Intuitive Search ?

I'm using the latest version ( 6.5.258) ( 2008 R2)

But the search is very non-intuitive : ( the question is if i missing something) :

say I'm searching for "app_policy_groups" table :

1 ) it doesn't search all db's ( or let me choose which db's to search)
2) i have to choose the owner ( why doesn't it choose the default dbo ? or let me specify default owner)
3) I might not know if it's SP or table... why do i have to search it via all 3 sections ? ( it also doesnt show type column value http://i.stack.imgur.com/sInk0.jpg )
4) Right clicking on the object doesnt provide me the basic functionality ( modify structure... etc , like the normal SSMS right click menu http://i.stack.imgur.com/Q87mD.jpg )
5) I even don't have " goto object" , so I can do something with it.
6) when I search something i want it to display the item for me. no matter where he is and of course jump to object. I mean , If im already in trouble finiding an object in a large db systems , dont make it harder for me to find it.

Are you going to do the search more intuitive in future versions ?

	rnan wrote:
	1 ) it doesn't search all db's ( or let me choose which db's to search)

It does. Sort of. Honestly, it does not search any of them. It only filters out objects in those database that are unfolded. As far as I know it's an "on-the-fly" filter, not a search box, and filtering real-time puts a considerable strain on the server.

	rnan wrote:
	2) i have to choose the owner ( why doesn't it choose the default dbo ? or let me specify default owner)

Actually, that's the schema it belongs to, not the owner. But yes, it's a limited functionality this way.

	rnan wrote:
	3) I might not know if it's SP or table... why do i have to search it via all 3 sections ? ( it also doesnt show type column value http://i.stack.imgur.com/sInk0.jpg )

That's more or less what I was complaining about here.

	rnan wrote:
	4) Right clicking on the object doesnt provide me the basic functionality ( modify structure... etc , like the normal SSMS right click menu http://i.stack.imgur.com/Q87mD.jpg )

It does provide some basic functionality though. Context menu > Show DLL will give you the script for creating that object in an SA result tab. This is still, hmm, but sparse, yet you can put that code into the editor and alter, copy, or compare to whatever you want. While I created a snippet for my own needs to retrieve and alter the structure of an sql module using a popup invoked by the snippet rather than scanning the tree. Regardless of SA Database Explorer or SSMS, it is waaaaaay sloooweeer :) and you can use the filtering/searching capabilities of an object popup there which are more sophisticated than the filter edit box for the Database Explorer. Altering table structure is quite different. You either do it using the form SSMS provides for that purpose or by writing code that alters columns and properties individually. I agree, there's so much room for some advancements here :)

	rnan wrote:
	5) I even don't have " goto object" , so I can do something with it.

Where would you 'go to'? To the object in another Explorer tree (SSMS)? If that's where you'd go you're probably better off using SSMS tree for searching in the first place.

	rnan wrote:
	6) when I search something i want it to display the item for me. no matter where he is and of course jump to object. I mean , If im already in trouble finiding an object in a large db systems , dont make it harder for me to find it.

Again, let me remind you that this is a filter, not a search box. Based on the input provided by the user there could be tons of objects matched by the filter. Which one would you like to jump to?

By the way, there should be a decent delay (~1 second, perhaps?) after the user pressed the last key and before the filter is to be applied. Applying it immediately on each keystroke will only make it slow and straining. Hardly anyone is going to filter on 1-3 characters and those will probably match a large number of objects anyway. You could spare that by waiting for the user to finish the input.

Regarding 4:

if I find a table I and i want to modify its columns , I need the right click context menu "MODIFY"

or

at least - "show in object explorer" and there i would be able to do "right click - modify"

if it's a filter , then a Search Items ( like redgate - sql search) is REALLY missing here in the beautiful /powerful / magnificent software.

please author - make a search functionality !

	rnan wrote:
	Regarding 4: if I find a table I and i want to modify its columns , I need the right click context menu "MODIFY"

Certainly. Or maybe not. You could create a series of snippets that do create code to achieve the same goals.

	rnan wrote:
	if it's a filter , then a Search Items ( like redgate - sql search) is REALLY missing here in the beautiful /powerful / magnificent software.

Not that much, but yes, one could come in handy from time to time. Fortunately, Redgate's SQL Search and SA are capable of living happily next to each other (I'm using SQL Search as well). On the other hand, using queries you could build something that's much more versatile than SQL Search. I'm going to do that if/when I find a time window for that. Reminded me another feature request I wanted to post :)

Until then :)

	rnan wrote:
	please author - make a search functionality !

	Quote:
	if it's a filter , then a Search Items ( like redgate - sql search) is REALLY missing here in the beautiful /powerful / magnificent software.

There 2 different search methods in version 6.5 and there are 3 in version 7. If you use the "quick" it searches just the current database, and that is is kind of dumb search, but quick. If you use the Multi-server search, you can still search a single server and then you can choose databases and even schemas or individual objects (or object groups) to search and you can use regular expressions and other options. If you use context search in version 7, this one can is even more advanced, it can use intelligent searches to locate similarly named things, loosely connected with several words in between, logical expressions, variations or the same words, but for that intelligent search to work, you first need to let it build the code repository. I hope one of these search methods can do what you want.

There is currently no Modify or Edit method available to edit table structure in graphical mode, but there is Show DDL method that can return the complete DDL for a table and copy it to the editor so that a developer one can use it to quickly alter a table. the interactive SQL Reference can assist with the ALTER command syntax

	SysOp wrote:
	If you use context search in version 7, this one can is even more advanced, it can use intelligent searches to locate similarly named things, loosely connected with several words in between, logical expressions, variations or the same words, but for that intelligent search to work, you first need to let it build the code repository.

I just began exploring that and I must say it might prove a hell of a potent stuff. I guess this might appeal to rnan, though it's a rather unconventional approach.

By the way, I'm not sure sticking that to the bottom of the window is a good idea. Could you add the ability to dock/undock that panel?

What does the auto checkbox do in the contextual search?

Nevermind, Document covered it. Auto searches based on words entered in editor.

Checked: the word/object under the cursor is automatically put into Search for editbox and it is searched for. Unchecked: you have to type into that box what you're looking for.

Redgate does have it right with SQL Search for sure. Contextual is definitely a welcome update as at least it's more of a search and less of a filter.

This is pretty much more sophisticated than SQL Search.

	gemisigo wrote:
	This is pretty much more sophisticated than SQL Search.

It might be. ;)