What is the best way to auto-generate INSERT statements for a SQL Server table?

Question

We are writing a new application, and while testing, we will need a bunch of dummy data. I\'ve added that data by using MS Access to dump excel files into the relevant table

Answer 1

We use this stored procedure - it allows you to target specific tables, and use where clauses. You can find the text here.

For example, it lets you do this:

EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles'

---

Source code copied from link:

SET NOCOUNT ON
GO

PRINT 'Using Master database'
USE master
GO

PRINT 'Checking for the existence of this procedure'
IF (SELECT OBJECT_ID('sp_generate_inserts','P')) IS NOT NULL --means, the procedure already exists
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'Procedure already exists. So, dropping it'
        DROP PROC sp_generate_inserts
    END
GO

--Turn system object marking on
EXEC master.dbo.sp_MS_upd_sysobj_category 1
GO

CREATE PROC sp_generate_inserts
(
    @table_name varchar(776),       -- The table/view for which the INSERT statements will be generated using the existing data
    @target_table varchar(776) = NULL,  -- Use this parameter to specify a different table name into which the data will be inserted
    @include_column_list bit = 1,       -- Use this parameter to include/ommit column list in the generated INSERT statement
    @from varchar(800) = NULL,      -- Use this parameter to filter the rows based on a filter condition (using WHERE)
    @include_timestamp bit = 0,         -- Specify 1 for this parameter, if you want to include the TIMESTAMP/ROWVERSION column's data in the INSERT statement
    @debug_mode bit = 0,            -- If @debug_mode is set to 1, the SQL statements constructed by this procedure will be printed for later examination
    @owner varchar(64) = NULL,      -- Use this parameter if you are not the owner of the table
    @ommit_images bit = 0,          -- Use this parameter to generate INSERT statements by omitting the 'image' columns
    @ommit_identity bit = 0,        -- Use this parameter to ommit the identity columns
    @top int = NULL,            -- Use this parameter to generate INSERT statements only for the TOP n rows
    @cols_to_include varchar(8000) = NULL,  -- List of columns to be included in the INSERT statement
    @cols_to_exclude varchar(8000) = NULL,  -- List of columns to be excluded from the INSERT statement
    @disable_constraints bit = 0,       -- When 1, disables foreign key constraints and enables them after the INSERT statements
    @ommit_computed_cols bit = 0        -- When 1, computed columns will not be included in the INSERT statement

)
AS
BEGIN

/***********************************************************************************************************
Procedure:  sp_generate_inserts  (Build 22) 
        (Copyright © 2002 Narayana Vyas Kondreddi. All rights reserved.)

Purpose:    To generate INSERT statements from existing data. 
        These INSERTS can be executed to regenerate the data at some other location.
        This procedure is also useful to create a database setup, where in you can 
        script your data along with your table definitions.

Written by: Narayana Vyas Kondreddi
            http://vyaskn.tripod.com
            http://vyaskn.tripod.com/code/generate_inserts.txt

Acknowledgements:
        Divya Kalra -- For beta testing
        Mark Charsley   -- For reporting a problem with scripting uniqueidentifier columns with NULL values
        Artur Zeygman   -- For helping me simplify a bit of code for handling non-dbo owned tables
        Joris Laperre   -- For reporting a regression bug in handling text/ntext columns

Tested on:  SQL Server 7.0 and SQL Server 2000

Date created:   January 17th 2001 21:52 GMT

Date modified:  May 1st 2002 19:50 GMT

Email:      vyaskn@hotmail.com

NOTE:       This procedure may not work with tables with too many columns.
        Results can be unpredictable with huge text columns or SQL Server 2000's sql_variant data types
        Whenever possible, Use @include_column_list parameter to ommit column list in the INSERT statement, for better results
        IMPORTANT: This procedure is not tested with internation data (Extended characters or Unicode). If needed
        you might want to convert the datatypes of character variables in this procedure to their respective unicode counterparts
        like nchar and nvarchar


Example 1:  To generate INSERT statements for table 'titles':

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles'

Example 2:  To ommit the column list in the INSERT statement: (Column list is included by default)
        IMPORTANT: If you have too many columns, you are advised to ommit column list, as shown below,
        to avoid erroneous results

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles', @include_column_list = 0

Example 3:  To generate INSERT statements for 'titlesCopy' table from 'titles' table:

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles', 'titlesCopy'

