Using SQL Server Metadata and Statistics to Build a Table Explorer Application

/*
	Obtaining the table name, schema, row count and last update date
	user tables only 
*/
   select o.name             as [Name], 
          sc.name            as [Type], 
          s.row_count        as [Size], 
          u.last_user_update as [Modified]
 -- for table name and schema name
     from sys.objects o                                 
left join sys.schemas sc on sc.schema_id = o.schema_id  
 -- for the row count
left join (select object_id, sum(rows) as row_count     
             from sys.partitions                        
            where index_id < 2            -- only 0 or 1. Others will double-count
            group by object_id) s on o.object_id = s.object_id
 -- for last data update date
left join (select database_id, object_id, -- these two fields for object identification
                  max(last_user_update) as last_user_update   -- take the most recent update
                from sys.dm_db_index_usage_stats 
               where index_id < 2         -- only 0 or 1. Others are not necessary
            group by database_id,object_id
            ) u on u.object_id = o.object_id and u.database_id = DB_ID()
    -- Filter database objects to show user tables only
    where o.type = 'U'
    -- schema then table name seems a natural default ordering
    order by sc.name, o.name