Recently we were having issues on our database server and after long efforts it was decided to change the database server. So we managed to restore the database on another server, change the connection string, etc. Everything was going as planned until we tried to access the website from a web browser.
We started getting errors about database objects not being found. Later we found out that it occured as a result of the modified schema name. Since there are hundreds of database objects (tables, views and stored procedures) in a Kentico database, it is not feasible to change all of them manually, one-by-one. Is there a practical way of doing this?
Yes, it is possible.
To change the schema of a database object you need to run the following SQL script:
ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER OldSchemaName.ObjectName
Where ObjectName can be the name of a table, a view or a stored procedure. The problem seems to be getting the list of all database objects with a given shcema name. Thankfully, there is a system table named sys.Objects that stores all database objects. The following query will generate all needed SQL scripts to complete this task:
SELECT 'ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER [' + SysSchemas.Name + '].[' + DbObjects.Name + '];'
FROM sys.Objects DbObjects
INNER JOIN sys.Schemas SysSchemas ON DbObjects.schema_id = SysSchemas.schema_id
WHERE SysSchemas.Name = 'OldSchemaName'
AND (DbObjects.Type IN ('U', 'P', 'V'))
Where type 'U' denotes user tables, 'V' denotes views and 'P' denotes stored procedures.
Running the above script will generate the SQL commands needed to transfer objects from one schema to another. Something like this:
ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER OldSchemaName.CONTENT_KBArticle;
ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER OldSchemaName.Proc_Analytics_Statistics_Delete;
ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER OldSchemaName.Proc_CMS_QueryProvider_Select;
ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER OldSchemaName.COM_ShoppingCartSKU;
ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER OldSchemaName.CMS_WebPart;
ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER OldSchemaName.Polls_PollAnswer;
Now you can run all these generated queries to complete the transfer operation.
Here's the SQL I ran, to move all tables in my database (spread across several schemas) into the "dbo" schema:
DECLARE
#currentSchemaName nvarchar(200),
#tableName nvarchar(200)
DECLARE tableCursor CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR
SELECT TABLE_SCHEMA, TABLE_NAME
FROM information_schema.tables
ORDER BY 1, 2
DECLARE #SQL nvarchar(400)
OPEN tableCursor
FETCH NEXT FROM tableCursor INTO #currentSchemaName, #tableName
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
SET #SQL = 'ALTER SCHEMA dbo TRANSFER ' + #currentSchemaName + '.' + #tableName
PRINT #SQL
EXEC (#SQL)
FETCH NEXT FROM tableCursor INTO #currentSchemaName, #tableName
END
CLOSE tableCursor
DEALLOCATE tableCursor
Phew!
You may use following script by just copy/paste for all objects
NOTE: You need to Change schema names in script !
DECLARE #OldSchema VARCHAR(200)
DECLARE #NewSchema VARCHAR(200)
DECLARE #SQL nvarchar(4000)
SET #OldSchema = 'dbo'
SET #NewSchema = 'Inf'
DECLARE tableCursor CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR
SELECT 'ALTER SCHEMA ['+ #NewSchema +'] TRANSFER [' + SysSchemas.Name + '].[' + DbObjects.Name + '];' AS Cmd
FROM sys.Objects DbObjects
INNER JOIN sys.Schemas SysSchemas ON DbObjects.schema_id = SysSchemas.schema_id
WHERE SysSchemas.Name = #OldSchema
AND (DbObjects.Type IN ('U', 'P', 'V'))
OPEN tableCursor
FETCH NEXT FROM tableCursor INTO #SQL
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
PRINT #SQL
EXEC (#SQL)
FETCH NEXT FROM tableCursor INTO #SQL
END
CLOSE tableCursor
DEALLOCATE tableCursor
PRINT '*** Finished ***'
Thanks for the tip.. Here is my update to same, where I added a crlf to output as well as put brackets around the SchemaName and ObjectName, because some of the objects had a '-' in the name and the brackets solved that naming error.
SELECT 'ALTER SCHEMA NewSchemaName TRANSFER [' + SysSchemas.Name + '].[' + DbObjects.Name + '];'
+ CHAR(13)+ CHAR(10)+ 'GO '+ CHAR(13)+ CHAR(10)
FROM sys.Objects DbObjects
INNER JOIN sys.Schemas SysSchemas ON DbObjects.schema_id = SysSchemas.schema_id
WHERE SysSchemas.Name = 'OldSchemaName'
AND (DbObjects.Type IN ('U', 'P', 'V'))
Using SQL Server 2008, I've created a database where every table has a datetime column called "CreatedDt". What I'd like to do is create a trigger for each table so that when a value is inserted, the CreatedDt column is populated with the current date and time.
