Find-DbaView

Want to see the source code for this command? Check out Find-DbaView on GitHub.
Want to see the Bill Of Health for this command? Check out Find-DbaView.

Synopsis

Returns all views that contain a specific case-insensitive string or regex pattern.

Description

This function can either run against specific databases or all databases searching all user or user and system views.

Syntax

Find-DbaView
    [-SqlInstance] <DbaInstanceParameter[]>
    [[-SqlCredential] <PSCredential>]
    [[-Database] <Object[]>]
    [[-ExcludeDatabase] <Object[]>]
    [-Pattern] <String>
    [-IncludeSystemObjects]
    [-IncludeSystemDatabases]
    [-EnableException]
    [<CommonParameters>]

Examples

Example: 1

PS C:\> Find-DbaView -SqlInstance DEV01 -Pattern whatever

Searches all user databases views for "whatever" in the text body

Example: 2

PS C:\> Find-DbaView -SqlInstance sql2016 -Pattern '\w+@\w+\.\w+'

Searches all databases for all views that contain a valid email pattern in the text body

Example: 3

PS C:\> Find-DbaView -SqlInstance DEV01 -Database MyDB -Pattern 'some string' -Verbose

Searches in "mydb" database views for "some string" in the text body

Example: 4

PS C:\> Find-DbaView -SqlInstance sql2016 -Database MyDB -Pattern RUNTIME -IncludeSystemObjects

Searches in "mydb" database views for "runtime" in the text body

Required Parameters

-SqlInstance

The target SQL Server instance or instances. This can be a collection and receive pipeline input

-Pattern

String pattern that you want to search for in the view text body

Optional Parameters

-SqlCredential

Login to the target instance using alternative credentials. Accepts PowerShell credentials (Get-Credential).
Windows Authentication, SQL Server Authentication, Active Directory - Password, and Active Directory - Integrated are all supported.
For MFA support, please use Connect-DbaInstance.

-Database

The database(s) to process - this list is auto-populated from the server. If unspecified, all databases will be processed.

-ExcludeDatabase

The database(s) to exclude - this list is auto-populated from the server

-IncludeSystemObjects

By default, system views are ignored but you can include them within the search using this parameter.
Warning - this will likely make it super slow if you run it on all databases.

-IncludeSystemDatabases

By default system databases are ignored but you can include them within the search using this parameter

-EnableException

By default, when something goes wrong we try to catch it, interpret it and give you a friendly warning message.
This avoids overwhelming you with "sea of red" exceptions, but is inconvenient because it basically disables advanced scripting.
Using this switch turns this "nice by default" feature off and enables you to catch exceptions with your own try/catch.