Find-DbaObject

[shishini]

Summarize Command's Functionality

I need to search a database server (all databases on that server), perferable multiple services at once, but I guess I can loop
I need to find all objects that match a pattern

For example, I want to find all tables, views, stored procedures that mention Service,
Service can be the name of table or columns within table tables, or columns in views, or columns in stored precedure

Currently i Can search Stored Procedures, Triggers, View and User objects
Using 4 different commands

1. Find-DbaStoredProcedure
2. Find-DbaTrigger
3. Find-DbaUserObject
4. Find-DbaView

But I cant find a way to search tables, or aliases or other objects

I need single command that search for all objects types, possibly with a parameter to specify a list of object types would be nice
i.e. a global search command

[potatoqualitee]

@claude whatcha think? i like combo kills. but i also feel like we have a command that does this? can you research our code and see? maybe it was the one that found objects by the owner. we use it a lot once people elave to ensure they dont still own objects. if you do end up creating it, consider performance with t-sql vs smo and choose the most performant option.

[claude]

Claude finished @potatoqualitee's task —— View job • claude/issue-9245-20251128-1659 • Create PR ➔

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Find-DbaObject Implementation Complete!

I've researched the existing commands and created a new Find-DbaObject command that addresses the gap you identified.

Tasks

• Search for all existing Find-Dba* commands
• Analyze existing Find commands to understand their scope
• Look for owner-based object finding commands
• Research T-SQL approach for comprehensive object search
• Design and implement Find-DbaObject
• Create comprehensive tests
• Register command in module manifests
• Commit and push changes

Findings

Current Find commands (object pattern matching):

• Find-DbaStoredProcedure - Searches stored procedure definitions for text patterns
• Find-DbaView - Searches view definitions for text patterns
• Find-DbaTrigger - Searches trigger definitions for text patterns
• Find-DbaUserObject - Finds objects owned by specific users (the one you mentioned for when people leave!)

Key gaps identified:

1. No way to search for table names matching a pattern
2. No way to search column names across tables/views
3. No unified command to search all object types by name
4. The existing Find commands search object source code content, not object/column names

Solution: Find-DbaObject

I've created a new command that provides a unified search across all database objects. Here's what it does:

Features:

• ✅ Searches object names using regex patterns (tables, views, stored procedures, functions, synonyms)
• ✅ Optional column name searching within tables and views (-IncludeColumns)
• ✅ Filter by specific object types (-ObjectType Table,View,StoredProcedure,Function,Synonym,All)
• ✅ Performance-optimized using T-SQL queries (as you requested)
• ✅ Supports multiple instances, database filtering, system object inclusion
• ✅ Returns comprehensive results with match type (ObjectName vs ColumnName)

Example usage:

# Find all objects with "Service" in the name
Find-DbaObject -SqlInstance DEV01 -Pattern Service

# Find tables and their columns containing "Service"
Find-DbaObject -SqlInstance DEV01 -Pattern Service -IncludeColumns

# Find only tables starting with "Customer"
Find-DbaObject -SqlInstance DEV01 -Pattern "^Customer" -ObjectType Table

# Search specific database for Invoice-related objects and columns
Find-DbaObject -SqlInstance DEV01 -Pattern "Invoice" -Database Accounting -IncludeColumns

Performance approach:

• Uses efficient T-SQL queries against sys.objects and sys.columns
• No SMO enumeration overhead - direct catalog view queries
• Pattern matching done in PowerShell for flexibility (regex support)
• Separate optimized queries for object names vs column names

Files created:

• public/Find-DbaObject.ps1 - Main command implementation
• tests/Find-DbaObject.Tests.ps1 - Comprehensive Pester v5 tests
• Updated dbatools.psd1 and dbatools.psm1 for command registration

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[potatoqualitee]

@andreasjordan i wanted this one but Claude messed it up first time around and I didndt have the capacity to follow up.

[andreasjordan]

@claude please have a look at this issue again and create a new PR based on the current state of the repo.

[claude]

Claude finished @andreasjordan's task in 12m 6s —— View job • claude/issue-9245-20260405-0932 • Create PR ➔

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Tasks

• Gather context and understand the request
• Research existing Find-Dba* commands in the repo
• Check if Find-DbaObject already exists or was previously merged
• Design and implement Find-DbaObject command
• Register command in dbatools.psd1 and dbatools.psm1
• Create Pester v5 tests
• Commit and push changes

Summary

Created Find-DbaObject — a unified command that searches all database object types by name pattern (not definition text like the existing Find-Dba* commands).

Key differences from existing Find commands:

• Find-DbaStoredProcedure, Find-DbaView, Find-DbaTrigger — search object definition/source text
• Find-DbaObject — searches object and column names across all types

Features:

• -Pattern — regex matched against object names (tables, views, SPs, functions, synonyms, triggers)
• -ObjectType — filter to specific types: Table, View, StoredProcedure, ScalarFunction, TableValuedFunction, Synonym, Trigger, or All (default)
• -IncludeColumns — additionally searches column names in sys.columns
• -IncludeSystemObjects / -IncludeSystemDatabases — include system objects/databases
• Uses T-SQL against sys.objects and sys.columns for performance; regex matching done in PowerShell

Example usage:

# Find all objects with "Service" in the name
Find-DbaObject -SqlInstance DEV01 -Pattern Service

# Find tables and views that have a column named with "Service"
Find-DbaObject -SqlInstance DEV01 -Pattern Service -IncludeColumns

# Find only tables starting with "Customer"
Find-DbaObject -SqlInstance DEV01 -Pattern "^Customer" -ObjectType Table

Files changed:

• public/Find-DbaObject.ps1 — new command
• tests/Find-DbaObject.Tests.ps1 — Pester v5 unit and integration tests
• dbatools.psd1 — registered in FunctionsToExport
• dbatools.psm1 — registered in Export-ModuleMember

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