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I have SSMS 2017 installed and I want to use it to create an ERD for some of my databases. The documentation online says you just need to right click on the "Database Diagrams" folder under your database in the navigation panel. However, that folder is simply not there for any of my databases. I cannot find any fix or work around. Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

N.MORR
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    What version of SSMS are you using? As of 18.0 preview 4 database diagrams are deprecated. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/sql-server-management-studio-changelog-ssms?view=sql-server-2017#previous-ssms-releases – squillman Oct 12 '18 at 16:52
  • That must be it. I am running v18.0. Is there any other way to create an ERD? Creating ERDs from existing databases was a very useful feature. – N.MORR Oct 12 '18 at 17:05
  • Programatically, but I don't think that's what you're looking for. Otherwise reverting to an earlier version of SSMS. – squillman Oct 12 '18 at 17:08
  • Looks like I'm reverting to an older version, then. – N.MORR Oct 12 '18 at 17:21
  • Yes revert to an older SSMS for now, and vote for Database Diagrams to be brought forward to SSMS 18. https://feedback.azure.com/forums/908035-sql-server/suggestions/35746747-database-diagram – David Browne - Microsoft May 31 '19 at 16:14
  • Possible duplicate of [SSMS version 18 – no Database Diagrams](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/52525336/ssms-version-18-no-database-diagrams) – cOborski May 31 '19 at 17:20

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SSMS 18.0 did indeed have the Database Diagrams removed. Brent Ozar wrote an article about this very issue, although his perspective was much more positive on their removal. However, as @cOborski commented, the feature is back in SSMS 18.1.

Jason Goble
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Posting this answer here so the post isn't recorded as "Unanswered".

User squillman posted in the comments that in SSMS version 18.0 database diagrams are deprecated an alternate solutions for database diagrams should be sought.
Personally I like Visio, it's pretty straightforward to use, even if it isn't the most effective tool.

Be sure to vote for squillman's comment.

PausePause
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  • I'm not trying to. What would you recommend? I was adhering to the advice in [this post](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/155229/answer-in-the-comments-section-is-it-appropriate-to-transcribe-it-into-an-answe) for what to do when an answer is posted to the comments – PausePause Jan 23 '19 at 18:38
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The SQL 2017 documentation has a page explaining how to use database diagrams which conflicts with the release notes that @squillman posted. I've opened an issue with Microsoft docs about it.

EDIT: Do to feedback, Microsoft is returning this feature in release 18.1.

cOborski
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