Fatal Action Warning
In Axial SQL Tools > Settings > Query execution, the single Warn when running fatal actions setting enables confirmation before SQL execution. It is enabled by default and saved per Windows user.
The warning covers UPDATE and DELETE without a statement-level WHERE clause, and TRUNCATE TABLE, including partition truncation. It checks the selected text when there is a selection, otherwise the complete query buffer. The dialog lists the actions, target names, and line numbers relative to that execution text, together with the starting server/database.
- Cancel, Escape, or closing the dialog cancels the SSMS execution command. Cancel has initial focus.
- Run once permits only the current execution.
- Allow repeats this session permits the exact same execution text in this query window and live connection. It does not suppress warnings in other windows or for another script.
An execution with different text, server, database or connection identity clears that window's approval. Closing the window or saving the setting also clears approvals. No approval is persisted across SSMS restarts. Query text is fingerprinted in memory for matching; the feature neither logs nor stores the SQL text. It does not open database connections or issue SQL probes. If the live session cannot be identified, the dialog allows Run once and explains why repeat approval is unavailable.
The feature uses the existing SQL Server ScriptDom parser rather than searching for keywords. Comments, quoted identifiers, string literals and a WHERE inside another query do not hide a missing WHERE on the modifying statement. Joined updates/deletes, multiple statements, control flow and GO repeat counts are supported. TOP is not a substitute for WHERE.
Local/global temp tables and table variables are excluded, including qualified/bracketed temp names, ordinary target aliases and CTE chains whose sources are entirely temporary. A quoted permanent table named [@something] is not a table variable. Ambiguous aliases, case-only alias/CTE matches (the database collation is unknown), or CTEs mixing temporary and permanent sources are treated conservatively and can still prompt.
This is a check of the SQL submitted through the SSMS Query.Execute command. It does not expand stored procedure calls, dynamic SQL, SQLCMD includes/variables or trigger side effects. Defining/altering a procedure, function or trigger does not execute its body and does not trigger a body warning. DROP, MERGE and broad but explicit filters such as WHERE 1 = 1 are outside the requested warning rules.
If ScriptDom cannot fully parse the selected script, the dialog explicitly reports an incomplete check and permits Cancel or Run once. Incomplete checks cannot receive repeat approval. If the confirmation UI fails, execution is cancelled.
