How to get SQL query result column name as first row - sql

Question

I have a dynamic SQL query that gets me result sets after execution. However, the UI model that I am rendering results back from SQL server engine doesn't provide a way to render query column names.
Due to the dynamic nature of the query, I can't hard code the column names at design time. So my question is how do I get column names along with the data set returned by the query?
This Query:
DECLARE #SQLSTATMENT nvarchar(1000)
SELECT #SQLSTATEMENT = '
SELECT
convert(date, DATEADDED) DATEADDED
,COUNT(1) as NUMBEROFRECORDS
FROM
dbo.CONSTITUENT
GROUP BY
convert(date, DATEADDED)
ORDER BY
convert(date, DATEADDED) DESC
'
Exec (#SQLSTATEMENT);
Gives me this table (Original Image):
+ ---------- + --------------- +
| DATEADDED | NUMBEROFRECORDS |
+ ---------- + --------------- +
| 2017-03-14 | 1 |
| 2017-03-10 | 1 |
| 2016-07-07 | 5 |
| 2016-06-29 | 3 |
| 2016-06-15 | 1 |
| 2014-11-11 | 465 |
| 2005-06-09 | 11 |
| 2005-04-13 | 1 |
| 2005-02-28 | 2 |
+ ---------- + --------------- +
But I want this (Original Image):
+ ---------- + --------------- +
| DATEADDED | NUMBEROFRECORDS |
+ ---------- + --------------- +
| DATEADDED | NUMBEROFRECORDS |
| 2017-03-14 | 1 |
| 2017-03-10 | 1 |
| 2016-07-07 | 5 |
| 2016-06-29 | 3 |
| 2016-06-15 | 1 |
| 2014-11-11 | 465 |
| 2005-06-09 | 11 |
| 2005-04-13 | 1 |
| 2005-02-28 | 2 |
+ ---------- + --------------- +
Thanks

Answer 1

It's doable, but not very pretty. A Stored Procedure where you pass the dynamic SQL would be much cleaner
We're essentially doing Dynamic SQL within Dynamic SQL
One caveat: I reserved the field RN
Example (Using my FRED Series Data)
-- This is Your Base/Initial Query, or the only portion you need to supply
Declare #SQL varchar(max) = 'Select Updated as Updated,Count(*) as NumberOfRecords From [dbo].[FRED-Series] Group By Updated'
Select #SQL = '
;with cte0 as ('+#SQL+')
, cte1 as (Select *,RN = Row_Number() over (Order By (Select null)) From cte0 )
, cte2 as (
Select A.RN,C.*
From cte1 A
Cross Apply (Select XMLData=cast((Select A.* for XML Raw) as xml)) B
Cross Apply (
Select Item = attr.value(''local-name(.)'',''varchar(100)'')
,Value = attr.value(''.'',''varchar(max)'')
,ColNr = Row_Number() over (Order By (Select Null))
From B.XMLData.nodes(''/row'') as A(r)
Cross Apply A.r.nodes(''./#*'') AS B(attr)
Where attr.value(''local-name(.)'',''varchar(100)'') not in (''RN'')
) C
)
Select Distinct RN=0,Item,Value=Item,ColNr Into #Temp From cte2 Union All Select * from cte2
Declare #SQL varchar(max) = Stuff((Select '','' + QuoteName(Item) From #Temp Where RN=0 Order by ColNr For XML Path('''')),1,1,'''')
Select #SQL = ''Select '' + #SQL + '' From (Select RN,Item,Value From #Temp ) A Pivot (max(Value) For [Item] in ('' + #SQL + '') ) p''
Exec(#SQL);
'
Exec(#SQL)
Returns
Updated NumberOfRecords
Updated NumberOfRecords
2017-03-22 597
2017-03-23 40
2017-03-20 228
2017-03-21 1404
Just some Commentary
cte0 is your primary query
cte1 will take the results of your initial query and add a Row Number
cte2 will dynamically unpivot your data
The results of cte2 are dropped into a #temp table for convenience (assuming this is allowed)
Then we perform a dynamic pivot

Answer 2

Union a static query with the column names. You have to cast the results of the second query to varchar or nvarchar so they are the same data type as your column names.
DECLARE #SQLSTATMENT nvarchar(1000)
SELECT #SQLSTATEMENT = '
SELECT
''DATEADDED'' AS [DATEADDED]
,''NUMBEROFRECORDS'' AS [NUMBEROFRECORDS]
SELECT
CAST(convert(date, DATEADDED) AS NVARCHAR(MAX)
,CAST(COUNT(1) AS NVARCHAR(MAX))
FROM
dbo.CONSTITUENT
GROUP BY
convert(date, DATEADDED)
ORDER BY
convert(date, DATEADDED) DESC
'
Exec (#SQLSTATEMENT);
With this said, you should be able to reference the column names via code and not have to add them to the query. This way you could keep the data types of the result set.