SQL Server passing identifiers to stored procedures/dynamic SQL - sql

Question

Background:
SQL Server Management Studio allows to define own query shortcuts (Tools > Options > Environment > Keyboard > Query Shortcuts):
Image from: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/3178.how-to-create-query-shortcuts-in-sql-server-management-studio.aspx
my_schema.my_table
-- highlight it
-- press CTRL + 3 and you will get the number of rows in table
It works ok, but it concatenates query in basic form (as far as I know only at the end). Query:
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM my_schema.my_table;
Attempt #1
Now I want to write something more specific, for example pass/concatenate table name to following query (this is just example):
SELECT * FROM sys.columns WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID(...)
So when I write in query shortcuts:
SELECT * FROM sys.columns WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID('
I have to use:
my_schema.my_table')
-- highlight it
-- press CTRL + 3
The additional ') is very ugly and inconvenient.
Attempt #2:
The second trial is to use Dynamic-SQL:
EXEC dbo.sp_executesql
N'SELECT * FROM sys.columns WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID(#obj_name)'
,N'#obj_name SYSNAME'
,
Executing:
my_table
-- highligt it
-- and run
LiveDemo
Works also when table name is quoted [my_table]. As long as object is in dbo(default) schema.
The problem is that when table has schema it won't work:
EXEC dbo.sp_executesql
N'SELECT * FROM sys.columns WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID(#obj_name)'
,N'#obj_name SYSNAME'
,
Executing:
my_schema.my_table
[my_schema].[my_table]
LiveDemo2
Incorrect syntax near '.'.
Of course I could write:
EXEC dbo.sp_executesql
N'SELECT * FROM sys.columns WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID(#obj_name)'
,N'#obj_name SYSNAME'
,'
and call it as:
[my_schema].[my_table]'
But additional ' is also ugly and inconvenient.
Questions:
Is it possible to pass value, to query shortcuts window, in the middle (positional or even more than one value)?
Is it possible to pass do stored_procedure/dynamic-sql qualified identifier without wraping it with ', "?
Remarks:
I do not search for plugins to SSMS
I do not want to wrap object_name as "my_schema.my_table"
I know there is sp_helptext (this is just example, I search for method)
First question is tool specific (I am aware of it), but second is about SQL Server.
EDIT:
To clarify passing identifier to SP without ' or ":
CREATE TABLE dbo.my_table(col INT);
GO
CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.my_proc
#a SYSNAME
AS
SELECT *
FROM sys.columns
WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID(#a)
GO
EXEC dbo.my_proc
#a = my_table;
EXEC dbo.my_proc
#a = dbo.my_table;
-- Incorrect syntax near '.'.
LiveDemo3

