When I was at SQLBits the other week, I was introduced to Redgate's SQL Search tool via their lunchtime session about Source Control in databases.

SQL Search is a free tool which helps to:

  • Find fragments of SQL text within stored procedures, functions, views and more
  • Quickly navigate to objects wherever they happen to be on your servers
  • Find all references to an object
  • Integrates with SSMS

I installed it on my machine a few days later and have had it happily running ever since, with no errors and no noticeable slowing of Management studio. I've come to use it quite a bit in my development process, mostly for looking for stored procedures as I find the process of

  • type in a bit of a name of the procedure in the search box
  • hit return
  • look at the results returned
  • click on the one that I want
  • if necessary, click on the "Select object in Object Explorer" link

to be a lot quicker than typing

SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.ROUTINES WHERE ROUTINE_NAME LIKE '%bit of a name of the procedure%'

and then navigating through the object explorer to find the relevant object.

The scope of the search can be narrowed to a specific object type on a specific database, or left open to every object type on every database on the instance.

Sqlsearch
In summary, a good tool, especially at the price-point (free!) - go and download it now...