Applying Quotes Across Multiple Lines

In SQL Server Management Studio you can use the shortcut CTRL + K > C or CTRL + K > U to comment/uncomment lines in bulk.

Is there a similar keyboard function that applies single quotes across a list of values? I have 150 IDs that I have copied from an Excel spreadsheet and I would like to execute a query that uses an IN clause on this list, and I dont want to manually add single quotes and comma around each item.

For example:

SELECT * FROM tbl WHERE someValue IN (
ABC1
ABC2
ABC3
ABC4
)

I want to highlight the values and using a keyboard shortcut turn the list into:

SELECT * FROM tbl WHERE someValue IN (
'ABC1',
'ABC2',
'ABC3',
'ABC4'
)

Native tooling approach

Grab a newer copy of Management Studio (2012 SP2 and 2014 are both free, fully functional, and can co-exist with your 2008 R2 tools). Then you can do this.

• Put your cursor right before the first leading ABC.

• Hold Shift+Alt, then hit the down arrow three times.

• Type '.

It's subtle, but you should see a faint blue vertical line here indicating that keystrokes will actually affect all 4 lines (or 150 lines).

Excel approach

If you don't want to use a more modern version of Management Studio, then just add the stuff in Excel. Insert a new column, put a single-quote in the first cell where you want it, hover over the bottom right of the cell until the cursor becomes a solid +, then click and drag to the bottom:

Repeat for the second single-quote, commas, etc. Copy all, paste into SSMS, then do a quick replace for ', ',, etc.

Regular expression approach

Your third alternative is to use a Regular Expression, valid with all versions of SSMS

• Find what: {.+}

• Replace with: '\1',

• Look in: Selection

• Expand Find Option

• Use: Regular expression (checked)

That regular expression indicates find everything and remember what we found
Replace everything we found \1 by wrapping it with with tic marks and a comma

If you have more complex requirements, the right chevron next to the drop down arrow on Find what lists the regular expression dialect SSMS/Visual Studio understands

StackExchange Database Administrators Q#96371, answer score: 14