SSMS Issues with Intellisense and switching query windows

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SSMS Issues with Intellisense and switching query windows

bartedgerton

SSCrazy

Points: 2062
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March 13, 2017 at 3:59 pm

#336053

Does anyone else experience constant problems with switching between multiple query windows and having text from one query run over the other?
Basically, if I have several query windows open within a single instance of SSMS, when I click on a different query tab, sometimes the contents of the previous tab appear to overwrite the other screen. It's only a display issue, which I can select other query windows and come back to the one that I want and, eventually, after playing around a while, the correct text of the correct query window is finally displayed.
Sometimes, I also notice that I get some strange conglomeration of two separate queries that seem to be overlaid on the same query tab.. I can edit, but I'm only actually editing the original query, not the garbage being shown on screen.
Also, I notice that Intellisense is sometimes slow and often does not work at all.
I'm running on a i7-6700 with 16 GB of RAM, so I hardly think this is because my PC is too slow. I should also mention I'm running Windows 10 64-bit SSMS 2016 (13.0.16106.4)
Any suggestions, or should I just resign myself to the fact that Microsoft's primary tool for working on SQL Server is always going to be buggy and prone to issues?

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Phil Parkin SSC Guru Points: 246944 More actions · Answer 1

bartedgerton - Monday, March 13, 2017 3:59 PM
Does anyone else experience constant problems with switching between multiple query windows and having text from one query run over the other?
Basically, if I have several query windows open within a single instance of SSMS, when I click on a different query tab, sometimes the contents of the previous tab appear to overwrite the other screen. It's only a display issue, which I can select other query windows and come back to the one that I want and, eventually, after playing around a while, the correct text of the correct query window is finally displayed.
Sometimes, I also notice that I get some strange conglomeration of two separate queries that seem to be overlaid on the same query tab.. I can edit, but I'm only actually editing the original query, not the garbage being shown on screen.
Also, I notice that Intellisense is sometimes slow and often does not work at all.
I'm running on a i7-6700 with 16 GB of RAM, so I hardly think this is because my PC is too slow. I should also mention I'm running Windows 10 64-bit SSMS 2016 (13.0.16106.4)
Any suggestions, or should I just resign myself to the fact that Microsoft's primary tool for working on SQL Server is always going to be buggy and prone to issues?

I have a very similar hardware/software config and do not see this behaviour, so I would suspect something else. I have Intellisense mostly disabled, however, because I use SQL Prompt (I leave Underline Errors turned on).

The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence
- Martin Rees
The absence of consumable DDL, sample data and desired results is, however, evidence of the absence of my response
- Phil Parkin

bartedgerton SSCrazy Points: 2062 More actions · Answer 2

I'm wondering if this has something to do with IE? The "About" information from SSMS says 9.11, but I have 11.54 installed. I suppose SSMS IE is different than the regular IE application?

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio      13.0.16106.4
Microsoft Analysis Services Client Tools      13.0.1700.441
Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC)      10.0.10586.0
Microsoft MSXML      3.0 6.0
Microsoft Internet Explorer      9.11.10586.0
Microsoft .NET Framework      4.0.30319.42000
Operating System      6.3.10586

Luis Cazares SSC Guru Points: 183706 More actions · Answer 3

I've seen the behavior and it's mostly a display refresh issue. I usually fix it by scrolling the query.
Remember that even if you have a good computer, SSMS is still a 32-bit application (at least until SSMS 2014).

Luis C.
General Disclaimer:
Are you seriously taking the advice and code from someone from the internet without testing it? Do you at least understand it? Or can it easily kill your server?

How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help: Option 1 / Option 2

Phil Parkin SSC Guru Points: 246944 More actions · Answer 4

Here's mine:

I've never even stopped to think about why they quote IE version in this list. I have 11.576 installed.

The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence
- Martin Rees
The absence of consumable DDL, sample data and desired results is, however, evidence of the absence of my response
- Phil Parkin

bartedgerton SSCrazy Points: 2062 More actions · Answer 5

I don't know either. It's extremely frustrating that the primary software I use to do my job has so many problems with the interface itself.

I'm changing the location of my settings file to a local drive, and I'm turning off "Detect when file is changed outside environment" and "check for consistent line endings on load".

I'm hoping this will improve performance. Right now, clicking on different objects in object explorer causes SSMS to hourglass for 30 seconds or more occasionally. I have the same problem switching from one query window to the next. I can have this same issue even when the only other app running on my computer is Outlook. I also have ensured that all local SQL Server services are not running. My machine's memory and cpu are never being taxed when SSMS is spinning.

I'll update if these settings changes help. The next thing I'm going to do is disable the nearly useless Intellisense, if this doesn't' help.