since SSMS 2012 you can "draw" a vertical line at the end of the code using the mouse while pressing the ALT key.
After that, just press the comma key and that's it.

Answer 5

I have resolved this issue by applying this query
select Concat(Id,',') from user
If you want to concatenate all rows into one you can apply below query:-
Select SUBSTRING(
(
SELECT ',' + Cast(id as varchar) AS 'data()'
FROM users FOR XML PATH('')
), 2 , 9999) As users

Answer 6

Write a little program, like the one below, and fire it off from Launchy.
I wrote mine in C# - called it Commander... probably both the best name and best program ever written.
using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace Commander
{
internal class Program
{
[STAThread]
private static void Main()
{
var clipboardText = Clipboard.GetText(TextDataFormat.Text);
Clipboard.SetText(clipboardText.Contains(",")
? clipboardText.Replace(",", Environment.NewLine)
: clipboardText.Replace(Environment.NewLine, ",").TrimEnd(','));
}
}
}
Compile the above and reference the resulting Commander.exe from Launchy.
Once referenced:
Highlight a column of characters, and cut or copy the text
Summon Launchy (Alt-Enter, if you're using the default shortcut)
Type Commander
Paste
Enjoy your comma separated list; like use it in an IN statement somewhere
Type Commander again from launchy with a comma separated list, and it will reverse the operation. Read code... it's kind of obvious :)

Answer 7

Some good answers here already but here's some more:
... Person's Id values let's say from some Excel file ...
If you're copying from Excel its sometimes easier to add commas (or speechmarks) or whatever in Excel before copying.
e.g. in the cell to the right do
=A1 & ","
Then copy that formula all the way down the list.
Also Notepad++ is great for this sort of thing, you can record a macro to do one line, and then run it N times:
In Notepad++ go to the start of the first line
Select Macro - Start Recording
Do the right keypresses - in this case: End, Comma, Down, Home
Select Macro - Stop Recording
Select 'Run a Macro Multiple Times ...'
It will by default show 'current recorded macro' (the one you just recorded)
Tell it how many times you want it, then off you go