Example 4:  To generate INSERT statements for 'titles' table for only those titles 
        which contain the word 'Computer' in them:
        NOTE: Do not complicate the FROM or WHERE clause here. It's assumed that you are good with T-SQL if you are using this parameter

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles', @from = "from titles where title like '%Computer%'"

Example 5:  To specify that you want to include TIMESTAMP column's data as well in the INSERT statement:
        (By default TIMESTAMP column's data is not scripted)

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles', @include_timestamp = 1

Example 6:  To print the debug information:

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles', @debug_mode = 1

Example 7:  If you are not the owner of the table, use @owner parameter to specify the owner name
        To use this option, you must have SELECT permissions on that table

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts Nickstable, @owner = 'Nick'

Example 8:  To generate INSERT statements for the rest of the columns excluding images
        When using this otion, DO NOT set @include_column_list parameter to 0.

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts imgtable, @ommit_images = 1

Example 9:  To generate INSERT statements excluding (ommiting) IDENTITY columns:
        (By default IDENTITY columns are included in the INSERT statement)

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts mytable, @ommit_identity = 1

Example 10:     To generate INSERT statements for the TOP 10 rows in the table:

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts mytable, @top = 10

Example 11:     To generate INSERT statements with only those columns you want:

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts titles, @cols_to_include = "'title','title_id','au_id'"

Example 12:     To generate INSERT statements by omitting certain columns:

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts titles, @cols_to_exclude = "'title','title_id','au_id'"

Example 13: To avoid checking the foreign key constraints while loading data with INSERT statements:

        EXEC sp_generate_inserts titles, @disable_constraints = 1

Example 14:     To exclude computed columns from the INSERT statement:
        EXEC sp_generate_inserts MyTable, @ommit_computed_cols = 1
***********************************************************************************************************/

SET NOCOUNT ON

--Making sure user only uses either @cols_to_include or @cols_to_exclude
IF ((@cols_to_include IS NOT NULL) AND (@cols_to_exclude IS NOT NULL))
    BEGIN
        RAISERROR('Use either @cols_to_include or @cols_to_exclude. Do not use both the parameters at once',16,1)
        RETURN -1 --Failure. Reason: Both @cols_to_include and @cols_to_exclude parameters are specified
    END

--Making sure the @cols_to_include and @cols_to_exclude parameters are receiving values in proper format
IF ((@cols_to_include IS NOT NULL) AND (PATINDEX('''%''',@cols_to_include) = 0))
    BEGIN
        RAISERROR('Invalid use of @cols_to_include property',16,1)
        PRINT 'Specify column names surrounded by single quotes and separated by commas'
        PRINT 'Eg: EXEC sp_generate_inserts titles, @cols_to_include = "''title_id'',''title''"'
        RETURN -1 --Failure. Reason: Invalid use of @cols_to_include property
    END

IF ((@cols_to_exclude IS NOT NULL) AND (PATINDEX('''%''',@cols_to_exclude) = 0))
    BEGIN
        RAISERROR('Invalid use of @cols_to_exclude property',16,1)
        PRINT 'Specify column names surrounded by single quotes and separated by commas'
        PRINT 'Eg: EXEC sp_generate_inserts titles, @cols_to_exclude = "''title_id'',''title''"'
        RETURN -1 --Failure. Reason: Invalid use of @cols_to_exclude property
    END


--Checking to see if the database name is specified along wih the table name
--Your database context should be local to the table for which you want to generate INSERT statements
--specifying the database name is not allowed
IF (PARSENAME(@table_name,3)) IS NOT NULL
    BEGIN
        RAISERROR('Do not specify the database name. Be in the required database and just specify the table name.',16,1)
        RETURN -1 --Failure. Reason: Database name is specified along with the table name, which is not allowed
    END

--Checking for the existence of 'user table' or 'view'
--This procedure is not written to work on system tables
--To script the data in system tables, just create a view on the system tables and script the view instead

