SQL Azure doesn't support 'select into' - Is there another way? - sql

Question

I have a very complicated table I'd like to take a temporary backup of whilst I make some changes. Normally, I'd just do the following:
SELECT *
INTO temp_User
FROM dbo.[User] AS u
Unfortunately I'm using Azure, and it appears this isn't supported:
Msg 40510, Level 16, State 1, Line 2 Statement 'SELECT INTO' is not
supported in this version of SQL Server.
Is there a way to re-create this feature into a function, potentially? I could do this by scripting the table, creating it and then inserting data using a select statement but given how frequently I use Azure, and how many databases I need to work on in this area this is very unwieldy.

Answer 1

Azure requires a clustered index on all tables, therefore SELECT INTO is not supported.
You'll have to:
CREATE TABLE temp_User () --fill in table structure
INSERT INTO temp_User
SELECT *
FROM dbo.[User]
To script table easily you can write your own or use one of the answers to this question:
Script CREATE Table SQL Server
Update: As Jordan B pointed out, V12 will include support for heaps (no clustered index requirement) which means SELECT INTO will work. At the moment V12 Preview is available, Microsoft of course only recommends upgrading with test databases.

Answer 2

The new Azure DB Update preview has this problem resolved:
The V12 preview enables you to create a table that has no clustered
index. This feature is especially helpful for its support of the T-SQL
SELECT...INTO statement which creates a table from a query result.
http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/sql-database-preview-whats-new/

Answer 3

Unfortunately it cant be done. Here is how I worked around it:
Open SQL Server Management Studio
Right click on the table
Select Script as ... Create Table
Edit the generated script to change the table name to what you specified in your query
Execute your query

Answer 4

INSERT INTO temp_User
SELECT * FROM dbo.[User]
You can try the above. It's basically a select that is applied to an insert statement
http://blog.sqlauthority.com/2011/08/10/sql-server-use-insert-into-select-instead-of-cursor/

Answer 5

Lets assume you have a table with Id, Column1 and Column2. Then this could be your solution
CREATE TABLE YourTableName_TMP ....
GO
SET IDENTITY_INSERT YourTableName_TMP ON
GO
INSERT INTO YourTableName_TMP
([Id] ,[Column1] ,[Column2])
SELECT [Id] ,[Column1] ,[Column2]
FROM
(
SELECT *
FROM
(
SELECT [Id] ,[Column1] ,[Column2] ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY ID DESC) AS RowNum
FROM YourTableName
)
WHERE RowNum BETWEEN 0 AND 500000
)
GO
SET IDENTITY_INSERT YourTableName_TMP OFF
GO
First you create a temporary table and then you insert rows windowed. It's a mess, I know. My experiences are, that executing this using SQL Server Management Studio from a client makes approximately 200.000 rows a minute.

Answer 6

As wrote above - you need to rewrite your query from using select into to create table like
It is my sample. Was :
select emrID, displayName --select into
into #tTable
from emrs
declare #emrid int
declare #counter int = 1
declare #displayName nvarchar(max)
while exists (select * from #tTable)
begin
-- some business logic
select top 1 #displayName = displayname
from #tTable
group by displayname
update emrs set groupId = #counter where #displayName = displayname
delete #tTable
where #displayName = displayname
set #counter = #counter + 1
end
drop table #tTable
Modified :
CREATE TABLE #tTable ([displayName] nvarchar(max)) --create table
INSERT INTO #tTable -- insert to next select :
select displayName
from emrs
declare #emrid int
declare #counter int = 1
declare #displayName nvarchar(max)
while exists (select * from #tTable)
begin
-- some business logic
select top 1 #displayName = t.displayName
from #tTable as t
group by t.displayname
update emrs set groupId = #counter where #displayName = displayname
delete #tTable
where #displayName = displayname
set #counter = #counter + 1
end
drop table #tTable
Do not forget to drop your temp table.
Also, you can find more simple example with description here :
http://www.dnnsoftware.com/wiki/statement-select-into-is-not-supported-in-this-version-of-sql-server