User defined script parameters #11

meviktor · 2025-10-16T09:16:42Z

Extending the current add-on with the feature of adding custom parameters (tags) to the menu items. Read the updated README.md for the high level description of the feature. I have added notes below which (hopefully) will help during the review.

AddMenuItem.cs (dialog)

Filling "the context selector combo box" by using the MenuItemContext enumeration.
- Fixes a small bug: you were not able to select "Column" as the nem command / MenuItem's context
ValidateInputs: the "context combo box" is not empty anymore when the dialog pops up, so no need to check if it has a value set. Checking if the name combo box has some value entered.
Adding handlers for adding, editing, removing custom parameters.
GetArgumentNamesInUse: you cannot add a parameter with the same name twice. Names of "context levels" (OBJECT, SERVER, VIEW, etc.) are also not permitted (to avoid any conflicts when making replacements in the T-SQL script before executing).

OptionsDialogPage.cs

Running validation for MenuItems when the user presses OK on the Options grid of SSMS

SSMSObjectExplorerMenu.cs

Asking values of user-defined parameters before making replacements in the T-SQL script

MenuItem.cs

Extending with a list of user-definable parameters
Using MenuItemContext enumeration to determine the MenuItem's exact context in the Object Explorer
- Fixes a small bug: now when adding/editing a MenuItem in the Options grid, the context can be selected from a dropdown list. This elminates a possible typo in the context name - it makes the command/MenuItem inaccessible from the right-click context menu in Object Explorer.
Preserving compatibility with the XML exports of the previous versions by adding the property ContextDescription
Adding validation for (runs through the user-defined parameters if any)

AddUserDefinedParameter.cs (dialog)

Dialog for adding/editing custom arguments
Parameter name: anything, except: names of "context levels" (OBJECT, SERVER, VIEW, etc.) - every parameter of a MenuItem must have a unique name

EnterUserDefinedArguments.cs (dialog)

It's a container of ArgumentControls (one for each parametAddMenuItem.cs (dialog)
Filling "the context selector combo box" by using the MenuItemContext enumeration.
- Fixes a small bug: you were not able to select "Column" as the nem command / MenuItem's context
ValidateInputs: the "context combo box" is not empty anymore when the dialog pops up, so no need to check if it has a value set. Checking if the name combo box has some value entered.
Adding handlers for adding, editing, removing custom parameters.
GetArgumentNamesInUse: you cannot add a parameter with the same name twice. Names of "context levels" (OBJECT, SERVER, VIEW, etc.) are also not permitted (to avoid any conflicts when making replacements in the T-SQL script before executing).

OptionsDialogPage.cs

Running validation for MenuItems when the user presses OK on the Options grid of SSMS

SSMSObjectExplorerMenu.cs

Asking values of user-defined parameters before making replacements in the T-SQL script

MenuItem.cs

Extending with a list of user-definable parameters
Using MenuItemContext enumeration to determine the MenuItem's exact context in the Object Explorer
- Fixes a small bug: now when adding/editing a MenuItem in the Options grid, the context can be selected from a dropdown list. This elminates a possible typo in the context name - it makes the command/MenuItem inaccessible from the right-click context menu in Object Explorer.
Preserving compatibility with the XML exports of the previous versions by adding the property ContextDescription
Adding validation for (runs through the user-defined parameters if any)

AddUserDefinedParameter.cs (dialog)

Dialog for adding/editing custom arguments
Parameter name: anything, except: names of "context levels" (OBJECT, SERVER, VIEW, etc.) - every parameter of a MenuItem must have a unique name

EnterUserDefinedArguments.cs (dialog)

It's a container of ArgumentControls (one for each parameter of a MenuItem)
This dialog is displayed to enter values for arguments, if any is defined for the MenuItem

ArgumentControl.cs (control)

Control for enetering parameter values
The input field and the validation criteria adapts to the parameter's (data) type (checkbox for bit, numeric updown for int, etc.)

EnumConverter.cs, MenuItemContextConverter.cs, UserDefinedArgumentTypeConverter.cs

Used to provide conversion between the values of the MenuItemContext, UserDefinedParameterType enumerations and their string representations (provided for each value in a DescriptionAttribute)
- This conversion is used to display these strings in the Options Grid, when the user selects context for a MenuItem (from a dropdown list)er of a MenuItem)
This dialog is displayed to enter values for arguments, if any is defined for the MenuItem

ArgumentControl.cs (control)

Control for enetering parameter values
The input field and the validation criteria adapts to the parameter's (data) type (checkbox for bit, numeric updown for int, etc.)