IF @owner IS NULL
    BEGIN
        IF ((OBJECT_ID(@table_name,'U') IS NULL) AND (OBJECT_ID(@table_name,'V') IS NULL)) 
            BEGIN
                RAISERROR('User table or view not found.',16,1)
                PRINT 'You may see this error, if you are not the owner of this table or view. In that case use @owner parameter to specify the owner name.'
                PRINT 'Make sure you have SELECT permission on that table or view.'
                RETURN -1 --Failure. Reason: There is no user table or view with this name
            END
    END
ELSE
    BEGIN
        IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES WHERE TABLE_NAME = @table_name AND (TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE' OR TABLE_TYPE = 'VIEW') AND TABLE_SCHEMA = @owner)
            BEGIN
                RAISERROR('User table or view not found.',16,1)
                PRINT 'You may see this error, if you are not the owner of this table. In that case use @owner parameter to specify the owner name.'
                PRINT 'Make sure you have SELECT permission on that table or view.'
                RETURN -1 --Failure. Reason: There is no user table or view with this name      
            END
    END

--Variable declarations
DECLARE     @Column_ID int,         
        @Column_List varchar(8000), 
        @Column_Name varchar(128), 
        @Start_Insert varchar(786), 
        @Data_Type varchar(128), 
        @Actual_Values varchar(8000),   --This is the string that will be finally executed to generate INSERT statements
        @IDN varchar(128)       --Will contain the IDENTITY column's name in the table

--Variable Initialization
SET @IDN = ''
SET @Column_ID = 0
SET @Column_Name = ''
SET @Column_List = ''
SET @Actual_Values = ''

IF @owner IS NULL 
    BEGIN
        SET @Start_Insert = 'INSERT INTO ' + '[' + RTRIM(COALESCE(@target_table,@table_name)) + ']' 
    END
ELSE
    BEGIN
        SET @Start_Insert = 'INSERT ' + '[' + LTRIM(RTRIM(@owner)) + '].' + '[' + RTRIM(COALESCE(@target_table,@table_name)) + ']'      
    END


--To get the first column's ID

SELECT  @Column_ID = MIN(ORDINAL_POSITION)  
FROM    INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS (NOLOCK) 
WHERE   TABLE_NAME = @table_name AND
(@owner IS NULL OR TABLE_SCHEMA = @owner)



--Loop through all the columns of the table, to get the column names and their data types
WHILE @Column_ID IS NOT NULL
    BEGIN
        SELECT  @Column_Name = QUOTENAME(COLUMN_NAME), 
        @Data_Type = DATA_TYPE 
        FROM    INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS (NOLOCK) 
        WHERE   ORDINAL_POSITION = @Column_ID AND 
        TABLE_NAME = @table_name AND
        (@owner IS NULL OR TABLE_SCHEMA = @owner)



        IF @cols_to_include IS NOT NULL --Selecting only user specified columns
        BEGIN
            IF CHARINDEX( '''' + SUBSTRING(@Column_Name,2,LEN(@Column_Name)-2) + '''',@cols_to_include) = 0 
            BEGIN
                GOTO SKIP_LOOP
            END
        END

        IF @cols_to_exclude IS NOT NULL --Selecting only user specified columns
        BEGIN
            IF CHARINDEX( '''' + SUBSTRING(@Column_Name,2,LEN(@Column_Name)-2) + '''',@cols_to_exclude) <> 0 
            BEGIN
                GOTO SKIP_LOOP
            END
        END

        --Making sure to output SET IDENTITY_INSERT ON/OFF in case the table has an IDENTITY column
        IF (SELECT COLUMNPROPERTY( OBJECT_ID(QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@owner,USER_NAME())) + '.' + @table_name),SUBSTRING(@Column_Name,2,LEN(@Column_Name) - 2),'IsIdentity')) = 1 
        BEGIN
            IF @ommit_identity = 0 --Determing whether to include or exclude the IDENTITY column
                SET @IDN = @Column_Name
            ELSE
                GOTO SKIP_LOOP          
        END

        --Making sure whether to output computed columns or not
        IF @ommit_computed_cols = 1
        BEGIN
            IF (SELECT COLUMNPROPERTY( OBJECT_ID(QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@owner,USER_NAME())) + '.' + @table_name),SUBSTRING(@Column_Name,2,LEN(@Column_Name) - 2),'IsComputed')) = 1 
            BEGIN
                GOTO SKIP_LOOP                  
            END
        END

        --Tables with columns of IMAGE data type are not supported for obvious reasons
        IF(@Data_Type in ('image'))
            BEGIN
                IF (@ommit_images = 0)
                    BEGIN
                        RAISERROR('Tables with image columns are not supported.',16,1)
                        PRINT 'Use @ommit_images = 1 parameter to generate INSERTs for the rest of the columns.'
                        PRINT 'DO NOT ommit Column List in the INSERT statements. If you ommit column list using @include_column_list=0, the generated INSERTs will fail.'
                        RETURN -1 --Failure. Reason: There is a column with image data type
                    END
                ELSE
                    BEGIN
                    GOTO SKIP_LOOP
                    END
            END

