SSMS 17.9.1 Find and Replace defaults to Match whole word

Question

In SQL Server Management Studio, I often use Find and Replace in long stored procedures. Once, I selected the Match whole word option. Since then, it ALWAYS opens with that options turned on and I have to turn it off every time. Why is it saving it as a permanent preference? How do I clear user preferences?

Answer 1

It shouldn't and doesn't, at least on my machine. All the options are remembered for next time but if you clear this option then the next time it opens up it remains cleared. Sounds like maybe your user settings are messed up somehow.

Unfortunately the settings for SSMS are all over the place. Some are stored in your Roaming directory while others are in Local. Yet more are in the registry. For the very specific setting you're looking for it is in the registry under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\SQL Server Management Studio\<version>\Find. In the case of the current version of SSMS it appears to have a version of 18.0_IsoShell. Within here is a series of three values AdornmentOptions, DialogOptions and Options. There are 2 different find UIs in SSMS and these control those. In all 3 cases you can see the value of WholeWord=1. Change that to WholeWord=0 and you should be good. Be sure that SSMS isn't running before you make those changes.

Answer 2

I know "it shouldn't" but it does. Still does. Actually does. Even if it shouldn't.