If you'll pardon my pseudocode, what I'm after is the T-SQL equivalent of:
foreach (Table in MyDatabase)
{
create trigger CreatedDtTrigger
{
on insert createddt = datetime.now;
}
}
If anyone would care to help out, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
As #EricZ says, the best thing to do is bind a default for the column. Here's how you'd add it to every table using a cursor and dynamic SQL:
Sure, You can do it with a cursor:
declare #table sysname, #cmd nvarchar(max)
declare c cursor for
select name from sys.tables where is_ms_shipped = 0 order by name
open c; fetch next from c into #table
while ##fetch_status = 0
begin
set #cmd = 'ALTER TABLE ' + #table + ' ADD CONSTRAINT DF_' + #table + '_CreateDt DEFAULT GETDATE() FOR CreateDt'
exec sp_executesql #cmd
fetch next from c into #table
end
close c; deallocate c
No need to go for Cursors. Just copy the result of below Query and Execute.
select distinct 'ALTER TABLE '+ t.name +
' ADD CONSTRAINT DF_'+t.name+'_crdt DEFAULT getdate() FOR '+ c.name
from sys.tables t
inner join sys.columns c on t.object_id=c.object_id
where c.name like '%your column name%'
Here's another method:
DECLARE #SQL nvarchar(max);
SELECT #SQL = Coalesce(#SQL + '
', '')
+ 'ALTER TABLE ' + QuoteName(T.TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QuoteName(T.TABLE_NAME)
+ ' ADD CONSTRAINT ' + QuoteName('DF_'
+ CASE WHEN T.TABLE_SCHEMA <> 'dbo' THEN T.Table_Schema + '_' ELSE '' END
+ C.COLUMN_NAME) + ' DEFAULT (GetDate()) FOR ' + QuoteName(C.COLUMN_NAME)
+ ';'
FROM
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES T
INNER JOIN INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS C
ON T.TABLE_SCHEMA = C.TABLE_SCHEMA
AND T.TABLE_NAME = C.TABLE_NAME
WHERE
C.COLUMN_NAME = 'CreatedDt'
;
EXEC (#SQL);
This yields, and runs, a series of statements similar to the following:
ALTER TABLE [schema].[TableName] -- (line break added)
ADD CONSTRAINT [DF_schema_TableName] DEFAULT (GetDate()) FOR [ColumnName];
Some notes:
This uses the INFORMATION_SCHEMA views. It is best practice to use these where possible instead of the system tables because they are guaranteed to not change between versions of SQL Server (and moreover are supported on many DBMSes, so all things being equal it's best to use standards-compliant/portable code).
In a database with a case-sensitive default collation, one MUST use upper case for the INFORMATION_SCHEMA view names and column names.
When creating script it's important to pay attention to schema names and proper escaping (using QuoteName). Not doing so will break in someone's system some day.
I think it is best practice to put the DEFAULT expression inside parentheses. While no error is received without it in this case, with it, if the function GetDate() is parameterized and/or ever changed to a more complex expression, nothing will break.
If you decide that column defaults are not going to work for you, then the triggers you imagined are still possible. But it will take some serious work to manage whether the trigger already exists and alter or create it appropriately, JOIN to the inserted meta-table inside the trigger, and do it based on the full list of primary key columns for the table (if they exist, and if they don't, then you're out of luck). It is quite possible, but extremely difficult--you could end up with nested, nested, nested dynamic SQL. I have such automated object-creating script that contains 13 quote marks in a row...
The integration software that my client is using is pulling over ISAM files from a RMS system and creating lots of tables that all have identical schemas, but nonetheless the software they use doesn't support merging them together.
Here's some example table names:
SOME_TABLE_XYZ_2012OCT
SOME_TABLE_ABC_2012OCT
SOME_TABLE_LMN_2012OCT
SOME_TABLE_XYZ_2012NOV
SOME_TABLE_ABC_2012NOV
SOME_TABLE_LMN_2012NOV
I need to roll these all up into a single view named SOME_TABLE, with the data union all'd together. It must be dynamic because there can be new 3 char codes and obviously, monthly new tables being created.
Ideally I'd like a SP that creates a view named SOME_TABLE, then I can query off of SOME_TABLE to do the work that I need on it (scheduled ETL into a sql server 2012 data warehouse). I know that I could just have the SP return a cursor, but creating the view gives me flexibility to make it an indexed view if I need for performance, and ease of use from other ETL tools.
I figure on querying sys.tables (or whatever it is), and working from there to build up a sql statement for a create view.
