Do you ever have trouble remembering the names of hundreds
of tables, views, and UDFs? Even though I try to give
my objects logical names, there are still times when the names escape me. This
is why Intellisense has been a godsend.

In order to get a sense of the wonders of Intellisense, you should check out SQL Prompt, an add-on
for SQL editors Query Analyzer, Management Studio, and Visual Studio. Red Gate
Software acquired the add-on and is now working on a significant upgrade to it.
Meanwhile, in a magnificent gesture to the community, the company is offering
the current version of SQL Prompt for free
until September 1, 2006. (This is not an evaluation copy; it is the current
version of the software.)

After you download SQL
Prompt, you will run the installation program. You won’t notice any changes
until you open Query Analyzer or Management Studio.
Figure A shows what happens in Query Analyzer when you choose the Northwind database and type the first part of a command.

Figure B shows
SQL Prompt in use when creating a new query in Management Studio, using the AdventureWorks Product table. With a rich table like this
one, SQL Prompt is even more valuable. Best of all, SQL Prompt is free. Enjoy!

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