As I was testing the LINQ to SQL functionality in Visual Studio 2008, I found myself missing the SQL Query Builder. For the relatively simple three-table inner join SELECT queries I needed, I was able to write correct LINQ syntax myself with only a database diagram, IntelliSense and online help for guidance. Writing more complicated LINQ queries freehand felt like it would challenge my nascent LINQ skills. Do w Do we really have to generate the SQL with SQL Server Management Studio and then translate it into LINQ?I asked Microsoft, and it turns out that we don’t. Joseph and Ben Albahari, the authors of C# 3.0 in a Nutshell, have released a free LINQ query builder (written by Joe), LINQPad.It requires .NET Framework 3.5. If you have Visual Studio 2008 or Visual C# 2008 Express, then Framework 3.5 will already be installed. LINQPad supports SQL Express, SQL 2000, SQL 2005, and (with some limitations) SQL 2008. Software Development