        --Determining the data type of the column and depending on the data type, the VALUES part of
        --the INSERT statement is generated. Care is taken to handle columns with NULL values. Also
        --making sure, not to lose any data from flot, real, money, smallmomey, datetime columns
        SET @Actual_Values = @Actual_Values  +
        CASE 
            WHEN @Data_Type IN ('char','varchar','nchar','nvarchar') 
                THEN 
                    'COALESCE('''''''' + REPLACE(RTRIM(' + @Column_Name + '),'''''''','''''''''''')+'''''''',''NULL'')'
            WHEN @Data_Type IN ('datetime','smalldatetime') 
                THEN 
                    'COALESCE('''''''' + RTRIM(CONVERT(char,' + @Column_Name + ',109))+'''''''',''NULL'')'
            WHEN @Data_Type IN ('uniqueidentifier') 
                THEN  
                    'COALESCE('''''''' + REPLACE(CONVERT(char(255),RTRIM(' + @Column_Name + ')),'''''''','''''''''''')+'''''''',''NULL'')'
            WHEN @Data_Type IN ('text','ntext') 
                THEN  
                    'COALESCE('''''''' + REPLACE(CONVERT(char(8000),' + @Column_Name + '),'''''''','''''''''''')+'''''''',''NULL'')'                    
            WHEN @Data_Type IN ('binary','varbinary') 
                THEN  
                    'COALESCE(RTRIM(CONVERT(char,' + 'CONVERT(int,' + @Column_Name + '))),''NULL'')'  
            WHEN @Data_Type IN ('timestamp','rowversion') 
                THEN  
                    CASE 
                        WHEN @include_timestamp = 0 
                            THEN 
                                '''DEFAULT''' 
                            ELSE 
                                'COALESCE(RTRIM(CONVERT(char,' + 'CONVERT(int,' + @Column_Name + '))),''NULL'')'  
                    END
            WHEN @Data_Type IN ('float','real','money','smallmoney')
                THEN
                    'COALESCE(LTRIM(RTRIM(' + 'CONVERT(char, ' +  @Column_Name  + ',2)' + ')),''NULL'')' 
            ELSE 
                'COALESCE(LTRIM(RTRIM(' + 'CONVERT(char, ' +  @Column_Name  + ')' + ')),''NULL'')' 
        END   + '+' +  ''',''' + ' + '

        --Generating the column list for the INSERT statement
        SET @Column_List = @Column_List +  @Column_Name + ','   

        SKIP_LOOP: --The label used in GOTO

        SELECT  @Column_ID = MIN(ORDINAL_POSITION) 
        FROM    INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS (NOLOCK) 
        WHERE   TABLE_NAME = @table_name AND 
        ORDINAL_POSITION > @Column_ID AND
        (@owner IS NULL OR TABLE_SCHEMA = @owner)


    --Loop ends here!
    END

--To get rid of the extra characters that got concatenated during the last run through the loop
SET @Column_List = LEFT(@Column_List,len(@Column_List) - 1)
SET @Actual_Values = LEFT(@Actual_Values,len(@Actual_Values) - 6)

IF LTRIM(@Column_List) = '' 
    BEGIN
        RAISERROR('No columns to select. There should at least be one column to generate the output',16,1)
        RETURN -1 --Failure. Reason: Looks like all the columns are ommitted using the @cols_to_exclude parameter
    END

--Forming the final string that will be executed, to output the INSERT statements
IF (@include_column_list <> 0)
    BEGIN
        SET @Actual_Values = 
            'SELECT ' +  
            CASE WHEN @top IS NULL OR @top < 0 THEN '' ELSE ' TOP ' + LTRIM(STR(@top)) + ' ' END + 
            '''' + RTRIM(@Start_Insert) + 
            ' ''+' + '''(' + RTRIM(@Column_List) +  '''+' + ''')''' + 
            ' +''VALUES(''+ ' +  @Actual_Values  + '+'')''' + ' ' + 
            COALESCE(@from,' FROM ' + CASE WHEN @owner IS NULL THEN '' ELSE '[' + LTRIM(RTRIM(@owner)) + '].' END + '[' + rtrim(@table_name) + ']' + '(NOLOCK)')
    END
ELSE IF (@include_column_list = 0)
    BEGIN
        SET @Actual_Values = 
            'SELECT ' + 
            CASE WHEN @top IS NULL OR @top < 0 THEN '' ELSE ' TOP ' + LTRIM(STR(@top)) + ' ' END + 
            '''' + RTRIM(@Start_Insert) + 
            ' '' +''VALUES(''+ ' +  @Actual_Values + '+'')''' + ' ' + 
            COALESCE(@from,' FROM ' + CASE WHEN @owner IS NULL THEN '' ELSE '[' + LTRIM(RTRIM(@owner)) + '].' END + '[' + rtrim(@table_name) + ']' + '(NOLOCK)')
    END 

