Cannot show Object Explorer in SQL Server Management Studio 2008
Some dockable windows were acting funny in my SQL Server Management Studio application. My coworker moved some of the dockable windows around and now my Object Explorer doesn't show at all.
Going to View --> Object Explorer (F8) doesn't do anything.
Using F8 key shortcut doesn't do anything.
I've since restarted the application and the machine. Whatever I do I can't seem to bring up Object Explorer window anymore.
My guess is the window is somewhere off screen and because it's a tool/dockable window I can't do something like Ctrl+Space --> Move.
Am I stuck with having to re-install SSMS?
I'm on Win7 (with latest updates), using SSMS version 10.0.2531.0.
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Edited by
The Real Evoluzion
Monday, March 15, 2010 4:10 AM
Easier read; more info.
March 15th, 2010 1:16am
Try hitting keyboard shortcut F8 or go to View-->>object explorer.
If you still can not see it then
Try clearing your settings file. You
can first close your SSMS, copy the files in the folder
C:\Users\<yourusername>\Documents\SQL Server Management Studio\Settings to the
other place and then remove all the files in this folder. Then re-open your management studio.
March 15th, 2010 1:50am
There is one more thing
1. In SSMS, click Tools->Customize;
2. Select Commands tab,click Rearrange Commands...
3. Select View in Menu Bar list
4. If Object Explorer is not there, click the Add... button, select View,
choose Object Explorer in the Commands list and click OK
March 15th, 2010 1:51am
Thanks for the reply Chirag,
I didn't find the settings files as you suggested on my local file system, but I did find the settings file on my network (\\users\<username>\SQL Server Management Studio\Settings). I deleted the settings files as you suggested, and I got the following message when re-running SSMS:
"The automatically saved settings file '\\users\<username>\SQL Server Management Studio\Settings\CurrentSettings-2010-01-29.vssettings' cannot be found. You can chnage this file on the 'Import and Export Settings' Tools Options page. The IDE will use your most recent settings for this session."
I tried showing the Object Explorer --no luck. The Object Explorer still doesn't show, regardless if I click the 'Object Explorer' menu option in View menu or using the F8 shortcut.
However suggestion made me think: Maybe I should look in the registry. Where would the "most recent settings" come from if not from file?
March 15th, 2010 3:56am
I can see an 'Object Explorer' option in my View menu. That's not the issue. I would agree that maybe fuzzing with the 'Object Explorer' option might cause something to reset. So it wouldn't hurt to try as you suggested.
I didn't have a 'View' option off of the 'Menu Bar' list. Maybe different SSMS versions? So what I did instead was add the 'Object Explorer' option to the 'File' menu. Why not, right? I used the new 'Object Explorer' option off of File menu, but and again, no luck.
Thanks again for the help.
March 15th, 2010 4:05am
Try, Reset the window as Tibor K. Suggested in another post
Window --> Reset Layout
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Proposed as answer by
Tom Li - MSFTModerator
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 2:05 AM
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Marked as answer by
Tom Li - MSFTModerator
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 8:49 AM
March 15th, 2010 1:37pm
I was having the same problem and the 'Window --> Reset Layout' option worked.
Thanks Chirag
February 8th, 2011 9:38pm
I just had this as well.
Window --> Rest Layout worked for me.
February 9th, 2011 2:23pm
Got mine working as well. Many thanks guys.
February 16th, 2011 11:44am
Same problem, Window --> Reset Layout worked as expected. Best and easy solution. thanks
March 21st, 2011 8:39am
Thks, It worked fine!!!
March 24th, 2011 3:20pm
Did you ever get this resolved? I am experiencing the same issue. All the posted suggestions were unsuccessful.,
April 15th, 2011 10:14pm
Try, Reset the window as Tibor K. Suggested in another post
Window --> Reset Layout
Thanks
June 8th, 2011 7:12am
I had teh same thing ahppening in SQL 2008 MGMT Studio. Window --> Reset Layout worked like a charm.
Thanks so much!!
January 10th, 2012 10:35pm
I hope it's not redundant, but I feel a strong need to say: THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU!
I was really stuck with this one, and the solution worked like a charm.
March 9th, 2012 2:28pm
Awesome.. I was breaking my head for more than 1 hour now.. and just found this trick which worked like a charm :)
Thanks a lot.
May 25th, 2012 11:06am
Thanks, this was driving me crazy!!!
January 4th, 2013 9:01pm
Thanks Chirag... was driving me crazy!!!
August 13th, 2013 1:10pm
This worked well for me too and the Object Explorer showed up perfectly as needed. However, when I close the Management studio and reopen, again it is gone and the Object Explorer simply shows as a small window instead of a dockable window. When I right
click on this window, the dockable option is already checked. If select Floating and again Dockable, nothing changes. Double clicking on the window also does not work. Hence every time I open Management studio, I have to do Window --> Reset layout.
Is there a way to save this layout so I don't need to repeat this step each time? I tried Save all under File Menu but that does not help.
April 28th, 2015 10:14am
Thanks a lot Guys...It's working for me as well.
July 8th, 2015 3:45am