SQL Iterate Over All Tables

Question

I am running the following code to extract all relevant rows from all tables that have a particular column. The outer IF is supposed to check if the column exists o

Answer 1

Use @whereand to simplify:

exec sp_MSforeachtable 
@command1='select * from ? where GCRecord is not null', 
@whereand='and exists(select 1 from sys.columns c where c.object_id = o.id 
                      and c.name = ''GCRecord'')' 

Answer 2

Please try this dynamic sql. remove comment from exec when you are ready to run

declare @t varchar(max) = ''

SELECT @t =  @t + 'SELECT * FROM ' + a.name + ' WHERE GCRecord IS NOT NULL;' + char(13)
                FROM sys.columns b join sys.objects a  on
                 b.Object_ID = a.Object_ID
                WHERE b.Name ='CreateDt'

Print  @t
--exec (@t)

Answer 3

Use Dynamic query inside begin to avoid inner pre-compilation of code, for tables do not contain column 'GCRecord'

USE WS_Live
GO

EXECUTE sp_MSforeachtable 
'
    IF EXISTS(  SELECT * 
                FROM sys.columns
                WHERE columns.Object_ID = Object_ID(''?'')
                AND Name = ''GCRecord''
             ) 
    BEGIN

          EXEC(''          
                  IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM ? WHERE GCRecord IS NOT NULL)
                 BEGIN
                         SELECT * FROM ? WHERE GCRecord IS NOT NULL
                 END
              '')
    END
'

Answer 4

You are very close. Use "EXEC"

USE WS_Live 

EXECUTE sp_MSforeachtable  
' 
    USE WS_Live 

    IF EXISTS(  SELECT *  
                FROM sys.columns 
                WHERE columns.Object_ID = Object_ID(''?'') 
                AND Name = ''GCRecord''
             ) 
    BEGIN
        EXEC(''SELECT * FROM ? WHERE GCRecord IS NOT NULL'')
    END
'