EnumConverter.cs, MenuItemContextConverter.cs, UserDefinedArgumentTypeConverter.cs

Used to provide conversion between the values of the MenuItemContext, UserDefinedParameterType enumerations and their string representations (provided for each value in a DescriptionAttribute)
- This conversion is used to display these strings in the Options Grid, when the user selects context for a MenuItem (from a dropdown list)

…sary using from CustomArgument.cs file.

…enuItem window with controls for adding user-defined arguments.

…Fixing data binding in AddOrEditUserDefinedArgument dialog.

- Renaming everything (types, variables) contains "argument", "arg" to "parameter", "param". - Moving extensions under own folder/namespace. - Fix for AddMenuItem dialog: not saved user-defined parameters with the command.

AddMenuItem: passing parameters coming from (execution) context as part of parameter names in use. AddUserDefinedParameter: refactored validation. Modified exception message in Parameter getter. OptionsDialogPage: adding validation for MenuItems when user clicks OK on Options page. Changes will be discarded if user clicks on Cancel or closes the Options page. SSMSObjectExplorerMenu: replacing user-defined parameters in T-SQL script of the MenuItem/command. Utils: fix context parameter names. Extensions: added ReplaceRange extension method. Removed unnecessary empty lines. UIExtensions: added ToUserDefinedArgument extension method. MenuItem: added validation. UserDefinedArgument added. ArgumentControl: new control for entering value for a user-defined parameter. EnterUserDefinedArgument: new dialog for entering parameter values before executing the T-SQL script of the MenuItem/command.

- AddMenuItem: making user-defined parameter listview larger & resizeable. Increasing window & control sizes. - AddUserDefinedParameter: displaying window in center of parent, modify sytle. - EnterUserDefinedArgument: displaying window in center of parent, modify sytle. Auto-sized flowLayoutPanel.

… saving value list.

…controls.

…ow issues: - "Server/Database/Table/Column" could not be selected on the AddMenuItem dialog as the new command's context. - In the Options grid, Context property of the command/menu item could be edited via a text box. This was error prone - in case of a typo, the command disappeared from the Object Explorer context menu. Now it can be selected from a dropdown.

…ndividual files.

…up. Allowin editing parameters on the AddMenuItem dialog.

- displaying the full path in the Context field of the exported XML - accepting string containing the full path to parse the appropriate MenuItemContext value.

Minor UI changes. Fix the issue when validation threw an exception in case the user did not enter anything for parameter name (UserDefinedParameter.cs)

…u item dialog.

brink-daniel · 2025-10-21T08:38:49Z

enums/MenuItemContext.cs

+namespace SSMSObjectExplorerMenu.enums
+{
+    [Flags]
+    public enum MenuItemContext


This is a feature breaking change. The original list of menu item contexts displayed in the drop down in the Add Menu Item window was non-exhaustive. The current context was added at runtime to the dropdown and set at the current value. This change limits where, at what context, menu items can be added.

brink-daniel · 2025-10-21T08:55:42Z

ArgumentControl.cs

+            _valueControl = textBox;
+        }
+
+        private void Init_Int() => _valueControl = new NumericUpDown();


Bug. Does not allow the user to insert a negative value.

Nice catch, I'll fix this one.

brink-daniel · 2025-10-21T08:59:44Z

enums/UserDefinedArgumentType.cs

+
+namespace SSMSObjectExplorerMenu.enums
+{
+    public enum UserDefinedParameterType : byte


Feature request. Could we please add DateTime as another option.

Yes, I can add it. It does not seem much extra work.

brink-daniel · 2025-10-21T09:04:36Z

EnterUserDefinedArguments.cs

+
+namespace SSMSObjectExplorerMenu
+{
+    public partial class EnterUserDefinedArguments : Form


Bug. Form will need to be resizable to handle case where many parameters are defined

The current way this form works is:

In the dialog, there is a container (a FlowLayoutPanel) which holds the inputs for the arguments

This input has a default height of 50px. It grows automatically, until it reaches height of 200px. If there are more elements, this container will have a vertical scrollbar - so, you can scroll down for the rest of the elements.
What kind of behavior would you suggest instead the above one?

I would simply make the form resizable and achor the flow panel to resize with form.

brink-daniel · 2025-10-21T09:05:39Z

EnterUserDefinedArguments.cs

+namespace SSMSObjectExplorerMenu
+{
+    public partial class EnterUserDefinedArguments : Form
+    {


Bug. Parameter controls are too wide, forcing the horizontal scroll bar to always be displayed.

