Object Explorer Overview
The Object Explorer provides a hierarchical view of the database objects on a Microsoft SQL Server instance. It allows you to navigate, manage, and script objects such as databases, tables, stored procedures, security principals, and more.
Key Features
- Tree‑view navigation – Quickly drill down from servers to individual columns.
- Context‑sensitive actions – Right‑click any node to access tasks such as New Table, Design, Properties, or Generate Scripts.
- Refresh and filter – Keep the view up‑to‑date or filter objects by name.
- Drag‑and‑drop support – Move tables between databases or copy scripts.
- Integrated toolbar – Buttons for Refresh, New Query, and Object Details.
Accessing Object Explorer
Open Object Explorer from the View menu or press F8. The pane can be docked, floated, or hidden according to your workflow.
# Open Object Explorer via PowerShell (SSMS Automation)
Import-Module SqlServer
$ssms = New-Object -ComObject "Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.UI.VSIntegration.ObjectExplorer"
$ssms.Show()Example: Creating a New Table
- Expand the server node → expand Databases → select the target database.
- Right‑click Tables → choose New > Table….
- Define columns, data types, and constraints in the designer.
- Save the table (Ctrl+S) and optionally generate a CREATE script.
Scripting Objects
Select an object, right‑click, and choose Script As → CREATE To → New Query Editor Window. This generates T‑SQL for the selected object.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Refresh node | F5 |
| Open new query window | Ctrl+N |
| Toggle pane visibility | Ctrl+Alt+T |
| Search within Object Explorer | Ctrl+F |
Customization
Adjust the Object Explorer settings via Tools → Options → Environment → Object Explorer. Options include default script language, object filtering behaviour, and visual themes.
Troubleshooting
- Object Explorer not loading – Ensure you’re connected to a valid server and that the SQL Server Management Objects (SMO) libraries are installed.
- Missing objects – Verify your login permissions; insufficient rights will hide objects.
- Performance lag – Disable automatic script generation for large databases via
Options → General → Refresh Interval.