Any other bright ideas on how to approach this?
You can use this query batch to create the view. But you need to keep updating it.
declare #v nvarchar(max) =
(
select stuff((
select cast(' union all select * from ' as nvarchar(max)) + quotename(name)
from sys.tables
where name like 'SOME\_TABLE\____\_[0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9][a-Z][a-Z][a-Z]' escape '\'
for xml path('a'), type
).value('.','nvarchar(max)'),1,11,'')
);
set #v = 'CREATE VIEW SOME_TABLE AS ' + #v;
exec (#v);
This is a stored proc that takes the base table name, and creates a view for it (I wrapped the above code into a proc that takes a parameter)
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
CREATE PROCEDURE spCreateUnionedView
#BaseTableName varchar(100)
AS
BEGIN
SET NOCOUNT ON;
declare #v nvarchar(max) =
(
select stuff((
select cast(' union all select * from ' as nvarchar(max)) + quotename(name)
from sys.tables
where name like replace(#BaseTableName, '_', '\_') + '\____\_[0-9][0-9][0-9][0-9][a-Z][a-Z][a-Z]' escape '\'
for xml path('a'), type
).value('.','nvarchar(max)'),1,11,'')
);
declare #s nvarchar(max) = 'DROP VIEW ' + #BaseTableName;
exec (#s);
set #v = 'CREATE VIEW ' + #BaseTableName + ' AS ' + #v;
exec (#v);
END
GO
I have a large group of database tables originally named with a prefix of "tblXYZ123-". I still want the tables to be prefixed as this keeps the related tables grouped together but I want to rename this group of tables by replacing the prefix with a simpler, more relevant prefix like "td".
How do I rename the tables without renaming each file manually? I'm hoping for a script or something but haven't been able to find such a tool.
You can build this script using dynamic SQL and the catalog view sys.tables:
DECLARE #sql NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';
SELECT #sql += CHAR(13) + CHAR(10)
+ 'EXEC sp_rename N''' + SCHEMA_NAME([schema_id])
+ '.' + name + ''', N''' + REPLACE(name, 'tblXYZ123-', 'td')
+ ''',N''OBJECT'';'
FROM sys.tables
WHERE name LIKE 'tblXYZ123-%';
PRINT #sql;
-- EXEC sp_executesql #sql;
You could also use a cursor if you wanted, but I prefer the above - I can print and preview the script before I run it, for example:
DECLARE #t SYSNAME, #f NVARCHAR(511);
DECLARE c CURSOR LOCAL STATIC READ_ONLY FORWARD_ONLY
FOR SELECT name, SCHEMA_NAME(schema_id) + '.' + name
FROM sys.tables WHERE name LIKE 'tblXYZ123-%';
OPEN c;
FETCH NEXT FROM c INTO #t, #f;
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
SET #t = REPLACE(#t, 'tblXYZ123-', 'td');
EXEC sp_rename #f, #t, N'OBJECT';
FETCH NEXT FROM c INTO #t, #f;
END
CLOSE c;
DEALLOCATE c;
The simplest way, in my opinion, is to put the list of tables in a column in Excel. In the next column, put in the new name, presumably with a formula like ="td"&mid(A1, 11, 1000) for the new name. In the third column, put in the formula "sp_rename "&A1&" "&A2.
Copy the formulas down, then copy the third column into SQL Server Management Studio and run the code.
You would also do this using a cursor or loop in T-SQL. However, I find that generating such code in Excel -- for one time applications -- is usually the fastest way to go.
Actually, this is a 2 part question.
Is it possible to use some sort of functionality to search through every stored procedure for a string and possibly replace it, like a standard Find/Replace function?
If you have all your stored procedure code include the full database path like this [db1].[dbo].[table1] and you change the database name to [db2] is there a way for SQL Server to automatically update all the code from [db1] tables to [db2]? Or does it have to be done manually?
From the Object Explorer Details window in SSMS, open the stored procedures folder. Select all the objects (you can multi-select from this window, which is pretty much the only purpose of the Object Explorer Details window) and right click, choosing to script as DROP and CREATE. You can now do a search/replace on this, replacing all you need in one go before executing it.
Edit: I've blogged about this solution.
Late one but hopefully useful.
There is a free search tool from ApexSQL that can find and rename objects in database.
They say it has a smart rename option that will find/replace all occurrences of some object such as table, function or stored procedure.
I have to add that I haven’t used the rename functionality but I can confirm that search is working quite well.
Also I’m not affiliated with ApexSQL but I do use their tools.
