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I want to have an export from my database diagram to PDF or image types. How can I do this?
I worked with SQL Server 2008 R2.

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There is no direct way to transform the standard SQL Server diagram to a PDF or an image file type. Actually there is no simple way to export the diagram from within the tool.

You can, however, save it externally and send it to someone by:

  • print to a file printer (an .xps file) which is formatted like a pdf and an XPS file viewer exists on any windows machine;
  • open the diagram and right click somewhere in the middle and you'll have there the option to "Copy diagram to clipboard". From here you paste to MSPaint or another image creator and save to wanted format;

Not very straightforward, but can do the job.

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  • Thanks.Your answer help me.I want a document from my diagram in A4 or A3 paper. – Hamid Talebi Feb 5 '13 at 10:48
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    Complementary to this answer: you can print directly as PDF using a free PDF converter (& printing driver), e.g. I use doPDf: dopdf.com – firepol Dec 15 '14 at 12:30
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    The PDF/XPS printing gives you a big jigsaw puzzle for anything other than tiny diagrams. For sharing with other users, I have been sometimes zooming out and doing screen shots for them. – Dan Csharpster Dec 1 '17 at 19:14
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It has a very easy way to have everything on one page! Simply right click on the diagram area, and choose "Copy Diagram to Clipboard"! Then you can paste it in Paint and save it as any picture type you want...

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    Your answer is very good,But I can only accept one solution! :( .up vote it. – Hamid Talebi Jan 11 '16 at 15:09
  • upvote . this was my strategy – Edgar Allan Bayron Feb 15 '17 at 5:27
  • This worked great for me, particularly if you have a large amount of tables, printing to pdf fails here as you loose the layout. – Ralph Willgoss Jun 26 '19 at 9:33
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SchemaCrawler is a free tool that can create database diagrams in PDF format, with help from GraphViz. You can search for tables that you want to include in your

Sualeh Fatehi, SchemaCrawler

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in SQL management 2012, under Database Design menu... select "Copy Diagram To Clipboard"... paste into any program which will let you print or save to PDF.

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