Answer 1

1. Is it possible to pass value, to query shortcuts window, in the middle?
To my knowledge, there is no workaround to achieve this.
1-b. Is it possible to pass more than one value?
It can be done for string values using a separator character and then splitting the value on the other side. Sadly, there isn't many special character to fulfill this job because they pretty much all raise a syntax error. However '#' could be a wise choice because it's already a special character for SQL for temp table going in tempDB. Just check if you don't already have identifier that are using it because it's permitted by SQL (tough, it's forbidden as first char).
Here is an example of this :
Create a stored procedure to receive the arguments into one single string and split the string to have each arguments.
CREATE PROCEDURE sp_PassingMultipleStringValues
#Param1 NVARCHAR(MAX)
AS
--Here I'm using a XML split, but feel free to use any string split function you already have.
DECLARE #xml AS XML,
#separator AS VARCHAR(1)
SELECT #separator ='#',
#xml = CAST('<X>'+ (REPLACE(#Param1,#separator ,'</X><X>') +'</X>') AS XML)
SELECT N.value('.', 'VARCHAR(200)') AS value
FROM #xml.nodes('X') as T(N)
--Do whatever is needed with them
Then configure your shortcut as seem on this image. (Note the space at the end)
Result :
2. Is it possible to pass to a stored_procedure/dynamic-sql qualified identifier without wraping it with ', "?
Do you have multiple schema with the same identifier?
Because if not, what about retrieve it on the other side using sys.schemas instead of passing it?
Instead of having an inconvenient character to type at the end, you would have fewer things to type.
With the retrieved schema, you can then do dynamic SQL for whatever is needed with it.
SELECT #Param1 = REPLACE(REPLACE(#Param1, '[', ''), ']', '')
SELECT TOP 1 #Param1 = [Schema].name + '.' + #Param1
FROM sys.objects AS obj
JOIN sys.schemas AS [Schema] ON obj.schema_id = [Schema].schema_id
WHERE obj.name = #Param1
SELECT *
FROM sys.columns
WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID(#Param1)
DECLARE #Query NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'SELECT TOP 1 * FROM ' + #Param1
EXEC sp_sqlexec #Query
If you do want to handle two different schema with the same identifier then it's still feasible by passing the schema and the identifier as two arguments using the method explained in answer 1-b.
Everything in one example
Since here we want to pass multiple identifiers and specify their schema, two separators are needed.
CREATE PROCEDURE sp_MultiArgsWithSchema
#Param1 NVARCHAR(MAX)
AS
SELECT #Param1 = REPLACE(REPLACE(#Param1, '[', ''), ']', '')
--Here I'm using a XML split, but feel free to use any string split function you already have.
DECLARE #xml AS XML,
#ArgSeparator AS VARCHAR(2),
#SchemaSeparor AS VARCHAR(1)
SELECT #ArgSeparator = '##',
#SchemaSeparor = '#',
#xml = CAST('<X>'+ (REPLACE(#Param1,#ArgSeparator, '</X><X>') +'</X>') AS XML)
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#QualifiedIdentifiers') IS NOT NULL
DROP TABLE #QualifiedIdentifiers;
--While splitting, we are putting back the dot instead of '#' between schema and name of object
SELECT QualifiedIdentifier = REPLACE(N.value('.', 'VARCHAR(200)'), #SchemaSeparor, '.')
INTO #QualifiedIdentifiers
FROM #xml.nodes('X') as T(N)
SELECT * FROM #QualifiedIdentifiers
--From here, use what is inside #QualifiedIdentifiers and Dynamic SQL if need to achieve what is needed
DECLARE #QualifiedIdentifier NVARCHAR(500)
WHILE EXISTS(SELECT TOP 1 1 FROM #QualifiedIdentifiers)
BEGIN
SELECT TOP 1 #QualifiedIdentifier = QualifiedIdentifier
FROM #QualifiedIdentifiers
SELECT *
FROM sys.columns
WHERE [object_id] = OBJECT_ID(#QualifiedIdentifier)
DELETE TOP (1)
FROM #QualifiedIdentifiers
WHERE QualifiedIdentifier = #QualifiedIdentifier
END
Usage (note that specifying the schema isn't mandatory) :
So, since it is inconvenient to have to double the splitting character, it would be best if schema could be guessed like stated above.

