SQL Server PRINT SELECT (Print a select query result)?

Question

I am trying to print a selected value, is this possible?

Example:

PRINT 
    SELECT SUM(Amount) FROM Expense

Answer 1

set @n = (select sum(Amount) from Expense)
print 'n=' + @n

Answer 2

Try this query

DECLARE @PrintVarchar nvarchar(max) = (Select Sum(Amount) From Expense)
PRINT 'Varchar format =' + @PrintVarchar

DECLARE @PrintInt int = (Select Sum(Amount) From Expense)
PRINT @PrintInt

Answer 3

I wrote this SP to do just what you want, however, you need to use dynamic sql.

This worked for me on SQL Server 2008 R2

ALTER procedure [dbo].[PrintSQLResults] 
    @query nvarchar(MAX),
    @numberToDisplay int = 10,
    @padding int = 20
as

SET NOCOUNT ON;
SET ANSI_WARNINGS ON;

declare @cols nvarchar(MAX), 
        @displayCols nvarchar(MAX), 
        @sql nvarchar(MAX), 
        @printableResults nvarchar(MAX),
        @NewLineChar AS char(2) = char(13) + char(10),
        @Tab AS char(9) = char(9);

if exists (select * from tempdb.sys.tables where name = '##PrintSQLResultsTempTable') drop table ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable

set @query = REPLACE(@query, 'from', ' into ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable from');
--print @query
exec(@query);
select ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY (select Null)) AS ID12345XYZ, * into #PrintSQLResultsTempTable 
from ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable
drop table ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable

select name
into #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
from tempdb.sys.columns where object_id =
object_id('tempdb..#PrintSQLResultsTempTable');

select @cols =
stuff((
    (select ' + space(1) + (LEFT( (CAST([' + name + '] as nvarchar(max)) + space('+ CAST(@padding as nvarchar(4)) +')), '+CAST(@padding as nvarchar(4))+')) ' as [text()]
    FROM #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
    where name != 'ID12345XYZ'
    FOR XML PATH(''), root('str'), type ).value('/str[1]','nvarchar(max)'))
,1,0,'''''');

select @displayCols =
stuff((
    (select space(1) + LEFT(name + space(@padding), @padding) as [text()]
    FROM #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
    where name != 'ID12345XYZ'
    FOR XML PATH(''), root('str'), type ).value('/str[1]','nvarchar(max)'))
,1,0,'');

DECLARE 
    @tableCount int = (select count(*) from #PrintSQLResultsTempTable);
DECLARE 
    @i int = 1, 
    @ii int = case when @tableCount < @numberToDisplay then @tableCount else @numberToDisplay end;

print @displayCols -- header
While @i <= @ii
BEGIN
    set @sql = N'select @printableResults = ' + @cols + ' + @NewLineChar from #PrintSQLResultsTempTable where ID12345XYZ = ' + CAST(@i as varchar(3)) + '; print @printableResults;'
    --print @sql
    execute sp_executesql @sql, N'@NewLineChar char(2), @printableResults nvarchar(max) output', @NewLineChar = @NewLineChar, @printableResults = @printableResults output
    print @printableResults
    SET @i += 1;
END

This worked for me on SQL Server 2012

ALTER procedure [dbo].[PrintSQLResults] 
    @query nvarchar(MAX),
    @numberToDisplay int = 10,
    @padding int = 20
as

SET NOCOUNT ON;
SET ANSI_WARNINGS ON;

declare @cols nvarchar(MAX), 
        @displayCols nvarchar(MAX), 
        @sql nvarchar(MAX), 
        @printableResults nvarchar(MAX),
        @NewLineChar AS char(2) = char(13) + char(10),
        @Tab AS char(9) = char(9);

if exists (select * from tempdb.sys.tables where name = '##PrintSQLResultsTempTable') drop table ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable

set @query = REPLACE(@query, 'from', ' into ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable from');
--print @query
exec(@query);
select ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY (select Null)) AS ID12345XYZ, * into #PrintSQLResultsTempTable 
from ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable
drop table ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable

select name
into #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
from tempdb.sys.columns where object_id =
object_id('tempdb..#PrintSQLResultsTempTable');

select @cols =
stuff((
    (select ' + space(1) + LEFT(CAST([' + name + '] as nvarchar('+CAST(@padding as nvarchar(4))+')) + space('+ CAST(@padding as nvarchar(4)) +'), '+CAST(@padding as nvarchar(4))+') ' as [text()]
    FROM #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
    where name != 'ID12345XYZ'
    FOR XML PATH(''), root('str'), type ).value('/str[1]','nvarchar(max)'))
,1,0,'''''');

select @displayCols =
stuff((
    (select space(1) + LEFT(name + space(@padding), @padding) as [text()]
    FROM #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
    where name != 'ID12345XYZ'
    FOR XML PATH(''), root('str'), type ).value('/str[1]','nvarchar(max)'))
,1,0,'');

