I\'ve spent a good amount of time coming up with solution to this problem, so in the spirit of this post, I\'m posting it here, since I think it might be useful to others. <
-- or you could create a stored procedure ... first with Id creation
USE [db]
GO
/****** Object: StoredProcedure [dbo].[procUtils_InsertGeneratorWithId] Script Date: 06/13/2009 22:18:11 ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
create PROC [dbo].[procUtils_InsertGeneratorWithId]
(
@domain_user varchar(50),
@tableName varchar(100)
)
as
--Declare a cursor to retrieve column specific information for the specified table
DECLARE cursCol CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR
SELECT column_name,data_type FROM information_schema.columns WHERE table_name = @tableName
OPEN cursCol
DECLARE @string nvarchar(3000) --for storing the first half of INSERT statement
DECLARE @stringData nvarchar(3000) --for storing the data (VALUES) related statement
DECLARE @dataType nvarchar(1000) --data types returned for respective columns
DECLARE @IDENTITY_STRING nvarchar ( 100 )
SET @IDENTITY_STRING = ' '
select @IDENTITY_STRING
SET @string='INSERT '+@tableName+'('
SET @stringData=''
DECLARE @colName nvarchar(50)
FETCH NEXT FROM cursCol INTO @colName,@dataType
IF @@fetch_status<>0
begin
print 'Table '+@tableName+' not found, processing skipped.'
close curscol
deallocate curscol
return
END
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS=0
BEGIN
IF @dataType in ('varchar','char','nchar','nvarchar')
BEGIN
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''''''''+isnull('+@colName+','''')+'''''',''+'
SET @stringData=@stringData+''''+'''+isnull('''''+'''''+'+@colName+'+'''''+''''',''NULL'')+'',''+'
END
ELSE
if @dataType in ('text','ntext') --if the datatype is text or something else
BEGIN
SET @stringData=@stringData+'''''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(2000)),'''')+'''''',''+'
END
ELSE
IF @dataType = 'money' --because money doesn't get converted from varchar implicitly
BEGIN
SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(money,''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(200)),''0.0000'')+''''''),''+'
END
ELSE
IF @dataType='datetime'
BEGIN
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(datetime,''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(200)),''0'')+''''''),''+'
--SELECT 'INSERT Authorizations(StatusDate) VALUES('+'convert(datetime,'+isnull(''''+convert(varchar(200),StatusDate,121)+'''','NULL')+',121),)' FROM Authorizations
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(money,''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(200)),''0.0000'')+''''''),''+'
SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(datetime,'+'''+isnull('''''+'''''+convert(varchar(200),'+@colName+',121)+'''''+''''',''NULL'')+'',121),''+'
-- 'convert(datetime,'+isnull(''''+convert(varchar(200),StatusDate,121)+'''','NULL')+',121),)' FROM Authorizations
END
ELSE
IF @dataType='image'
BEGIN
SET @stringData=@stringData+'''''''''+isnull(cast(convert(varbinary,'+@colName+') as varchar(6)),''0'')+'''''',''+'
END
ELSE --presuming the data type is int,bit,numeric,decimal
BEGIN
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(200)),''0'')+'''''',''+'
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(datetime,'+'''+isnull('''''+'''''+convert(varchar(200),'+@colName+',121)+'''''+''''',''NULL'')+'',121),''+'
SET @stringData=@stringData+''''+'''+isnull('''''+'''''+convert(varchar(200),'+@colName+')+'''''+''''',''NULL'')+'',''+'
END
SET @string=@string+@colName+','
FETCH NEXT FROM cursCol INTO @colName,@dataType
END
DECLARE @Query nvarchar(4000)
SET @query ='SELECT '''+substring(@string,0,len(@string)) + ') VALUES(''+ ' + substring(@stringData,0,len(@stringData)-2)+'''+'')'' FROM '+@tableName
exec sp_executesql @query
--select @query
CLOSE cursCol
DEALLOCATE cursCol
/*
USAGE
*/
GO
-- and second without iD INSERTION
USE [db]
GO
/****** Object: StoredProcedure [dbo].[procUtils_InsertGenerator] Script Date: 06/13/2009 22:20:52 ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
CREATE PROC [dbo].[procUtils_InsertGenerator]
(
@domain_user varchar(50),
@tableName varchar(100)
)
as
--Declare a cursor to retrieve column specific information for the specified table
