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

The first link to sp_generate_inserts is pretty cool, here is a really simple version:

DECLARE @Fields VARCHAR(max); SET @Fields = '[QueueName], [iSort]' -- your fields, keep []
DECLARE @Table  VARCHAR(max); SET @Table  = 'Queues'               -- your table

DECLARE @SQL    VARCHAR(max)
SET @SQL = 'DECLARE @S VARCHAR(MAX)
SELECT @S = ISNULL(@S + '' UNION '', ''INSERT INTO ' + @Table + '(' + @Fields + ')'') + CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) + 
 ''SELECT '' + ' + REPLACE(REPLACE(REPLACE(@Fields, ',', ' + '', '' + '), '[', ''''''''' + CAST('),']',' AS VARCHAR(max)) + ''''''''') +' FROM ' + @Table + '
PRINT @S'

EXEC (@SQL)

On my system, I get this result:

INSERT INTO Queues([QueueName], [iSort])
SELECT 'WD: Auto Capture', '10' UNION 
SELECT 'Car/Lar', '11' UNION 
SELECT 'Scan Line', '21' UNION 
SELECT 'OCR', '22' UNION 
SELECT 'Dynamic Template', '23' UNION 
SELECT 'Fix MICR', '41' UNION 
SELECT 'Fix MICR (Supervisor)', '42' UNION 
SELECT 'Foreign MICR', '43' UNION 
...