sp_MSforeachdb: only include results from databases with results - sql

Question

I'm running the below stored procedure sp_MSforeachdb with a simple command. My question is how to limit the result to show only the databases that have at least 1 record satisfying the command:
Here's my stored procedure:
EXECUTE master.sys.sp_MSforeachdb 'USE [?];
IF (EXISTS (SELECT *
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_NAME = ''Tabs''))
BEGIN
SELECT ''?'' as dbname,T.TabName, T.TabPath
FROM Tabs T
WHERE T.TabID IN (
SELECT Distinct TM.TabID
FROM TabModules TM
WHERE mID IN (
...
)
)
ORDER BY T.TabName
END
'
Any ideas how I can modify the sp so that it doesn't display the databases that have empty results (see image)?

Answer 1

Well, first, stop using sp_MSforEachDb. Oh, the problems (if you want proof, see here).
How about:
DECLARE #cmd NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'', #sql NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';
SELECT #cmd += N'IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM '
+ QUOTENAME(name) + '.sys.tables WHERE name = N''Tabs'')
SET #sql += N''UNION ALL
SELECT ''''' + name + ''''',T.TabName
FROM ' + QUOTENAME(name) + '.dbo.Tabs AS T
WHERE EXISTS
(
SELECT 1 FROM ' + QUOTENAME(name) + '.dbo.TabModules AS TM
WHERE TM.TabID = T.TabID
AND TM.mID IN -- this should probably be exists too
(
...
)
)
'''
FROM sys.databases
WHERE state = 0 -- assume you only want online databases
AND database_id > 4; -- assume you don't want system dbs
EXEC sp_executesql #cmd, N'#sql NVARCHAR(MAX) OUTPUT', #sql OUTPUT;
SET #sql = STUFF(#sql, 1, 10, '') + N' ORDER BY TabName;';
PRINT #sql; -- this will appear truncated, but trust me, it is not truncated
-- EXEC sp_executesql #sql;
If you really want some unknown, arbitrary number of separate resultsets, the change is simple.
DECLARE #cmd NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'', #sql NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';
SELECT #cmd += N'IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM '
+ QUOTENAME(name) + '.sys.tables WHERE name = N''Tabs'')
SET #sql += N''SELECT ''''' + name + ''''',T.TabName
FROM ' + QUOTENAME(name) + '.dbo.Tabs AS T
WHERE EXISTS
(
SELECT 1 FROM ' + QUOTENAME(name) + '.dbo.TabModules AS TM
WHERE TM.TabID = T.TabID
AND TM.mID IN -- this should probably be exists too
(
...
)
)
ORDER BY T.TabName;
'';'
FROM sys.databases
WHERE state = 0 -- assume you only want online databases
--AND database_id > 4; -- assume you don't want system dbs
EXEC sp_executesql #cmd, N'#sql NVARCHAR(MAX) OUTPUT', #sql OUTPUT;
PRINT #sql; -- this will appear truncated, but trust me, it is not truncated
-- EXEC sp_executesql #sql;

Answer 2

You basically need another IF to only run the select if data exists.
Here's what i did to test.
On DB1:
create table mytesttable(a int)
insert mytesttable values(1)
On DB2:
create table mytesttable(a int)
So you want DB1 to return results, but DB2 not to. you can use the following sql:
EXECUTE master.sys.sp_MSforeachdb 'USE [?];
IF (EXISTS (SELECT *
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_NAME = ''mytesttable''))
BEGIN
IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM mytesttable) BEGIN
SELECT ''?'' as dbname,T.A
FROM mytesttable AS T
END
END
'
This only returns:
db1, 1