DECLARE cursCol CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR
-- SELECT column_name,data_type FROM information_schema.columns WHERE table_name = @tableName
/* NEW
SELECT c.name , sc.data_type FROM sys.extended_properties AS ep
INNER JOIN sys.tables AS t ON ep.major_id = t.object_id
INNER JOIN sys.columns AS c ON ep.major_id = c.object_id AND ep.minor_id
= c.column_id
INNER JOIN INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS sc ON t.name = sc.table_name and
c.name = sc.column_name
WHERE t.name = @tableName and c.is_identity=0
*/
select object_name(c.object_id) "TABLE_NAME", c.name "COLUMN_NAME", s.name "DATA_TYPE"
from sys.columns c
join sys.systypes s on (s.xtype = c.system_type_id)
where object_name(c.object_id) in (select name from sys.tables where name not like 'sysdiagrams')
AND object_name(c.object_id) in (select name from sys.tables where [name]=@tableName ) and c.is_identity=0 and s.name not like 'sysname'
OPEN cursCol
DECLARE @string nvarchar(3000) --for storing the first half of INSERT statement
DECLARE @stringData nvarchar(3000) --for storing the data (VALUES) related statement
DECLARE @dataType nvarchar(1000) --data types returned for respective columns
DECLARE @IDENTITY_STRING nvarchar ( 100 )
SET @IDENTITY_STRING = ' '
select @IDENTITY_STRING
SET @string='INSERT '+@tableName+'('
SET @stringData=''
DECLARE @colName nvarchar(50)
FETCH NEXT FROM cursCol INTO @tableName , @colName,@dataType
IF @@fetch_status<>0
begin
print 'Table '+@tableName+' not found, processing skipped.'
close curscol
deallocate curscol
return
END
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS=0
BEGIN
IF @dataType in ('varchar','char','nchar','nvarchar')
BEGIN
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''''''''+isnull('+@colName+','''')+'''''',''+'
SET @stringData=@stringData+''''+'''+isnull('''''+'''''+'+@colName+'+'''''+''''',''NULL'')+'',''+'
END
ELSE
if @dataType in ('text','ntext') --if the datatype is text or something else
BEGIN
SET @stringData=@stringData+'''''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(2000)),'''')+'''''',''+'
END
ELSE
IF @dataType = 'money' --because money doesn't get converted from varchar implicitly
BEGIN
SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(money,''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(200)),''0.0000'')+''''''),''+'
END
ELSE
IF @dataType='datetime'
BEGIN
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(datetime,''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(200)),''0'')+''''''),''+'
--SELECT 'INSERT Authorizations(StatusDate) VALUES('+'convert(datetime,'+isnull(''''+convert(varchar(200),StatusDate,121)+'''','NULL')+',121),)' FROM Authorizations
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(money,''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(200)),''0.0000'')+''''''),''+'
SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(datetime,'+'''+isnull('''''+'''''+convert(varchar(200),'+@colName+',121)+'''''+''''',''NULL'')+'',121),''+'
-- 'convert(datetime,'+isnull(''''+convert(varchar(200),StatusDate,121)+'''','NULL')+',121),)' FROM Authorizations
END
ELSE
IF @dataType='image'
BEGIN
SET @stringData=@stringData+'''''''''+isnull(cast(convert(varbinary,'+@colName+') as varchar(6)),''0'')+'''''',''+'
END
ELSE --presuming the data type is int,bit,numeric,decimal
BEGIN
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''''''''+isnull(cast('+@colName+' as varchar(200)),''0'')+'''''',''+'
--SET @stringData=@stringData+'''convert(datetime,'+'''+isnull('''''+'''''+convert(varchar(200),'+@colName+',121)+'''''+''''',''NULL'')+'',121),''+'
SET @stringData=@stringData+''''+'''+isnull('''''+'''''+convert(varchar(200),'+@colName+')+'''''+''''',''NULL'')+'',''+'
END
SET @string=@string+@colName+','
FETCH NEXT FROM cursCol INTO @tableName , @colName,@dataType
END
DECLARE @Query nvarchar(4000)
SET @query ='SELECT '''+substring(@string,0,len(@string)) + ') VALUES(''+ ' + substring(@stringData,0,len(@stringData)-2)+'''+'')'' FROM '+@tableName
exec sp_executesql @query
--select @query
CLOSE cursCol
DEALLOCATE cursCol
/*
use poc
go
DECLARE @RC int
DECLARE @domain_user varchar(50)
DECLARE @tableName varchar(100)
-- TODO: Set parameter values here.
