How do I get list of all tables in a database using TSQL?

Question

What is the best way to get the names of all of the tables in a specific database on SQL Server?

Answer 1

The downside of INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES is that it also includes system tables such as dtproperties and the MSpeer_... tables, with no way to tell them apart from your own tables.

I would recommend using sys.objects (the new version of the deprecated sysobjects view), which does support excluding the system tables:

select *
from sys.objects
where type = 'U'      -- User tables
and is_ms_shipped = 0 -- Exclude system tables

Answer 2

In SSMS, to get all fully qualified table names in a specific database (E.g., "MyDatabase"):

SELECT [TABLE_CATALOG] + '.' + [TABLE_SCHEMA] + '.' + [TABLE_NAME]
FROM   MyDatabase.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.Tables
WHERE  [TABLE_TYPE] = 'BASE TABLE' and [TABLE_NAME] <> 'sysdiagrams'
ORDER BY [TABLE_SCHEMA], [TABLE_NAME]

Results:

• MyDatabase.dbo.MyTable1
• MyDatabase.dbo.MyTable2
• MyDatabase.MySchema.MyTable3
• MyDatabase.MySchema.MyTable4
• etc.

Answer 3

SELECT TABLE_NAME 
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES 
WHERE TABLE_TYPE='BASE TABLE' 
ORDER BY TABLE_NAME

Answer 4

Well you can use sys.objects to get all database objects.

 GO
 select * from sys.objects where type_desc='USER_TABLE' order by name
 GO

OR

--  For all tables
select * from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES 
GO 

  --- For user defined tables
select * from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES where TABLE_TYPE='BASE TABLE'
GO

  --- For Views
select * from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES where TABLE_TYPE='VIEW'
GO

Answer 5

SELECT sobjects.name
FROM sysobjects sobjects
WHERE sobjects.xtype = 'U'

Here is a list of other object types you can search for as well:

• AF: Aggregate function (CLR)
• C: CHECK constraint
• D: Default or DEFAULT constraint
• F: FOREIGN KEY constraint
• L: Log
• FN: Scalar function
• FS: Assembly (CLR) scalar-function
• FT: Assembly (CLR) table-valued function
• IF: In-lined table-function
• IT: Internal table
• P: Stored procedure
• PC: Assembly (CLR) stored-procedure
• PK: PRIMARY KEY constraint (type is K)
• RF: Replication filter stored procedure
• S: System table
• SN: Synonym
• SQ: Service queue
• TA: Assembly (CLR) DML trigger
• TF: Table function
• TR: SQL DML Trigger
• TT: Table type
• U: User table
• UQ: UNIQUE constraint (type is K)
• V: View
• X: Extended stored procedure

Answer 6

SELECT * FROM information_schema.tables
where TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'

SQL Server 2012