DECLARE 
    @tableCount int = (select count(*) from #PrintSQLResultsTempTable);
DECLARE 
    @i int = 1, 
    @ii int = case when @tableCount < @numberToDisplay then @tableCount else @numberToDisplay end;

print @displayCols -- header
While @i <= @ii
BEGIN
    set @sql = N'select @printableResults = ' + @cols + ' + @NewLineChar   from #PrintSQLResultsTempTable where ID12345XYZ = ' + CAST(@i as varchar(3)) + ' '
    --print @sql
    execute sp_executesql @sql, N'@NewLineChar char(2), @printableResults nvarchar(max) output', @NewLineChar = @NewLineChar, @printableResults = @printableResults output
    print @printableResults
    SET @i += 1;
END

This worked for me on SQL Server 2014

ALTER procedure [dbo].[PrintSQLResults] 
    @query nvarchar(MAX),
    @numberToDisplay int = 10,
    @padding int = 20
as

SET NOCOUNT ON;
SET ANSI_WARNINGS ON;

declare @cols nvarchar(MAX), 
        @displayCols nvarchar(MAX), 
        @sql nvarchar(MAX), 
        @printableResults nvarchar(MAX),
        @NewLineChar AS char(2) = char(13) + char(10),
        @Tab AS char(9) = char(9);

if exists (select * from tempdb.sys.tables where name = '##PrintSQLResultsTempTable') drop table ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable

set @query = REPLACE(@query, 'from', ' into ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable from');
--print @query
exec(@query);
select ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY (select Null)) AS ID12345XYZ, * into #PrintSQLResultsTempTable 
from ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable
drop table ##PrintSQLResultsTempTable

select name
into #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
from tempdb.sys.columns where object_id =
object_id('tempdb..#PrintSQLResultsTempTable');

select @cols =
stuff((
    (select ' , space(1) + LEFT(CAST([' + name + '] as nvarchar('+CAST(@padding as nvarchar(4))+')) + space('+ CAST(@padding as nvarchar(4)) +'), '+CAST(@padding as nvarchar(4))+') ' as [text()]
    FROM #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
    where name != 'ID12345XYZ'
    FOR XML PATH(''), root('str'), type ).value('/str[1]','nvarchar(max)'))
,1,0,'''''');

select @displayCols =
stuff((
    (select space(1) + LEFT(name + space(@padding), @padding) as [text()]
    FROM #PrintSQLResultsTempTableColumns
    where name != 'ID12345XYZ'
    FOR XML PATH(''), root('str'), type ).value('/str[1]','nvarchar(max)'))
,1,0,'');

DECLARE 
    @tableCount int = (select count(*) from #PrintSQLResultsTempTable);
DECLARE 
    @i int = 1, 
    @ii int = case when @tableCount < @numberToDisplay then @tableCount else @numberToDisplay end;

print @displayCols -- header
While @i <= @ii
BEGIN
    set @sql = N'select @printableResults = concat(@printableResults, ' + @cols + ', @NewLineChar) from #PrintSQLResultsTempTable where ID12345XYZ = ' + CAST(@i as varchar(3))
    --print @sql
    execute sp_executesql @sql, N'@NewLineChar char(2), @printableResults nvarchar(max) output', @NewLineChar = @NewLineChar, @printableResults = @printableResults output
    print @printableResults
    SET @printableResults = null;
    SET @i += 1;
END

Example:

exec [dbo].[PrintSQLResults] n'select * from MyTable'

Answer 4

Add

PRINT 'Hardcoded table name -' + CAST(@@RowCount as varchar(10))

immediately after the query.

Answer 5

If you wish (like me) to have results containing mulitple rows of various SELECT queries "labelled" and can't manage this within the constraints of the PRINT statement in concert with the Messages tab you could turn it around and simply add messages to the Results tab per the below:

SELECT 'Results from scenario 1'
SELECT
    *
FROM tblSample

Answer 6

You can also use the undocumented sp_MSforeachtable stored procedure as such if you are looking to do this for every table:

sp_MSforeachtable @command1 ="PRINT 'TABLE NAME: ' + '?' DECLARE @RowCount INT SET @RowCount = (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM ?) PRINT @RowCount"