Changing the Environment Layout
The components of SQL Server Management Studio compete for screen space. To make more room, you can close, hide, or move Management Studio components. The practices on this page move the components to different locations.
Closing and Hiding Components
To practice closing, hiding, and reopening component windows
Hide Registered Servers by clicking the x in the upper right corner of Registered Servers. Registered Servers closes.
In Object Explorer, click the push-pin button with the Auto Hide ToolTip. Object Explorer is minimized to the left side of the screen.
Move your mouse over the Object Explorer title bar. It reopens.
Click the push-pin again to pin Object Explorer in the open position.
On the View menu, click Registered Servers to restore Registered Servers.
Moving Components
The environment that hosts Management Studio allows you to move components and dock them in a variety of configurations.
To practice moving components
Click and drag the title bar of Registered Servers into the middle of the document window. The component undocks and remains floating until you drop it.
Drag Registered Servers around to different locations on the screen. In several areas of the screen, you receive blue docking information. The arrows indicate that dropping the component in that location causes the window to dock to the top, bottom, or side of the frame. Moving the component into the arrow causes the underlying screen to darken in the target location. The center circle indicates that the component shares the space with other components. When dropped in the center, the available components appears as tabs within the frame.
Undocking Components
You can customize the presentation of the Management Studio components.
To dock and undock components
Right-click the title bar of Object Explorer and note the following menu options:
Floating
Dockable (checked)
Tabbed Document
Auto Hide
Hide
These options are also available from the Window menu, or from the down arrow on the toolbar.
Double-click the title bar of Object Explorer to undock it.
Double-click the title bar again to dock Object Explorer.
Click and drag the title bar of Object Explorer to the right border of Management Studio. When the gray outline box appears the entire height of the window, drop Object Explorer to its new location on the right side of Management Studio.
Object Explorer can also be moved to the top or bottom of Management Studio. Drag and drop Object Explorer back to its original position on the left side.
Right-click the title bar of Object Explorer, and then click Hide.
On the View menu, click Object Explorer to restore the window.
Right-click the title bar of Object Explorer, and then click Floating to undock Object Explorer.
To restore the default configuration, on the Window menu, click Reset Window Layout.