To search: if you need to find database objects (e.g. tables, columns, triggers) by name - have a look at the FREE Red-Gate tool called SQL Search which does this - it searches your entire database for any kind of string(s).
It's a great must-have tool for any DBA or database developer - did I already mention it's absolutely FREE to use for any kind of use?
This tool doesn't support replacing text, however - but even just being able to find all the relevant stored procedures (or other DB objects) is very helpful indeed!
Export all SPs to file. Use your favourite text editing tool to search/replace. Update database by executing the script (as long as you do not rename procedures).
If you explicitly define the full database path, you need to manually (see above) update the stored procedures. If you do not include the database name, or use a linked server or similar, no changes are necessary.
Stored procedures cannot be updated in place without first scripting them out as ALTER PROCEDURE statements (or DROP/CREATE, but I prefer ALTER PROCEDURE..more on that in a moment). The good news is, you can script all the procedures to a single file through SSMS. The DDL statements will initially be CREATE PROCEDURE, which you'll want to replace with ALTER PROCEDURE, along with your other changes.
While you could alternatively script the procedures as DROP/CREATE, I don't like doing this for a large number of scripts because it tends to cause dependency errors.
As for part 2 of your question, you'll need to edit any database path changes manually through the script.
I found this script where you can define search for and replace by text and simply run it to get text replaced in all procedures at once. I hope this will help you in bulk.
-- set "Result to Text" mode by pressing Ctrl+T
SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE #sqlToRun VARCHAR(1000), #searchFor VARCHAR(100), #replaceWith VARCHAR(100)
-- text to search for
SET #searchFor = '[MY-SERVER]'
-- text to replace with
SET #replaceWith = '[MY-SERVER2]'
-- this will hold stored procedures text
DECLARE #temp TABLE (spText VARCHAR(MAX))
DECLARE curHelp CURSOR FAST_FORWARD
FOR
-- get text of all stored procedures that contain search string
-- I am using custom escape character here since i need to espape [ and ] in search string
SELECT DISTINCT 'sp_helptext '''+OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(id)+'.'+OBJECT_NAME(id)+''' '
FROM syscomments WHERE TEXT LIKE '%' + REPLACE(REPLACE(#searchFor,']','\]'),'[','\[') + '%' ESCAPE '\'
ORDER BY 'sp_helptext '''+OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(id)+'.'+OBJECT_NAME(id)+''' '
OPEN curHelp
FETCH next FROM curHelp INTO #sqlToRun
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
--insert stored procedure text into a temporary table
INSERT INTO #temp
EXEC (#sqlToRun)
-- add GO after each stored procedure
INSERT INTO #temp
VALUES ('GO')
FETCH next FROM curHelp INTO #sqlToRun
END
CLOSE curHelp
DEALLOCATE curHelp
-- find and replace search string in stored procedures
-- also replace CREATE PROCEDURE with ALTER PROCEDURE
UPDATE #temp
SET spText = REPLACE(REPLACE(spText,'CREATE PROCEDURE', 'ALTER PROCEDURE'),#searchFor,#replaceWith)
SELECT spText FROM #temp
-- now copy and paste result into new window
-- then make sure everything looks good and run
GO
Here is the reference link :
http://www.ideosity.com/ourblog/post/ideosphere-blog/2013/06/14/how-to-find-and-replace-text-in-all-stored-procedures
You can search the text of the stored procedure definitions using this
SELECT
Name
FROM
sys.procedures
WHERE
OBJECT_DEFINITION(OBJECT_ID) LIKE '%YourSearchText%'
Replacing is generally a bad idea, since you don't know the context of the text you'll find in the stored procedures. It probably is possible though via Powershell scripting.
I prefer this solution to any others, since I'm comfortable writing queries- so finding text in all stored procs, that are in schema (x) and database (y) and names that start with (z) is quite an easy and intuitive query.
Here's one I wrote today to help with a server upgrade project.