--Determining whether to ouput any debug information
IF @debug_mode =1
    BEGIN
        PRINT '/*****START OF DEBUG INFORMATION*****'
        PRINT 'Beginning of the INSERT statement:'
        PRINT @Start_Insert
        PRINT ''
        PRINT 'The column list:'
        PRINT @Column_List
        PRINT ''
        PRINT 'The SELECT statement executed to generate the INSERTs'
        PRINT @Actual_Values
        PRINT ''
        PRINT '*****END OF DEBUG INFORMATION*****/'
        PRINT ''
    END

PRINT '--INSERTs generated by ''sp_generate_inserts'' stored procedure written by Vyas'
PRINT '--Build number: 22'
PRINT '--Problems/Suggestions? Contact Vyas @ vyaskn@hotmail.com'
PRINT '--http://vyaskn.tripod.com'
PRINT ''
PRINT 'SET NOCOUNT ON'
PRINT ''


--Determining whether to print IDENTITY_INSERT or not
IF (@IDN <> '')
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'SET IDENTITY_INSERT ' + QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@owner,USER_NAME())) + '.' + QUOTENAME(@table_name) + ' ON'
        PRINT 'GO'
        PRINT ''
    END


IF @disable_constraints = 1 AND (OBJECT_ID(QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@owner,USER_NAME())) + '.' + @table_name, 'U') IS NOT NULL)
    BEGIN
        IF @owner IS NULL
            BEGIN
                SELECT  'ALTER TABLE ' + QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@target_table, @table_name)) + ' NOCHECK CONSTRAINT ALL' AS '--Code to disable constraints temporarily'
            END
        ELSE
            BEGIN
                SELECT  'ALTER TABLE ' + QUOTENAME(@owner) + '.' + QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@target_table, @table_name)) + ' NOCHECK CONSTRAINT ALL' AS '--Code to disable constraints temporarily'
            END

        PRINT 'GO'
    END

PRINT ''
PRINT 'PRINT ''Inserting values into ' + '[' + RTRIM(COALESCE(@target_table,@table_name)) + ']' + ''''


--All the hard work pays off here!!! You'll get your INSERT statements, when the next line executes!
EXEC (@Actual_Values)

PRINT 'PRINT ''Done'''
PRINT ''


IF @disable_constraints = 1 AND (OBJECT_ID(QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@owner,USER_NAME())) + '.' + @table_name, 'U') IS NOT NULL)
    BEGIN
        IF @owner IS NULL
            BEGIN
                SELECT  'ALTER TABLE ' + QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@target_table, @table_name)) + ' CHECK CONSTRAINT ALL'  AS '--Code to enable the previously disabled constraints'
            END
        ELSE
            BEGIN
                SELECT  'ALTER TABLE ' + QUOTENAME(@owner) + '.' + QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@target_table, @table_name)) + ' CHECK CONSTRAINT ALL' AS '--Code to enable the previously disabled constraints'
            END

        PRINT 'GO'
    END

PRINT ''
IF (@IDN <> '')
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'SET IDENTITY_INSERT ' + QUOTENAME(COALESCE(@owner,USER_NAME())) + '.' + QUOTENAME(@table_name) + ' OFF'
        PRINT 'GO'
    END

PRINT 'SET NOCOUNT OFF'


SET NOCOUNT OFF
RETURN 0 --Success. We are done!
END

GO

PRINT 'Created the procedure'
GO


--Turn system object marking off
EXEC master.dbo.sp_MS_upd_sysobj_category 2
GO

PRINT 'Granting EXECUTE permission on sp_generate_inserts to all users'
GRANT EXEC ON sp_generate_inserts TO public

SET NOCOUNT OFF
GO

PRINT 'Done'