MS SQL Server

How-To’s

Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

 Contents
1) How to display Year as YYYY instead of YY........................................................... 3

2) How to Build a Comma Delimited String from Table values........................... 3

3) How to write values to a Text file ........................................................................... 4

4) How to add a User Defined Error Message ............................................................... 4

5) How to get the Rowcount as well as Error at the same time ...................... 5

6) How to start SQLServer in Single User Mode ........................................................ 6

7) How to start SQL Server in Minimal Configuration Mode ............................... 7

8) How to get Output parameter value from Dynamic execution of a Query8

9) How to move Database/Transaction Log files ........................................................ 8

10) How to Rename a Database ............................................................................................... 9

11) How to move Master Database ...................................................................................... 10

12) How to Rename a Server .................................................................................................. 10

13) How to detect & rectify Orphaned Users in a Database ............................. 11

14) How to use a Stored procedure as a Derived Table ...................................... 11

15) How to Generate Serial Numbers in a Query ...................................................... 12

16) How to Rename a Table .................................................................................................... 12

17) How to Rename a Table Column .................................................................................... 13

18) How to Rename a Primary Key ...................................................................................... 13

19) How to Rename a Foreign Key ...................................................................................... 13

20) How to Rename a Default................................................................................................ 14

Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

1) How to display Year as YYYY instead of YY

Enterprise Manager adopts the User's regional settings for the

date format. By default, the regional setting for the short date
format is m/d/yy. To display it in m/d/yyyy format, follow the
following steps:

On the taskbar, click the Start button, point to Settings and

then select Control Panel. In the Control Panel dialog box
double-click Regional Settings. In the Regional Settings
Properties dialog box, select the Date tab. Next, change the
value for the Short Date Style from M/d/yy to M/d/yyyy.

2) How to Build a Comma Delimited String from Table

values

Sometimes you might want to return your records in a single

comma delimited string. For example, if you have records like :-

Mango
Banana
Peach
Grapes
Strawberry

Instead of returning it as a recordset containing these 5

records, you might want to return them as 'Mango, Banana, Peach,
Grapes, Strawberry'. Here's how you can accomplish this.

-- Create a temporary table & insert dummy records

Create Table #Fruits (Fruit Varchar(25))

Insert #Fruits (Fruit) values('Mango')
Insert #Fruits (Fruit) values('Banana')
Insert #Fruits (Fruit) values('Peach')
Insert #Fruits (Fruit) values('Grapes')
Insert #Fruits (Fruit) values('Strawberry')
-- Build comma delimited string
Declare @Fruits Varchar(200)
Set @Fruits = ''
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Update #Fruits
Set @Fruits = @Fruits + Fruit + ','
Set @Fruits = Substring(@Fruits,1,len(@Fruits)-1)
-- to remove extra comma at the end
print @Fruits

3) How to write values to a Text file

To write a result of a SELECT query in a text file :-

master..xp_cmdshell 'osql -SMyServer -Umyuser -Pmypwd

-Q"select * from products" -dNorthwind -w"1000" -
oc:\MyText.txt'

To write a string (like comments, etc.) you can use this code :-

declare @cmd varchar(1000)

select @cmd = 'echo These are the Products in the
database>> "c:\MyText.txt"'
exec master..xp_cmdshell @cmd

4) How to add a User Defined Error Message

Use Master
Go

EXEC sp_addmessage @msgnum = 50001, @severity = 16,

@msgtext =
N'Failed to insert Customer Transaction into %s table',
@lang =
'us_english'

Go

You can raise this message from your code like this :-

INSERT Customers (CustomerName)

VALUES ('Rick Nelson')

IF @@Error <> 0
RAISERROR
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Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

(50001,16,1, 'Customers')

5) How to get the Rowcount as well as Error at the same

time

Normally when we run a Query, we check if the query was executed

successfully or not before commiting it.

DECLARE @CustomerId Int

SET @CustomerId = 1

Begin Transaction
Update Orders
Set OrderDate = GetDate()
Where CustomerId = @CustomerId

IF @@Error <> 0
Begin
Raiserror('Failed
to update Orders',16,1)
Rollback
Transaction
End

Commit Transaction

But what if you also want to get the number of records which
were effected by this query? If you do a @@Rowcount after your
Error checking statement then you are going to get 0 as the
value of @@Recordcount would have been reset. And if you place
@@Recordcount before the error-checking statement then your
@@Error would get reset. So what's the solution to get both of
them at the same time ? Save both the values in a local variable
and then check that local variable. Here's how it can be done.