set @domain_user='yorgeorg'
set @tableName = 'tbGui_WizardTabButtonAreas'
EXECUTE @RC = [POC].[dbo].[procUtils_InsertGenerator]
@domain_user
,@tableName
*/
GO
Support for schemas:
This is an updated version that amends the great answer from David, et al. Added is support for named schemas. It should be noted this may break if there's actually tables of the same name present within various schemas. Another improvement is the use of the official QuoteName() function.
SELECT
t.TABLE_CATALOG,
t.TABLE_SCHEMA,
t.TABLE_NAME,
'create table '+QuoteName(t.TABLE_SCHEMA)+'.' + QuoteName(so.name) + ' (' + LEFT(o.List, Len(o.List)-1) + '); '
+ CASE WHEN tc.Constraint_Name IS NULL THEN ''
ELSE
'ALTER TABLE ' + QuoteName(t.TABLE_SCHEMA)+'.' + QuoteName(so.name)
+ ' ADD CONSTRAINT ' + tc.Constraint_Name + ' PRIMARY KEY ' + ' (' + LEFT(j.List, Len(j.List)-1) + '); '
END as 'SQL_CREATE_TABLE'
FROM sysobjects so
CROSS APPLY (
SELECT
' ['+column_name+'] '
+ data_type
+ case data_type
when 'sql_variant' then ''
when 'text' then ''
when 'ntext' then ''
when 'decimal' then '(' + cast(numeric_precision as varchar) + ', ' + cast(numeric_scale as varchar) + ')'
else
coalesce(
'('+ case when character_maximum_length = -1
then 'MAX'
else cast(character_maximum_length as varchar) end
+ ')','')
end
+ ' '
+ case when exists (
SELECT id
FROM syscolumns
WHERE
object_name(id) = so.name
and name = column_name
and columnproperty(id,name,'IsIdentity') = 1
) then
'IDENTITY(' +
cast(ident_seed(so.name) as varchar) + ',' +
cast(ident_incr(so.name) as varchar) + ')'
else ''
end
+ ' '
+ (case when IS_NULLABLE = 'No' then 'NOT ' else '' end)
+ 'NULL '
+ case when information_schema.columns.COLUMN_DEFAULT IS NOT NULL THEN 'DEFAULT '+ information_schema.columns.COLUMN_DEFAULT
ELSE ''
END
+ ',' -- can't have a field name or we'll end up with XML
FROM information_schema.columns
WHERE table_name = so.name
ORDER BY ordinal_position
FOR XML PATH('')
) o (list)
LEFT JOIN information_schema.table_constraints tc on
tc.Table_name = so.Name
AND tc.Constraint_Type = 'PRIMARY KEY'
LEFT JOIN information_schema.tables t on
t.Table_name = so.Name
CROSS APPLY (
SELECT QuoteName(Column_Name) + ', '
FROM information_schema.key_column_usage kcu
WHERE kcu.Constraint_Name = tc.Constraint_Name
ORDER BY ORDINAL_POSITION
FOR XML PATH('')
) j (list)
WHERE
xtype = 'U'
AND name NOT IN ('dtproperties')
-- AND so.name = 'ASPStateTempSessions'
;
..
For use in Management Studio:
One detractor to the sql code above is if you test it using SSMS, long statements aren't easy to read. So, as per this helpful post, here's another version that's somewhat modified to be easier on the eyes after clicking the link of a cell in the grid. The results are more readily identifiable as nicely formatted CREATE TABLE statements for each table in the db.