Searches all stored procs and views in all user databases on a server, and automatically replaces the search string with another. Ideal for changing hard-coded linked server names and the like:
set nocount on
if OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#dbs') is not null
drop table #dbs
if OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#objects') is not null
drop table #objects
declare #find as nvarchar(128) = 'Monkey'
declare #replace as nvarchar(128) = 'Chimp'
declare #SQL as nvarchar(max)
declare #current_db as sysname
declare #current_schema as sysname
declare #current_object as sysname
declare #current_type as char(2)
declare #current_ansi as bit
declare #current_quot as bit
declare #fullname as sysname
declare #preamble as nvarchar(128)
create table #objects
(
dbname sysname,
schemaname sysname,
objname sysname,
objtype char(2),
ansinulls bit,
quotedidentifier bit
)
create unique clustered index i on #objects (dbname, schemaname, objname)
select [name] into #dbs
from master.sys.databases
where [name] not in ('master','tempdb','model','msdb','ReportServer','ReportServerTempDB', 'SSISDB')
declare db_cursor cursor for select [name] from #dbs order by [name]
open db_cursor
fetch next from db_cursor into #current_db
while ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
begin
set #SQL = 'insert into #objects select ''' + #current_db + ''', s.[name], o.[name], o.[type], m.uses_ansi_nulls, m.uses_quoted_identifier from ' + #current_db + '.sys.sql_modules as m '
+ 'join ' + #current_db + '.sys.objects AS o ON m.object_id = o.object_id '
+ 'join ' + #current_db + '.sys.schemas AS s ON o.schema_id = s.schema_id '
+ 'where m.definition like ''%' + #find + '%'' and type in (''P'', ''V'') and is_ms_shipped = 0 order by s.[name], o.[name]'
exec sp_executeSQL #SQL
fetch next from db_cursor into #current_db
end
close db_cursor
deallocate db_cursor
declare obj_cursor cursor for select dbname, schemaname, objname, objtype, ansinulls, quotedidentifier from #objects order by dbname, objname
open obj_cursor
fetch next from obj_cursor into #current_db, #current_schema, #current_object, #current_type, #current_ansi, #current_quot
while ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
begin
set #fullname = #current_db + '.' + #current_schema + '.' + #current_object
set #preamble = CASE WHEN #current_ansi = 1 THEN 'SET ANSI_NULLS ON' ELSE 'SET ANSI_NULLS OFF' END + '; '
+ CASE WHEN #current_quot = 1 THEN 'SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON' ELSE 'SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER OFF' END + '; '
print 'Altering ' + #fullname
if #current_type = 'P'
begin
set #SQL = 'use ' + #current_db + '; ' + #preamble + 'declare #newproc nvarchar(max);'
+ 'set #newproc = REPLACE(REPLACE(OBJECT_DEFINITION(OBJECT_ID(''' + #fullname + ''')), ''' + #find + ''', ''' + #replace + '''), ''CREATE PROCEDURE'', ''ALTER PROCEDURE''); '
+ 'exec sp_executeSQL #newproc'
exec sp_executeSQL #SQL
end
if #current_type = 'V'
begin
set #SQL = 'use ' + #current_db + '; ' + #preamble + 'declare #newproc nvarchar(max);'
+ 'set #newproc = REPLACE(REPLACE(OBJECT_DEFINITION(OBJECT_ID(''' + #fullname + ''')), ''' + #find + ''', ''' + #replace + '''), ''CREATE VIEW'', ''ALTER VIEW''); '
+ 'exec sp_executeSQL #newproc'
exec sp_executeSQL #SQL
end
fetch next from obj_cursor into #current_db, #current_schema, #current_object, #current_type, #current_ansi, #current_quot
end
close obj_cursor
deallocate obj_cursor
It also handles idiosyncratic ANSI_NULL and QUOTED_IDENTIFIER settings, and can be extended to handle the various types of function.
Be careful though! With great power comes great responsibility...
Update
I just realized the link in David's answer included the search function. again, it's a great answer.
David Atkinson's answer is great, just want to add the search part. (not sure when the search was added in SSMS, my version is SSMS V17.9.1)
Instead of selecting stored procedures one by one, I can do a search.
The search takes a wildcard, similar to 'like' in TSQL
There's no way to do this with built-in functionality. While it doesn't help you today, I'd suggest changing all of your references to synonyms while you're in there. That way, when this happens again in the future (and it will happen again), all of your external references are in one place and easily updated. Incidentally, I have a blog post on the latter.
I just run this code to find a specific text in all stored procedures:
SELECT DISTINCT
o.name AS Object_Name,
o.type_desc
FROM sys.sql_modules m
INNER JOIN
sys.objects o
ON m.object_id = o.object_id
WHERE m.definition Like '%textToFind%'
or m.definition Like '%\[ifTextIsAColNameWithBrackets\]%' ESCAPE '\';
If you have downtime available.
Go into "Generate scripts" and generate 'create' scripts for all of your sprocs you want to edit.
Replace the text in the script and just drop and re-create all of them.
Hmm, dropping and rebuilding all procedures worked, unfortunately it crashed the SQL server upon which the SCADA for a rather large factory relied.
It saved a bit of effort editing them individually and the factory was only stalled til I rebooted the server.
But exercise some caution methinks. I was fair crapping myself for a moment there.