DECLARE @Rcount Int

DECLARE @ErrNum Int

DECLARE @CustomerId Int

SET @Rcount = 0
SET @ErrNum = 0
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SET @CustomerId = 1

Begin Transaction
Update Orders
Set OrderDate = GetDate()
Where CustomerId = @CustomerId

SELECT @Rcount = @@RowCount, @ErrNum = @@Error

-- check if there was an error in Updating the records

IF @ErrNum <> 0
Begin
Raiserror('Failed
to update Orders',16,1)
Rollback
Transaction
End

-- check if some records were updated or not

IF @Rcount = 0
Begin
Raiserror('No
records for CustomerId %d',16,1, @CustomerId)
Rollback
Transaction
End

Commit Transaction

6) How to start SQLServer in Single User Mode

At times you might want to start SQL server in a single user

mode to perform some maintenance work on the server or to change
server configurations or to recover a damaged database. You can
accomplish this in any of the three ways given below :-

a) From Command Prompt :-

» sqlservr -m
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Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

b) From Startup Options :-
» Go to SQL Server Properties by right-clicking on the
Server name in the Enterprise manager.
» Under the 'General' tab, click on 'Startup Parameters'.
» Enter a value of -m in the Parameter.
c) From Registry :-
» Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\Pa
rameters.
» Add new string value.
» Specify the 'Name' as SQLArg(n) & 'Data' as -m.
Where n is the argument number in the list of arguments.
Caution: Be careful while editing the Registry. Incorrectly
setting up Registry values can cause unpredictable behavior.

7) How to start SQL Server in Minimal Configuration

Mode

Sometimes a bad configuration value can prevent SQL Server from

starting. Then it won't even let you connect to SQL Server using
Enterprise Manager and correct the configuration values. The
only option is to start SQL Server in a minimum configuration
mode and then correct the configuration values and restart the
SQL Server in normal mode. Here's how you can start the SQL
Server in a minimal configuration mode :-

a) From Command Prompt :-

» sqlservr -f
b) From Startup Options :-
» Go to SQL Server Properties by right-clicking on the
Server name in the Enterprise manager.
» Under the 'General' tab, click on 'Startup Parameters'.
» Enter a value of -f in the Parameter.
c) From Registry :-
» Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\Pa
rameters.
» Add new string value.
» Specify the 'Name' as SQLArg(n) & 'Data' as -f.
Where n is the argument number in the list of arguments.
Caution: Be careful while editing the Registry. Incorrectly
setting up Registry values can cause unpredictable behavior.
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Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

8) How to get Output parameter value from Dynamic
execution of a Query

Sometimes you have to execute a Query dynamically using

Exec(@Sql). This method works fine as long as you don't want any
output values from the @Sql query. But there's another method
(sp_Executesql) that allows you to execute queries dynamically
as well as get their output values.

The syntax :-
EXECUTE sp_executesql
@SQLString,
@ParmDefinition,
@parm=@parmIN,
@parm1OUT=@parmRET1 OUTPUT,@parm2OUT=@parmRET2 OUTPUT
Example :-
DECLARE @IntVariable INT
DECLARE @SQLString nVARCHAR(500)
DECLARE @ParmDefinition nVARCHAR(500)
DECLARE @Lastlname nVARCHAR(30)

SET @SQLString = 'SELECT @LastlnameOUT = max(lname) FROM

pubs.dbo.employee WHERE job_lvl = @level'

SET @ParmDefinition = '@level tinyint, @LastlnameOUT

varchar(30) OUTPUT'
SET @IntVariable = 35
EXECUTE sp_executesql @SQLString, @ParmDefinition, @level
= @IntVariable, @LastlnameOUT=@Lastlname OUTPUT
SELECT @Lastlname

Note: sp_Executesql is a Extended Stored Procedure.

9) How to move Database/Transaction Log files

You can move Database & Transaction log files to a different

location in 2 ways.

a) sp_detach_db & then sp_attach_db

» Make sure that no user is using the database.

Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

» Exec sp_detach_db northwind
» Move the Data & log files to a different location
» EXEC sp_attach_db 'Northwind', 'c:\mssql7\northwnd.mdf',
'c:\mssql7\northwnd.ldf'
b) BACKUP and RESTORE using WITH MOVE
» Backup :-
Backup Database Northwind To Disk = 'C:\mssql7\backup\nwind.bak'
Go
» Restore :-
USE Master
Go
RESTORE Database northwind from DISK =
'c:\mssql7\backup\nwind.bak'
WITH MOVE 'Northwind' TO 'c:\mssql7\Northwnd.mdf',
MOVE 'Northwind_log' TO 'c:\mssql7\Northwnd.ldf'
Go
c) Can be used only for moving Tempdb files.
» Use ALTER Database statement to specify a different Path
for the filename.
ALTER DATABASE Tempdb MODIFY FILE (NAME = Tempdev, FILENAME =
'c:\mssql7\tempdb.mdf')

ALTER DATABASE Tempdb MODIFY FILE (NAME = Templog, FILENAME =

'c:\mssql7\templog.ldf')

» Restart SQL Server and delete the old files.

10) How to Rename a Database

a) Using sp_rename
» Make sure that no user is using the database.
» Make the database in the single user mode. You can do this
by using sp_dboption.
sp_dboption 'Pubs', 'single user', true
» sp_rename Pubs, Library, Database
Note : For renaming the database, you can also use sp_renamedb.
sp_renamedb Pubs, Library
» Bring back the database in multiuser mode
sp_dboption 'Library', 'single user', false
b) Using Detach & Attach
sp_detach_db @dbname = N'Pubs'

Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

sp_attach_db @dbname = N'Library',
@filename1 = N'd:\programfiles\MSSQL7\data\Pubs_Data.MDF',
@filename2 = N'd:\program files\MSSQL7\data\Pubs_log.ldf'

11) How to move Master Database

Moving a Master database is different from moving a User

database.

» Right-click the SQL Server in Enterprise Manager and click

Properties on the shortcut menu.

» Click the Startup Parameters button and you see the

following entries:
-dD:\MSSQL7\data\master.mdf
-eD:\MSSQL7\log\ErrorLog
-lD:\MSSQL7\data\mastlog.ldf
-d is the fully qualified path for the master database data
file.
-e is the fully qualified path for the error log file.
-l is the fully qualified path for the master database log file.
» Remove these values and specify the new values. For
example :
-dE:\SQLDATA\master.mdf
-lE:\SQLDATA\mastlog.ldf
Note : You can specify a new path for the error log file as
well.
» Stop SQL Server.
» Copy the Master.mdf and Mastlog.ldf files to the new
location (E:\Sqldata).
» Restart SQL Server.

12) How to Rename a Server

» Rename the physical server.

» Reboot the server.

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Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

» Run the SQL Server setup program. This will change the
Registry entries. The setup will prompt you to "Upgrade" SQL
Server. Choose "yes".

» Reboot the server.

» Connect to the new server name in Query analyzer.

» Run this code: sp_dropserver <old server name>

» Run this code: sp_addserver <new server name>, local

» Add the entry for the new Server name in Enterprise

manager and delete the entry for the Old server name.

13) How to detect & rectify Orphaned Users in a

Database

Logins are associated to users by the security identifiers

(SIDs), which are stored in the Master database. When you
restore a database to a different server, the SID may be
different resulting in a mismatch between the Login-User
association. These users, without a valid login association, are
called 'Orphaned Users'.

Here's how you can Detect Orphaned Users :-

Use Northwind
Go
sp_change_users_login 'Report'
To associate a Orphaned User with a Login :-
Use Northwind
Go
sp_change_users_login 'update_one', 'username', 'loginname'

14) How to use a Stored procedure as a Derived Table

Here's a code sample which uses the recordset returned by the

execution of a stored procedure as a derived table.

