How to Find a SQL Server Database Object

Here's a Stored Procedure May Want to Use to Find Objects

Create PROC FindObject_usp (
@objname varchar(200) = Null
, @objtype varchar(20) = Null
)
As
Declare @sqlstr nvarchar(200)
-- Insert wildcard, if exact search is not required.
-- Set @objname = '%' + @objname + '%'
-- Its better to supply custom wild card in the input parameter @objname
/* drop the temporary table if already exists */
If Object_Id('tempdb..#tblDBObjects') is Not Null
Drop table #tblDBObjects
/* create temporary table */
Create TABLE #tblDBObjects (
dbName sysname,
objName varchar(200),
objtype char(2)
)
Begin
If @objtype = 'CHECK'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''C'''''''
If @objtype = 'Default'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''D'''''''
If @objtype = 'FOREIGN KEY'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''F'''''''
If @objtype = 'Log'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''L'''''''
If @objtype = 'Scalar function'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''FN'''''''
If @objtype = 'Inlined table-function'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''IF'''''''
If @objtype = 'Stored procedure'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''P'''''''
If @objtype = 'PRIMARY KEY'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''PK'''''''
If @objtype = 'Replication filter stored procedure'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''RF'''''''
If @objtype = 'System table'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''S'''''''
If @objtype = 'Table function'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''TF'''''''
If @objtype = 'Trigger'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''TR'''''''
If @objtype = 'User table'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''U'''''''
If @objtype = 'UNIQUE constraint'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''UQ'''''''
If @objtype = 'View'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''V'''''''
If @objtype = 'Extended stored procedure'
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects where xtype = ''''X'''''''
If (@objtype = '') Or (@objtype is Null)
Select @sqlstr = 'sp_msforeachdb ''Insert #tblDBObjects select ''''?'''' as DBName, name, xtype From ?..sysobjects'''
End
/* execute SQL string */
If (@sqlstr <> '') Or (@sqlstr is Not Null)
Exec sp_executesql @sqlstr
/* If @objname is not supplied it should still return result */
If (@objname = '') Or (@objname is Null)
Select * From #tblDBObjects
Else
Select * From #tblDBObjects Where objName like @objname
RETURN

(Script V)

The above script creates a stored procedure which takes two optional parameters, @objname (name of the object to be searched) and @objtype (type of the object to be searched). Different types of object type and their abbreviations can be found in SQL online help for sysobjects string). Stored procedure FindObject_usp creates different SQL string based on different object types, e.g., @objtype parameter, if @objtype is not provided is selects all the objects from sysobjects table and inserts into #tblDBObjects temp table. It is evident that incase of enormous databases, if object type is known, providing @objtype parameter makes query much faster. Once #tblDBObjects table has been populated it can be queried with @objname parameter with or without a wild card as needed.

We can execute the FindObject_usp procedure, for example, to find a object of type Check constraints whose name starts with ‘CK_B’ as;

Exec FindObject_usp 'CK_B%', 'check'

Or

Exec FindObject_usp1 'xp_%', Null