title: How to export local Visual Studio mdf database to format for Azure SQL database
body: <p>I have been creating an application in visual studio using a local database in a <code>.mdf</code> (SQL Server) database file. Recently, I created an Azure account and want to export the local database (with its structure and data) so that I can use it from Azure to allow for online connections. Visual Studio doesn't seem to export the create scripts for the tables (including the table data). Really strange how there's no standard way of achieving this. Visual Studio should have a database exporting tool.</p>