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Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

SELECT a.pub_id, b.pub_name, a.title_id, a.price, a.pubdate
FROM OPENROWSET('SQLOLEDB','servername'; 'username'; 'password',
'exec Pubs.dbo.reptq1') AS a
inner join publishers b
on a.pub_id = b.pub_id

15) How to Generate Serial Numbers in a Query

create table #Fruits

(Fruit Varchar(25))
INSERT #Fruits (Fruit)
VALUES ('Mango')
INSERT #Fruits (Fruit)
VALUES ('Apple')
INSERT #Fruits (Fruit)
VALUES ('Banana')
INSERT #Fruits (Fruit)
VALUES ('Grapes')
select Sno=count(*), a1.Fruit
from #Fruits a1 INNER JOIN #Fruits a2
ON a1.Fruit >= a2.Fruit
group by a1.Fruit
order by [Sno]

16) How to Rename a Table

Renaming table 'Sales' to 'Orders'.
IF Exists (Select * from dbo.sysobjects where id =
object_id(N'[dbo].[Sales]')
and OBJECTPROPERTY(id, N'IsUserTable') = 1)
BEGIN
Exec sp_rename 'Sales', 'Orders'

IF @@Error <> 0
Raiserror('Failed to rename Table Sales to Orders',16,1)
ELSE
Print 'Table Sales Renamed to Orders'
END
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Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

ELSE
Print 'Table Sales does not exist'
GO

17) How to Rename a Table Column

Renaming column 'Qty' in 'Orders' table to 'Quantity'.
IF (SELECT COLUMNPROPERTY(
OBJECT_ID('Orders'),'Quantity','AllowsNull')) IS NULL
BEGIN
Exec sp_rename 'Orders.[Qty]', 'Quantity', 'COLUMN'

IF @@Error <> 0
Raiserror('Failed to rename column Qty to Quantity',16,1)
ELSE
Print 'Column Qty Renamed to Quantity'
END
ELSE
Print 'Column Quantity already exists'
GO

18) How to Rename a Primary Key

Renaming Primary Key 'UPKCL_sales' in 'Orders' Table to
'PK_Orders'.
IF Exists (select * from sysobjects where id =
object_id(N'[UPKCL_sales]')
and OBJECTPROPERTY(id, N'IsPrimaryKey') = 1)
BEGIN
Exec sp_rename 'UPKCL_sales', 'PK_Orders', 'OBJECT'

IF @@Error <> 0
Raiserror('Failed to rename PK UPKCL_sales to PK_Orders',16,1)
ELSE
Print 'PK UPKCL_sales Renamed to PK_Orders'
END
ELSE
Print 'PK UPKCL_sales does not exist'
GO

19) How to Rename a Foreign Key

Renaming Foreign Key 'FK__Titleauth__au_id__164452b1' in
'Titleauthor' Table to 'FK_Titleauthor_Author_auid'.
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Prepared by : Ramesh Raj

IF Exists (select * from dbo.sysobjects where id =
object_id(N'[dbo].[FK__Titleauth__au_id__164452b1]')
and OBJECTPROPERTY(id, N'IsForeignKey') = 1)
BEGIN
Exec sp_rename 'FK__Titleauth__au_id__164452b1',
'FK_Titleauthor_Author_auid', 'OBJECT'

IF @@Error <> 0
Raiserror('Failed to rename FK FK__Titleauth__au_id__164452b1 to
FK_Titleauthor_Author_auid',16,1)
ELSE
Print 'FK FK__Titleauth__au_id__164452b1 Renamed to
FK_Titleauthor_Author_auid'
END
ELSE
Print 'FK FK__Titleauth__au_id__164452b1 does not exist'
GO

20) How to Rename a Default

Renaming Default 'DF_Orders' to 'DF_Orders_Ord_Date'.
(DF_Orders does not actually exist in the database.)
IF Exists (select * from sysobjects where id =
object_id(N'[dbo].[DF_Orders]') and
OBJECTPROPERTY(id, N'IsDefaultCnst') = 1)
BEGIN
Exec sp_rename 'DF_Orders', 'DF_Orders_Ord_Date', 'OBJECT'

IF @@Error <> 0
Raiserror('Failed to rename Default DF_Orders to
DF_Orders_Ord_Date',16,1)
ELSE
Print 'Default DF_Orders Renamed to DF_Orders_Ord_Date'
END
ELSE
Print 'Default DF_Orders does not exist'
GO

Another advantage with this type of approach is that the script

first checks to see if the Object exists or not before doing any
operations on it. So that way, if necessary, you could run the
script multiple times on the same server.

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Prepared by : Ramesh Raj