SQL Server Manageability series - shortcut for SSMS keyboard shortcuts!
For any user manage the work with short-cut is desirable, for better productivity in your work (with UI tools) I always suggest to manage it by keyboard not with the mouse.
Here is another block of SQL manageability series I want to cover based on feedback that I have received for earlier posts on this blog, this time let us visit on keyboard shortcuts.
Since the version 2005 release Microsoft has done good job for SQL Server Management Studio offering the users 2 kinds of keyboard schemes. One of the is a standard scheme based on Visual Studio which is used by default and another one is SQL Server 2000 scheme which goes by its name offering in particular the keyboard shortcuts from the Query Analyzer. I have had issues to use the keyboard shortcuts in Query Editor due to multiple versions of SQL Server installed on my machine (from 2000 to 2005 to 2008 tools & Express editions). So in order to workaround the issue and as per BOL indication you have to change the keyboard scheme or add additional keyboard shortcuts as on the Tools menu, click Options. Select the desired keyboard scheme on the Environment, Keyboard page.
On top of that here is my collection of SSMS keyboard shortcuts, which is documented clearly in BOL too:
For generic & BIDS related work:
Menu Activation Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action |
Standard |
SQL Server 2000 |
|
Move to the SQL Server Management Studio menu bar |
ALT |
ALT |
|
Activate the menu for a tool component |
ALT+HYPHEN |
ALT+HYPHEN |
|
Display the context menu |
SHIFT+F10 |
SHIFT+F10 |
|
Display the New File dialog box to create a file |
CTRL+N |
No equivalent |
|
Display the New Project dialog box to create a new project |
CTRL+SHIFT+N |
CTRL+SHIFT+N |
|
Display the Open File dialog box to open an existing file |
CTRL+O |
CTRL+SHIFT+INS |
|
Display the Open Project dialog box to open an existing project |
CTRL+SHIFT+O |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Add New Item dialog box to add a new file to the current project |
CTRL+SHIFT+A |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Add Existing Item dialog box to add an existing file to the current project |
ALT+SHIFT+A |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Query Designer |
CTRL+SHIFT+Q |
CTRL+SHIFT+Q |
|
Close a menu or dialog box, canceling the action |
ESC |
ESC |
Manage toolbard keyboard shortcuts
|
Action |
Standard |
SQL Server 2000 |
|
Close the current MDI child window |
CTRL+F4 |
CTRL+F4 |
|
Print |
CTRL+P |
CTRL+P |
|
Exit |
ALT+F4 |
ALT+F4 |
|
Toggle full screen mode |
SHIFT+ALT+ENTER |
SHIFT+ALT+ENTER |
|
Close the current tool window |
SHIFT+ESC |
SHIFT+ESC |
|
Cycle through the next MDI child windows |
CTRL+TAB |
CTRL+TAB |
|
Cycle through the previous MDI child windows |
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
|
Move to the current tool window toolbar |
SHIFT+ALT |
No equivalent |
|
Move to the next tool window |
ALT+F6 |
ALT+F6 |
|
Move to the previously selected window |
SHIFT+ALT+F6 |
SHIFT+ALT+F6 |
|
Opens a new query editor window |
No equivalent |
CTRL+O |
|
Display Object Explorer |
F8 |
F8 |
|
Display Registered Servers |
CTRL+ALT+G |
No equivalent |
|
Display Template Explorer |
CTRL+ALT+T |
CTRL+ALT+T |
|
Display Solution Explorer |
CTRL+ALT+L |
CTRL+ALT+L |
|
Display the Summary Window |
F7 |
F7 |
|
Display the Properties Window |
F4 |
F4 |
|
Display the Toolbox |
CTRL+ALT+X |
CTRL+ALT+X |
|
Display the Bookmarks Window |
CTRL+K, CTRL+W |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Browser Window |
CTRL+ALT+R |
CTRL+ALT+R |
|
Display the Error List Window (Transact-SQL Editor only) |
CRTL+\, CTRL+E |
CRTL+\, CTRL+E |
TSQL debugger shortcuts for programmers:
| Action |
Standard |
SQL Server 2000 |
|
Start or continue debugging |
ALT+F5 |
No equivalent |
|
Stop debugging |
SHIFT+F5 |
No equivalent |
|
Step into |
F11 |
No equivalent |
|
Step over |
F10 |
No equivalent |
|
Step out |
SHIFT+F11 |
No equivalent |
|
Implement the Run To Cursor command |
CTRL+F10 |
No equivalent |
|
Display the QuickWatch dialog box |
CTRL+ALT+Q |
No equivalent |
|
Toggle breakpoint |
F9 |
No equivalent |
|
Delete all breakpoints |
CTRL+SHIFT+F9 |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Breakpoints window |
CTRL+ALT+B |
No equivalent |
|
Break all |
CTRL+ALT+BREAK |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Watch 1 window |
CTRL+ALT+W, 1 |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Watch 2 window |
CTRL+ALT+W, 2 |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Watch 3 window |
CTRL+ALT+W, 3 |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Watch 4 window |
CTRL+ALT+W, 4 |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Autos window |
CTRL+ALT+V, A |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Locals window |
CTRL+ALT+V, L |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Immediate window |
CTRL+ALT+I |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Call Stack window |
CTRL+ALT+C |
No equivalent |
|
Display the Threads window |
CTRL+ALT+H |
No equivalent |
.... download and update SQL Server Books Online [2005 & 2008] and visit shortcuts [SQL Server Management Studio] section for more shortcuts.
My frequently used keyboard shortcuts in SSMS:
ALT+F+E - to connect to any Server instance (DB engine/SSIS/SSRS/SSAS)
F8 - Display Object Explorer and F7 - to obtain details of each different node in the Object Explorer tree
CTRL+ALT+G - to show SQL Server Local Server groups and Central Management Server groups. FYI, local Server Groups are related SQL Server systems that SSMS connects to. Central Management Server groups store groups of SQL Server systems that let you perform management tasks to be enacted on all servers in a group.
CTRL+ALT+T - display the template explorer
CTRL+L - display execution plan
There are many more available and fellow MVP Pinal Dave's contribution to the community on the subject: Download SQL Server Management Studio Keyboard Shortcuts link.