-- settings
DECLARE @CRLF NCHAR(2)
SET @CRLF = Nchar(13) + NChar(10)
DECLARE @PLACEHOLDER NCHAR(3)
SET @PLACEHOLDER = '{:}'
-- the main query
SELECT
t.TABLE_CATALOG,
t.TABLE_SCHEMA,
t.TABLE_NAME,
CAST(
REPLACE(
'create table ' + QuoteName(t.TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QuoteName(so.name) + ' (' + @CRLF
+ LEFT(o.List, Len(o.List) - (LEN(@PLACEHOLDER)+2)) + @CRLF + ');' + @CRLF
+ CASE WHEN tc.Constraint_Name IS NULL THEN ''
ELSE
'ALTER TABLE ' + QuoteName(t.TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QuoteName(so.Name)
+ ' ADD CONSTRAINT ' + tc.Constraint_Name + ' PRIMARY KEY (' + LEFT(j.List, Len(j.List) - 1) + ');' + @CRLF
END,
@PLACEHOLDER,
@CRLF
)
AS XML) as 'SQL_CREATE_TABLE'
FROM sysobjects so
CROSS APPLY (
SELECT
' '
+ '['+column_name+'] '
+ data_type
+ case data_type
when 'sql_variant' then ''
when 'text' then ''
when 'ntext' then ''
when 'decimal' then '(' + cast(numeric_precision as varchar) + ', ' + cast(numeric_scale as varchar) + ')'
else
coalesce(
'('+ case when character_maximum_length = -1
then 'MAX'
else cast(character_maximum_length as varchar) end
+ ')','')
end
+ ' '
+ case when exists (
SELECT id
FROM syscolumns
WHERE
object_name(id) = so.name
and name = column_name
and columnproperty(id,name,'IsIdentity') = 1
) then
'IDENTITY(' +
cast(ident_seed(so.name) as varchar) + ',' +
cast(ident_incr(so.name) as varchar) + ')'
else ''
end
+ ' '
+ (case when IS_NULLABLE = 'No' then 'NOT ' else '' end)
+ 'NULL '
+ case when information_schema.columns.COLUMN_DEFAULT IS NOT NULL THEN 'DEFAULT '+ information_schema.columns.COLUMN_DEFAULT
ELSE ''
END
+ ', '
+ @PLACEHOLDER -- note, can't have a field name or we'll end up with XML
FROM information_schema.columns where table_name = so.name
ORDER BY ordinal_position
FOR XML PATH('')
) o (list)
LEFT JOIN information_schema.table_constraints tc on
tc.Table_name = so.Name
AND tc.Constraint_Type = 'PRIMARY KEY'
LEFT JOIN information_schema.tables t on
t.Table_name = so.Name
CROSS APPLY (
SELECT QUOTENAME(Column_Name) + ', '
FROM information_schema.key_column_usage kcu
WHERE kcu.Constraint_Name = tc.Constraint_Name
ORDER BY ORDINAL_POSITION
FOR XML PATH('')
) j (list)
WHERE
xtype = 'U'
AND name NOT IN ('dtproperties')
-- AND so.name = 'ASPStateTempSessions'
;
Not to belabor the point, but here's the functionally equivalent example outputs for comparison:
-- 1 (scripting version)
create table [dbo].[ASPStateTempApplications] ( [AppId] int NOT NULL , [AppName] char(280) NOT NULL ); ALTER TABLE [dbo].[ASPStateTempApplications] ADD CONSTRAINT PK__ASPState__8E2CF7F908EA5793 PRIMARY KEY ([AppId]);
-- 2 (SSMS version)
create table [dbo].[ASPStateTempSessions] (
[SessionId] nvarchar(88) NOT NULL ,
[Created] datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT (getutcdate()),
[Expires] datetime NOT NULL ,
[LockDate] datetime NOT NULL ,
[LockDateLocal] datetime NOT NULL ,
[LockCookie] int NOT NULL ,
[Timeout] int NOT NULL ,
[Locked] bit NOT NULL ,
[SessionItemShort] varbinary(7000) NULL ,
[SessionItemLong] image(2147483647) NULL ,
[Flags] int NOT NULL DEFAULT ((0))
);
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[ASPStateTempSessions] ADD CONSTRAINT PK__ASPState__C9F4929003317E3D PRIMARY KEY ([SessionId]);
..
Detracting factors:
It should be noted that I remain relatively unhappy with this due to the lack of support for indeces other than a primary key. It remains suitable for use as a mechanism for simple data export or replication.
I realise that it's been a very long time but thought I'd add anyway. If you just want the table, and not the create table statement you could use
select into x from db.schema.y where 1=0
to copy the table to a new DB
If the application you are generating the scripts from is a .NET application, you may want to look into using SMO (Sql Management Objects). Reference this SQL Team link on how to use SMO to script objects.