Is there a way to Replace(*) in sql? - sql

Question

So simply I'm doing something similar to:
select
[BadData], [WorseDate], [IQuitData]
into
#BadDataTempTable
from
SomeoneElsesMess
what I want to do now is something similar to:
Select
Replace(#BadDataTempTable.*, ',', ' ')
from
#BadDataTempTable -- Replace all commas in every column `with a space--`
Is this possible? If so please show me the easiest (non-function) way to do so.
Thanks. SQL Server 2012 I think. I'm using SSMS 17

Answer 1

No, the columns have to be specified. You could use dynamic SQL to build your update / query. Then just copy the command you want from the results.
Maybe this will help get you started:
BEGIN
-- Set the replace value
DECLARE #ls_replaceValue NVARCHAR(MAX) = ',';
-- Set the with value
DECLARE #ls_withValue NVARCHAR(MAX) = ' ';
-- Set the table name we want to query
DECLARE #ls_table NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'some_table';
-- Get all of the columns and provide the replace parameters
DECLARE #ls_columns NVARCHAR(MAX) = '';
SELECT #ls_columns = #ls_columns + ', ' + name + ' = REPLACE(' + name + ', ' + '' + '''' + REPLACE(#ls_replaceValue, '''', '''''''') + '''' + ', ' + '''' + REPLACE(#ls_withValue, '''', '''''''') + '''' + ')'
FROM sys.all_columns
WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(#ls_table)
AND collation_name IS NOT NULL; -- Skip columns that aren't character based
-- Remove the first ', ' from the column list
SET #ls_columns = SUBSTRING(#ls_columns, 3, LEN(#ls_columns));
IF #ls_columns = ''
BEGIN
PRINT 'Table not found'
RETURN
END
-- Build a query
DECLARE #ls_query_sql NVARCHAR(MAX) = '';
SET #ls_query_sql = 'SELECT ' + #ls_columns + ' FROM ' + #ls_table;
-- Show the results
SELECT #ls_query_sql AS querySQL;
END

Answer 2

Just since the OP asked about how you might do this in dynamic SQL, here's how I'd approach it. Basically get the table schema information and concatenate all the columns, plus the REPLACE logic you want using FOR XML. This basically constructs the statement Rigerta posted, but does it dynamically.
use tempdb
go
if object_id('tempdb.dbo.#SomeoneElsesBadData') is not null drop table #SomeoneElsesBadData
create table #SomeoneElsesBadData
(
BadData varchar(250),
WorseData varchar(250),
IQuitData varchar(250)
)
declare #sql nvarchar(max)
select #sql = 'select '
+ stuff((select ', '
+ name
+ ' = replace(' + name + ''','', '''')'
from tempdb.sys.columns
where object_id = object_id('tempdb.dbo.#SomeoneElsesBadData')
for xml path('')), 1, 1, '')
+ ' into #BadDataTempTable
from #SomeoneElsesBadData'
exec sp_executesql #sql
All things being equal, the data should probably be cleaned before it gets into SQL, but reality is rarely fair.