Why object explorer search does not return any results when I enter a column name?

  • I do know how to find an column in database ... 🙂

    This just drives me 'crazy'....

    I've searched the inet....nothing...no info

    Someone please!!!! explain!!!!!

    :-P:-P:-P

    MS for sql server 2008 R2 SP2

  • I'm not going to explain why something doesn't work, but i will show you how i handle it.

    SSMS has the ability to call keyboard shortcuts, which call a procedure of your choice. i have a suite of them for doing everyday things when i'm developing.

    in my case, I created a proc called sp_find, stuck it in master and marked it as a system proc.

    It takes a parameter and searches for any table/view or column name that contains the string...

    so if i KNOW there's some columns that contain part of the word "readonly" for example, i highlight a portion of the text, and hit CONTROL + 7

    I get results like you see here, and here's a screenshot of my shortcuts.

    my proc, which you can see is pretty simple:

    ----EXECUTE sp_ms_marksystemobject 'sp_find'

    CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[sp_find]

    @findstring varchar(50)

    AS

    BEGIN

    SET NOCOUNT ON

    SELECT

    TableFound,

    ColumnFound,

    ObjectType

    FROM

    (

    SELECT

    1 AS SortOrder,

    sys.objects.name AS TableFound,

    '' AS ColumnFound,

    sys.objects.type_desc As ObjectType

    FROM sys.objects

    WHERE sys.objects.type_desc

    IN('USER_TABLE',

    'VIEW',

    'SQL_SCALAR_FUNCTION',

    'CLR_SCALAR_FUNCTION',

    'CLR_TABLE_VALUED_FUNCTION',

    'SQL_INLINE_TABLE_VALUED_FUNCTION',

    'SQL_STORED_PROCEDURE',

    'CLR_STORED_PROCEDURE',

    'SQL_TABLE_VALUED_FUNCTION')

    AND sys.objects.name LIKE '%' + @findstring + '%'

    UNION ALL

    SELECT

    2 AS SortOrder,

    sys.objects.name AS TableFound,

    sys.columns.name AS ColumnFound,

    'COLUMN_NAME' As ObjectType

    FROM sys.objects

    INNER JOIN sys.columns ON sys.objects.object_id=sys.columns.object_id

    WHERE sys.objects.type_desc IN('USER_TABLE' ,'VIEW')

    AND sys.columns.name like '%' + @findstring + '%'

    ) X

    ORDER BY

    SortOrder,

    TableFound,

    ColumnFound,

    ObjectType

    END

    Lowell


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  • Great solution, very convenient. Thank you for sharing it!!!

    I am using sys objects catalogs\views as well as free redgate tool ‘SQL Search’….

    It just bugging me WHY it is NOT showing in a native sql GUI.

    Isn’t column name would be in the top of the objects list that dba looking for and would like it to be ‘Right There’ at his finger tips?

    If someone can save my sanity….i would really appreciate it .

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