This post is for you if you want to be able to access the SQL Server database inside your Docker container, without having to write the query.
For one of my projects, I needed to be able to see the apps that were uninstalled but still had their schema in the tenant database. That information is in the $ndo$navappuninstalledapp table, and with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) it is super easy to look at table data. In my container I assumed that I would have to figure out a way to write the actual query (something I am not very good at). As it turns out, I was wrong. In this post I will explain two very easy ways to access the SQL Server database inside your Docker container.
SQL Server Management Studio
The first, most obvious, option is to do a complete install of SQL Server in whatever edition you have access to. If you want to keep things lean though, you can also install a standalone SSMS. You can download SQL Server Management Studio here.
Connecting to a Docker container could not be easier. In the connection dialog, simply enter the name of your container as the server name, and SSMS will connect to it for you. I always use NavUserPassword authentication in my containers, and by default your container password will also work as the sa password inside the container.
All I needed to do was look at some table data, and that works just fine. I did not try to do anything more advanced than that.
SQL Server Extension in VSCode
The second option is even easier than installing SSMS, because you are already using VSCode to do your AL development. Microsoft has created a ‘SQL Server’ extension, which works very similar to SSMS. In the extensions search box in VSCode, type ‘SQL’ and select the one made by Microsoft.
After installing you may need to reload VSCode to enable the extension. You will see a new tab on the left navigation pane that will show you the tooltip ‘SQL Server’ when you hover over it. When you click this tab, you will see a heading that says ‘Connections’ at the top, with a + sign next to it. Click this + and follow the prompts. Just like SSMS, you enter the container name as the server name, and it should connect to it with no problem.
I still did not need to do anything more complex than looking at some data, so I really can’t say what features are available beyond that. My guess is that it is less capable than SSMS, so this may not be an option if you need more advanced capabilities.