View Jpg’s and other file types stored in a table

Do you have files stored in your SQL Server database and need to see what they are.  Here is a way using my favorite add-in SSMSBoost.

http://www.ssmsboost.com/

Below is the definition of a table that stores pictures.  The field Photo is a varbinary, which means it can store binary data, Zip files, Pdf’s, Excel, Word, pretty much anything.  I am trying to figure out what picture is stored in a particular row, and having SSMSBoost, I can easily right click and view the file.

Selecting from the table, you just click into the Photo field.

Right click, and choose Visualize as, then click picture.  You can see the options that are currently available, you can also add your own.  I added Zip files, but do not have any in this table.

This then opens up the Jpg in your default program that is used for viewing that file extension.

This is another great feature of SSMSBoost that makes your life easier.  If you want to see other great features that this add-in provides, look at my other blog post here.