Answer 2

Here is a long shot to pass multi-part identifier without wrapping it with quotes.
Solution:
The query shortcuts is going to create a synonym in the database with a specific name and a DDLTrigger to intercept this specific synonym creation.
Setup up the following shortcut in Query ShortCuts. (Make sure you include last space)
DECLARE #CreateTriggerSQL NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'CREATE TRIGGER DDLTrigger_QueryShortcutX ON DATABASE FOR CREATE_SYNONYM AS BEGIN DECLARE #EventData XML = EVENTDATA(), #SynonymName NVARCHAR(255), #DbName NVARCHAR(255), #SchemaName NVARCHAR(255), #ObjectName NVARCHAR(255), #Alias NVARCHAR(255) SELECT #SynonymName = #EventData.value(''(/EVENT_INSTANCE/ObjectName)[1]'', ''NVARCHAR(255)'') IF(#SynonymName = ''QueryShortcutX'') BEGIN DROP SYNONYM QueryShortcutX DROP TRIGGER DDLTrigger_QueryShortcutX ON DATABASE SELECT #DbName = #EventData.value(''(/EVENT_INSTANCE/DatabaseName)[1]'', ''NVARCHAR(255)''), #SchemaName = #EventData.value(''(/EVENT_INSTANCE/TargetSchemaName)[1]'', ''NVARCHAR(255)''), #ObjectName = #EventData.value(''(/EVENT_INSTANCE/TargetObjectName)[1]'', ''NVARCHAR(255)''), #Alias = (CASE WHEN LEN(#SchemaName) > 0 THEN #SchemaName + ''.'' ELSE '''' END) + #ObjectName /*EXEC yourStoredProcHere #Param = #Alias*/ SELECT DbName = #DbName, SchemaName = #SchemaName, ObjectName = #ObjectName, Alias = #Alias, ObjectId = OBJECT_ID(#Alias) END END' EXEC sp_executeSQL #CreateTriggerSQL CREATE SYNONYM QueryShortcutX FOR
As #Vladimir suggested, here we use "sp_executesql" to be able to create the trigger and the synonym at the same time.
Here is the code of the trigger without being inlined.
CREATE TRIGGER DDLTrigger_QueryShortcutX ON DATABASE FOR CREATE_SYNONYM
AS
BEGIN
DECLARE #EventData XML = EVENTDATA(),
#SynonymName NVARCHAR(255),
#DbName NVARCHAR(255),
#SchemaName NVARCHAR(255),
#ObjectName NVARCHAR(255),
#Alias NVARCHAR(255)
SELECT #SynonymName = #EventData.value('(/EVENT_INSTANCE/ObjectName)[1]', 'NVARCHAR(255)')
--Safety in case someone else really create a synonym meanwhile.
IF(#SynonymName = 'QueryShortcutX')
BEGIN
--2. Clean up what we created
DROP SYNONYM QueryShortcutX
DROP TRIGGER DDLTrigger_QueryShortcutX ON DATABASE
--3. Parsing identifier code here
SELECT #DbName = #EventData.value('(/EVENT_INSTANCE/DatabaseName)[1]', 'NVARCHAR(255)'),
#SchemaName = #EventData.value('(/EVENT_INSTANCE/TargetSchemaName)[1]', 'NVARCHAR(255)'),
#ObjectName = #EventData.value('(/EVENT_INSTANCE/TargetObjectName)[1]', 'NVARCHAR(255)'),
#Alias = (CASE WHEN LEN(#SchemaName) > 0 THEN #SchemaName + '.' ELSE '' END) + #ObjectName
--4. Here, write any print/select statement you want.
--For maintenance, it would be easier to just call a stored procedure from here with parameter and put the desired print/select there.
--Thus avoiding to redo inlining the whole trigger each time.
--EXEC yourStoredProcHere #Param = #Alias
SELECT DbName = #DbName,
SchemaName = #SchemaName,
ObjectName = #ObjectName,
Alias = #Alias,
ObjectId = OBJECT_ID(#Alias)
END
END
Here is the code of the shortcut without being inlined.
DECLARE #CreateTriggerSQL NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'Trigger creation code here...'
IF EXISTS(SELECT TOP 1 1 FROM sys.triggers WHERE name = 'DDLTrigger_QueryShortcutX')
BEGIN
DROP TRIGGER DDLTrigger_QueryShortcutX ON DATABASE
END
EXEC sp_executeSQL #CreateTriggerSQL
IF EXISTS(SELECT TOP 1 1 FROM sys.synonyms WHERE name = 'QueryShortcutX')
BEGIN
DROP SYNONYM QueryShortcutX
END
CREATE SYNONYM QueryShortcutX FOR
The trigger drop itself and the synonym to avoid schema pollution.
The trigger parse the information to retrieve identifier.
Use the identifier for your needs. (use dynamic SQL if needed)
Results for each test item
1.RealColumnName
2.WhatEverText
3.dbo.tests
4.[No selection]
5.dbo.tests.very.much
DbName SchemaName ObjectName Alias ObjectId
1.TEST RealColumnName RealColumnName NULL --FN OBJECT_ID doesn't return value with only column name
2.TEST WhatEverText WhatEverText NULL
3.TEST dbo tests dbo.tests 245575913
4.Incorrect syntax near 'FOR'.
5.TEST very much very.much NULL
The parsing I've made doesn't handle identifier with more than two multipart properly. If you want to improve it. The following XML show you which tag to use.
<TargetServerName>dbo</TargetServerName>
<TargetDatabaseName>tests</TargetDatabaseName>
<TargetSchemaName>very</TargetSchemaName>
<TargetObjectName>much</TargetObjectName>
Note:
If you prefer, you can let the trigger stay permanently within the database.
Also, if you want to pass multiple identifiers, string parsing like I do in my other answer is still a possibility here.
To use this solution, user will have to have "create synonym permission" and either own the schema or have "ALTER SCHEMA permission".