SQL Loop through tables and columns to find which columns are NOT empty - sql

Question

I created a temp table #test containing 3 fields: ColumnName, TableName, and Id.
I would like to see which rows in the #test table (columns in their respective tables) are not empty? I.e., for every column name that i have in the ColumnName field, and for the corresponding table found in the TableName field, i would like to see whether the column is empty or not. Tried some things (see below) but didn't get anywhere. Help, please.
declare #LoopCounter INT = 1, #maxloopcounter int, #test varchar(100),
#test2 varchar(100), #check int
set #maxloopcounter = (select count(TableName) from #test)
while #LoopCounter <= #maxloopcounter
begin
DECLARE #PropIDs TABLE (tablename varchar(max), id int )
Insert into #PropIDs (tablename, id)
SELECT [tableName], id FROM #test
where id = #LoopCounter
set #test2 = (select columnname from #test where id = #LoopCounter)
declare #sss varchar(max)
set #sss = (select tablename from #PropIDs where id = #LoopCounter)
set #check = (select count(#test2)
from (select tablename
from #PropIDs
where id = #LoopCounter) A
)
print #test2
print #sss
print #check
set #LoopCounter = #LoopCounter + 1
end

Answer 1

In order to use variables as column names and table names in your #Check= query, you will need to use Dynamic SQL.

Answer 2

There is most likely a better way to do this but I cant think of one off hand. Here is what I would do.
Use the select and declare a cursor rather than a while loop as you have it. That way you dont have to count on sequential id's. The cursor would fetch fields columnname, id and tablename
In the loop build a dynamic sql statement
Set #Sql = 'Select Count(*) Cnt Into #Temp2 From ' + TableName + ' Where ' + #columnname + ' Is not null And ' + #columnname <> '''''
Exec(#Sql)
Then check #Temp2 for a value greater than 0 and if this is what you desire you can use the #id that was fetched to update your #Temp table. Putting the result into a scalar variable rather than a temp table would be preferred but cant remember the best way to do that and using a temp table allows you to use an update join so it would well in my opinion.
https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/1599/sql-server-cursor-example/
http://www.sommarskog.se/dynamic_sql.html

Answer 3

Found a way to extract all non-empty tables from the schema, then just joined with the initial temp table that I had created.
select A.tablename, B.[row_count]
from (select * from #test) A
left join
(SELECT r.table_name, r.row_count, r.[object_id]
FROM sys.tables t
INNER JOIN (
SELECT OBJECT_NAME(s.[object_id]) table_name, SUM(s.row_count) row_count, s.[object_id]
FROM sys.dm_db_partition_stats s
WHERE s.index_id in (0,1)
GROUP BY s.[object_id]
) r on t.[object_id] = r.[object_id]
WHERE r.row_count > 0 ) B
on A.[TableName] = B.[table_name]
WHERE ROW_COUNT > 0
order by b.row_count desc

Answer 4

How about this one - bitmask computed column checks for NULLability. Value in the bitmask tells you if a column is NULL or not. Counting base 2.
CREATE TABLE FindNullComputedMask
(ID int
,val int
,valstr varchar(3)
,NotEmpty as
CASE WHEN ID IS NULL THEN 0 ELSE 1 END
|
CASE WHEN val IS NULL THEN 0 ELSE 2 END
|
CASE WHEN valstr IS NULL THEN 0 ELSE 4 END
)
INSERT FindNullComputedMask
SELECT 1,1,NULL
INSERT FindNullComputedMask
SELECT NULL,2,NULL
INSERT FindNullComputedMask
SELECT 2,NULL, NULL
INSERT FindNullComputedMask
SELECT 3,3,3
SELECT *
FROM FindNullComputedMask