SQL Server - Schrödinger's View - sql-server

Question

I can't create/alter a VIEW because it already exists.
I also can't drop the same VIEW because it does not exists!
First of all, I'm SA on a SQL Server 2012.
CREATE VIEW [dbo].[some_name]
There is already an object named 'some_name' in the database.
DROP VIEW [dbo].[some_name]
Cannot drop the view 'dbo.some_name', because it does not exist or you
do not have permission.
SELECT OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.some_name', N'V')
SELECT OBJECT_ID('dbo.some_name', 'V')
SELECT OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.some_name')
SELECT OBJECT_ID('dbo.some_name')
SELECT OBJECT_ID(N'some_name')
SELECT OBJECT_ID('some_name')
NULL (for each query)
SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE name LIKE '%some_name%'
SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE name ='some_name'
SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE name = N'some_name'
empty result (for each query)
SELECT * FROM fn_my_permissions(N'dbo.some_name','OBJECT')
SELECT * FROM fn_my_permissions('dbo.some_name','OBJECT')
SELECT * FROM fn_my_permissions(N'some_name','OBJECT')
SELECT * FROM fn_my_permissions('some_name','OBJECT')
SELECT * FROM fn_my_permissions(N'some_name','VIEW')
SELECT * FROM fn_my_permissions('some_name','VIEW')
empty result (for each query)
Alt+F1 on 'some_name':
The object 'some_name' does not exist in database 'X' or is invalid
for this operation.
EXEC sp_rename
#objname = 'other_name',
#newname = 'some_name'
Error: The new name 'some_name' is already in use as a object name and
would cause a duplicate that is not permitted.
EXEC sp_rename
#objname = 'some_name',
#newname = 'other_name'
No item by the name of 'some_name' could be found in the current
database 'X', given that #itemtype was input as '(null)'.
And now something interesting. If I run:
DROP FUNCTION [dbo].[some_name]
DROP SYNONYM [dbo].[some_name]
DROP TABLE [dbo].[some_name]
DROP TRIGER[dbo].[some_name]
DROP TYPE [dbo].[some_name]
DROP VIEW [dbo].[some_name]
I get only 5 messages:
Cannot drop the [FUNCTION, SYNONYM, TABLE, TRIGGER, TYPE]
'dbo.some_name', because it does not exist or you do not have
permission. (no mention of the VIEW)
But if I move the View command to the top :
DROP VIEW [dbo].[some_name]
DROP FUNCTION [dbo].[some_name]
DROP SYNONYM [dbo].[some_name]
DROP TABLE [dbo].[some_name]
DROP TRIGER[dbo].[some_name]
DROP TYPE [dbo].[some_name]
I get 6 messages, as expected.
Please help.
UPDATE
After a few CHECKDB commands I found what seems to be the problem. As suspected, this view is in an unconsistend state. By the DBCC command log I got the object_id of it. It does not existis on sys.objects, but it does existis on sys.columns. So, there are a few orphan columns on my database, which indicates a failure when creating or dropping this object.
So, by running DBCC CHECKCATALOG (and a few other DBCC commands) I got the messages:
Msg 3853, State 1: Attribute
(referenced_major_id=859202161,referenced_minor_id=42) of row
(class=0,object_id=990678627,column_id=0,referenced_major_id=859202161,referenced_minor_id=42)
in sys.sql_dependencies does not have a matching row
(object_id=859202161,column_id=42) in sys.columns.
Msg 8956, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 Index row (1:123:12) with values
(nsclass = 0 and nsid = 1 and name = 'some_name') points to the data
row identified by (RID = (1:456:45)).
SOLUTION
0 - Backup your database.
1 - Reboot your server on Single User Mode (-m parameter)
2 - Set the database to Single User Mode:
ALTER DATABASE X
SET SINGLE_USER
WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE;
GO
3 - Run a CHECKDB command with a repair option. In my case it was:
DBCC CHECKDB (X,REPAIR_REBUILD)
4 - Set the database back to Multi User Mode
ALTER DATABASE X
SET MULTI_USER
WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE;
GO
'X' is the name of the database.
I'm not sure if step 0 and 1 are really necessary, but better safe than sorry.
You may find more info about the CHECKDB command and its repair otions at: DBCC CHECKDB

Answer 1

I think SQL server requires that object names be unique. You certainly cannot have a table and a view with the same name, as it would be impossible to distinguish which object was intended when you refer to it. But I think function and procedure names also have to be unique ( and this may not be strictly necessary, as far as I know the context in which these names are used always allows them to be distinguished ).

Answer 2

From your error messages, I understand that dbo.some_name exists, but, you don't have enough permissions to view dbo.some_name.
sys.objects will show only the objects, to which you have got permission to view .MSDN reference
Permissions
The visibility of the metadata in catalog views is limited
to securables that a user either owns or on which the user has been
granted some permission.
You can see what permissions you have got on an object by running the below query:
SELECT * FROM fn_my_permissions('dbo.some_name','OBJECT')
You need to have CONTROL permission to drop it. You need to have ALTER permission to rename the object.
UPDATE
can you please again check whether you are part of sysadmin role at server level and part of db_owner role at db level (sysadmins enter database as db_owners).
use database_name
go
SELECT Is_srvrolemember('sysadmin')
select IS_ROLEMEMBER('db_owner')