Combine results of multiple queries as one result in a SQL Server stored procedure - sql

Question

I need some help with a stored procedure. It contains a loop which runs a Select query. What I get is 3 tables with result if it loops thrice. How can I combine the results as one table?
The procedure is as below:
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[spGetRndQuestions]
#ExamCode Nvarchar(60)
AS
BEGIN
Declare #NosQues Int, #Catgry nvarchar(50)
DECLARE CategCursor CURSOR FOR
(Select Category From tblExamDetail Where ExamCode = #ExamCode)
OPEN CategCursor
FETCH NEXT FROM CategCursor INTO #Catgry
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
SET #NosQues = (Select NoOfQues from tblExamDetail Where ExamCode=#ExamCode AND Category=#Catgry)
SELECT TOP(#NosQues) QM.QuestionID, QM.QuestionDesc, QM.QuestionMarks, QM.Answer1, QM.Answer2, QM.Answer3, QM.Answer4 FROM tblQuestionMaster QM
INNER JOIN tblExamMaster EM ON QM.Dept = EM.Dept AND QM.Location = EM.Location AND QM.QuesModule = EM.ExamModule
Where EM.ExamCode=#ExamCode AND QM.Category =#Catgry
Order by NEWID()
/*SELECT TOP (#NosQues) QuestionID,QuestionDesc,Answer1,Answer2,Answer3,Answer4,QuestionMarks from [dbo].[tblQuestionMaster] Where Category=#Catgry AND
Order by NEWID() */
FETCH NEXT FROM CategCursor INTO #Catgry
END
CLOSE CategCursor
DEALLOCATE CategCursor
END
Thanks, your help is truly appreciated.

Answer 1

Create the table variable in start of your SP of appropriate structure of your return table. In each iteration insert selected data to that table. After deallocating cursor select from that table.
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[spGetRndQuestions]
#ExamCode Nvarchar(60) AS
BEGIN
Declare #NosQues Int, #Catgry nvarchar(50)
DECLARE #tbl TABLE(QuestionID int, QuestionDesc ....)
DECLARE CategCursor CURSOR FOR (Select Category From tblExamDetail Where ExamCode=#ExamCode)
OPEN CategCursor
FETCH NEXT FROM CategCursor INTO #Catgry
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
SET #NosQues = (Select NoOfQues from tblExamDetail Where ExamCode=#ExamCode AND Category=#Catgry)
INSERT INTO #tbl
SELECT TOP(#NosQues) QM.QuestionID, QM.QuestionDesc, QM.QuestionMarks, QM.Answer1, QM.Answer2, QM.Answer3, QM.Answer4 FROM tblQuestionMaster QM
INNER JOIN tblExamMaster EM ON QM.Dept = EM.Dept AND QM.Location = EM.Location AND QM.QuesModule = EM.ExamModule
Where EM.ExamCode=#ExamCode AND QM.Category =#Catgry
Order by NEWID()
/*SELECT TOP (#NosQues) QuestionID,QuestionDesc,Answer1,Answer2,Answer3,Answer4,QuestionMarks from [dbo].[tblQuestionMaster] Where Category=#Catgry AND
Order by NEWID() */
FETCH NEXT FROM CategCursor INTO #Catgry
END
CLOSE CategCursor
DEALLOCATE CategCursor
SELECT * FROM #tbl
END

Answer 2

Hamlet does answer the question. However, the query you posted could be optimized to eliminate the need for the cursor or table variable. The following code should do that nicely:
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[spGetRndQuestions]
#ExamCode Nvarchar(60)
AS
SELECT
--A.[category],
B.*
FROM tblExamDetail A
CROSS APPLY (
SELECT TOP (A.[NoOfQues])
QM.QuestionID,QM.QuestionDesc,QM.QuestionMarks,
QM.Answer1,QM.Answer2,QM.Answer3,QM.Answer4
FROM tblQuestionMaster QM
INNER JOIN tblExamMaster EM
ON QM.Dept = EM.Dept
AND QM.Location = EM.Location
AND QM.QuesModule = EM.ExamModule
WHERE EM.ExamCode = A.[ExamCode]
AND QM.Category = A.[Category]
ORDER BY NEWID()
) B
WHERE A.[ExamCode] = #ExamCode