As SQL Server enthusiasts, we are always excited to explore the latest features and enhancements in each new version. With the release of SQL Server 2016, one of the noticeable changes is the fresh look and feel of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). It is worth mentioning that SSMS now uses the latest version of the Visual Studio shell, which brings a host of improvements.

In this blog post, we will focus on one specific area of SSMS 2016 – the Scroll Bar settings. These settings, although hidden deep within the options, offer a range of customization options that can enhance your coding experience.

To access the Scroll Bar settings, open SQL Server 2016 Management Studio and navigate to “Tools” in the menu bar. From there, select “Options.” Alternatively, you can right-click on the scroll bar itself and choose “Scroll Bar Options…”

Let’s dive into the different options available:

• Show horizontal: Uncheck this option if you prefer not to have a horizontal scroll bar.
• Show vertical: Uncheck this option if you prefer not to have a vertical scroll bar.

Next, let’s explore the various display options:

• Show annotations over vertical: This option allows you to see annotation indicators on the vertical scroll bar. These indicators provide visual cues for annotations within your code.
• Show changes: Enabling this option displays green or yellow spots on the scroll bar to indicate code changes.
• Show marks: This option allows you to display marks on the scroll bar, although the exact purpose of these marks is not specified.
• Show errors: Enabling this option displays red spots on the scroll bar to indicate any errors in your code.
• Show caret position: This option adds a blue horizontal line on the scroll bar to indicate the current caret position in your code.

Additionally, there are two modes available for the vertical scroll bar:

• Bar mode: This is the default mode and displays annotation indicators on the scroll bar.
• Map mode: In this mode, lines of code are represented on the scroll bar. You can customize the width of these lines and choose whether they show the underlying code when you hover over them. Clicking on a location on the scroll bar will move the cursor to that location in the code. Collapsed regions are shaded differently and can be expanded by double-clicking on them.

To enable previews of the code when moving the cursor up and down the scroll bar in map mode, you can select the “Show Preview Tooltip” option.

These scroll bar settings in SQL Server Management Studio 2016 offer a great deal of flexibility and customization to suit your coding preferences. Whether you prefer a minimalist approach or want to have a comprehensive overview of your code, these options allow you to tailor the experience to your liking.

Have you come across any other interesting changes in SQL Server 2016? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below. The Scroll Bar settings are just one of the many exciting features in this release, and I believe they will become a popular choice among SQL Server users.