Hmm, interesting... I see no horizontal scrollbar. However, when I provide a long parameter name, the end of it is just not visible. To be honest, that's why I introduced the NAME_MAX_LENGTH constant in UserDefinedParameter.cs file. Maybe I should reduce the maximum length limit further.
Anyway, I will look into this and try to reproduce this horizontal scrollbar issue you mentioned.

This is how it renders for me

brink-daniel · 2025-10-21T09:08:48Z

objects/UserDefinedParameter.cs

+namespace SSMSObjectExplorerMenu.objects
+{
+    [TypeConverter(typeof(ExpandableObjectConverter))]
+    public class UserDefinedParameter


Feature request. Option to set a default/initial value when configuring menu item parameters

This crossed my mind also during development... would you do it mandatory to specify a default value each parameter, or it would be just an option?

Either is fine. Making it mandatory might make the coding easier.

…ment.

…dow. The flow panel and window now resize in sync.

…ed unused padding.

meviktor added 25 commits September 6, 2025 17:43

Adding custom argument model and the add/edit dialog.

0ee962c

AddOrEditCustomArgument dialog: additional validation. Remove unneces…

2039441

…sary using from CustomArgument.cs file.

Rename CustomArgument to UserDefinedArgument in types. Extending AddM…

4288421

…enuItem window with controls for adding user-defined arguments.

Displaying user-defined arguments in Options grid for view and edit. …

098734b

…Fixing data binding in AddOrEditUserDefinedArgument dialog.

Renaming AddOrEditUserDefinedArgument to AddUserDefinedArgument.

f438a20

Removing editing scenaro from AddUserDefinedArgument dialog's code.

d321ad4

Refactoring & fixes:

71dbc25

- Renaming everything (types, variables) contains "argument", "arg" to "parameter", "param". - Moving extensions under own folder/namespace. - Fix for AddMenuItem dialog: not saved user-defined parameters with the command.

Making parameter name replacement case-insensitive.

ace5355

Adding bit (boolean) parameter type.

0434c7e

Adding CustomList parameter type. Refactoring in validation.

0fe7b12

Adding missing inital value of the CustomList collection - fixing not…

7828961

… saving value list.

Arranging controls of ArgumentControl - providing more space between …

6ea1551

…controls.

Providing description for UserDefinedParameterType values.

d293da7

Changing listview's view mode in AddUserDefinedParameter dialog.

01f9d59

Fixing displayed text in labels, dialogs. Moving enum converters in i…

3117c45

…ndividual files.

Enabling/disabling the dialog buttons instead of displaying error pop…

76c36c5

…up. Allowin editing parameters on the AddMenuItem dialog.

Fixing XML export / import:

6387825

- displaying the full path in the Context field of the exported XML - accepting string containing the full path to parse the appropriate MenuItemContext value.

Refactoring, adding explanation comments.

60f643a

Minor UI changes. Fix the issue when validation threw an exception in case the user did not enter anything for parameter name (UserDefinedParameter.cs)

Small fix for displaying user-defined parameter's type in the add men…

e35bbcf

…u item dialog.

Updating README.

7b2b959

Merge branch 'main' into user-defined-script-parameters.

df38d4a

Fix AddMenuItem.png

bb0c9a6

brink-daniel requested changes Oct 21, 2025

View reviewed changes

meviktor added 3 commits October 23, 2025 21:10

Fixing bug: user is not able to set negative value as an integer argu…

8c39cd7

…ment.

Removed the maximum size limit of the "Enter script arguments..." win…

03f3faa

…dow. The flow panel and window now resize in sync.

Made argument controls as wide as their container (FlowLayout). Remov…

8ea1aed

…ed unused padding.

User defined script parameters #11

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User defined script parameters #11

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meviktor commented Oct 16, 2025

AddMenuItem.cs (dialog)

OptionsDialogPage.cs

SSMSObjectExplorerMenu.cs

MenuItem.cs

AddUserDefinedParameter.cs (dialog)

EnterUserDefinedArguments.cs (dialog)

OptionsDialogPage.cs

SSMSObjectExplorerMenu.cs

MenuItem.cs

AddUserDefinedParameter.cs (dialog)

EnterUserDefinedArguments.cs (dialog)

ArgumentControl.cs (control)

EnumConverter.cs, MenuItemContextConverter.cs, UserDefinedArgumentTypeConverter.cs

ArgumentControl.cs (control)

EnumConverter.cs, MenuItemContextConverter.cs, UserDefinedArgumentTypeConverter.cs

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meviktor Oct 21, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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meviktor Oct 21, 2025 •

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