Is there a way to pull part of a SQL query from a .sql file? - sql

Question

Let me simplify with an example. Let's say I have the following query saved on:
C:\sample.sql
grp.id IN
(001 --Bob
,002 --Tom
,003 --Fay
)
Now, that group of IDs could change, but instead of updating those IDs in every query it's related to, I was hoping to just update in sample.sql and the rest of the queries will pull from that SQL file directly.
For example, I have several queries that would have a section like this:
SELECT *
FROM GROUP grp
WHERE grp.DATERANGE >= '2017-12-01 AND grp.DATERANGE <= '2017-12-31
AND -- **this is where I would need to insert that query (ie. C:\sample.sql)**
More explained update:
Issue: I have several reports/queries having the same ID filter (that's the only thing in common between those reports)
What's needed: Instead of updating those IDs every time they change on each report, I was wondering if I can update those IDs in it's own SQL file (like the example above) and have the rest of the queries pull from there.
Note. I can't create a table or database in the used database.

Answer 1

Maybe the bulk insert utility could help. Hold your data in csv files and load them into temp tables at run time. Use these temp tables to drive your query.
CREATE TABLE #CsvData(
Column1 VARCHAR(40),
Column2 VARCHAR(40)
)
GO
BULK
INSERT #CsvData
FROM 'c:\csvtest.txt'
WITH
(
FIELDTERMINATOR = ',',
ROWTERMINATOR = '\n'
)
GO
--Use #CsvData to drive your query
SELECT *
FROM #CsvData

Answer 2

maybe what you could use is a CTE (Common Table Expression) to pull your IDs using an additional query, specially if you only have read access. It would look something like this:
WITH myIDs AS (select IDs from grp where (conditions to get the IDs))
SELECT *
FROM grp
WHERE grp.DATERANGE BETWEEN '2017-12-01 AND '2017-12-31'
AND IDs in (select * from myIDs)
I've changed the dates syntax to use BETWEEN since it's more practical but only works if you have a SQL Server 2008 or later
Hope this helps!
Cheers!

Answer 3

The only chance to build a query out of text fragments is dynamic SQL:
Try this:
DECLARE #SomeCommand VARCHAR(MAX)='SELECT * FROM sys.objects';
EXEC(#SomeCommand);
Returns a list of all sys.object entries
Now I append a WHERE clause to the string
SET #SomeCommand=#SomeCommand + ' WHERE object_id IN(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)';
EXEC(#SomeCommand);
And you get a reduced result.
Another option is dynamic IN-list with a CSV paramter.
This is forbidden: DECLARE #idList VARCHAR(100)='1,2,3,4' and use it like IN (#idList).
But this works:
DECLARE #idList VARCHAR(100)='1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9';
SELECT sys.objects.*
FROM sys.objects
--use REPLACE to transform the list to <x>1</x><x>2</x>...
OUTER APPLY(SELECT CAST('<x>' + REPLACE(#idList,',','</x><x>') + '</x>' AS XML)) AS A(ListSplitted)
--Now use the XML (the former CSV) within your IN() as set-based filter
WHERE #idList IS NULL OR LEN(#idList)=0 OR object_id IN(SELECT B.v.value('.','int') FROM ListSplitted.nodes('/x') AS B(v));
With a version of SQL Server 2016+ this can be done much easier using STRING_SPLIT().
This approach allows you to pass the id-list as simple text parameter.