All tables and all columns in SQL? - sql

Question

I'm looking to list each table in my database and the corresponding column headers with it. Is there a way for SQL to do this and alphabetize the column names in the process?
Something along the formatting lines of:
Table1 Col1name Col2name Col3name ...
Table2 Col1name Col2name Col3name ...
...
Thanks!

Answer 1

SELECT
[schema] = s.name,
[table] = t.name,
[column] = c.name
FROM
sys.tables AS t
INNER JOIN
sys.schemas AS s
ON t.[schema_id] = s.[schema_id]
INNER JOIN
sys.columns AS c
ON t.[object_id] = c.[object_id]
ORDER BY
t.name,
c.name;
And here is why I wouldn't use INFORMATION_SCHEMA for anything in SQL Server 2005+:
The case against INFORMATION_SCHEMA views

Answer 2

SQL Server has an undocumented Stored procedure called sp_MSforeachtable which you can use to iterate through all the tables in a database
Once you know the tablename, you can use Information schema views or info schema view for Columns to see all the columns in the table

Answer 3

This should get you going in the right direction. Really depends on how you want your output:
SELECT t.table_name, STUFF((SELECT distinct ',' + c.COLUMN_NAME
FROM DATABASENAME.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS c WHERE c.TABLE_NAME =t.table_name
FOR XML PATH(''), TYPE
).value('.', 'NVARCHAR(MAX)')
,1,1,'') as Columns
FROM DATABASENAME.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES t
ORDER BY t.TABLE_NAME, Columns
If using sys.tables and sys.columns as #Aaron points out, then this should work as well:
SELECT t.name, STUFF((SELECT distinct ', ' + c.name
FROM sys.COLUMNS c WHERE t.object_id = c.object_id
FOR XML PATH(''), TYPE
).value('.', 'NVARCHAR(MAX)')
,1,1,'') as Columns
FROM sys.TABLES t
ORDER BY t.name, Columns
Good luck.

Answer 4

try this
declare #xml as xml
declare #max_cols int
declare #i int
declare #query as varchar(max)
declare #query_OA2 as varchar(max)
select #max_cols = MAX(n)
from( select COUNT(name) as n
from sys.columns
group by object_id
)V
select #i = 1, #query_OA2 = ''
while #i <= #max_cols
begin
set #query_OA2 = #query_OA2 +', C.elements.value(''./name['+CAST(#i as varchar(max))+']'',''varchar(max)'') as [Column '+CAST(#i as varchar(max))+']'
set #i = #i+1
end
select #query_OA2 = STUFF(#query_OA2,1,1,'')
select #query = 'select t.name as [table]
,OA2.*
from sys.tables t
outer apply (select (select (select c.name from sys.columns c
where c.object_id = t.object_id
order by c.column_id
for xml path(''''),type) for xml path(''columns''),type) as cols
)OA
outer apply (select '+#query_OA2+'
from OA.cols.nodes(''columns'')C(elements)
)OA2
order by t.name'
exec (#query)
part of the resultset I achieved
table Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Veixxxxx cd_exxx cd_veixxx nr_apxxxxxx
Verxxxx cd_verxxx de_verxxx de_muxxxx

Answer 5

doing a pivot trick...?
declare #max_cols int
declare #i int
declare #query as varchar(max)
declare #query2 as varchar(max)
select #max_cols = MAX(n)
from( select COUNT(COLUMN_NAME) as n
from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
group by table_name
)V
select #i = 1, #query2 = ''
while #i <= #max_cols
begin
set #query2 = #query2 +', Col_'+CAST(#i as varchar(max))
set #i = #i+1
end
select #query2 = STUFF(#query2,1,1,'')
select #query =
'select *
from (
select T.TABLE_NAME,T.COLUMN_NAME,''Col_''+cast(T.ORDINAL_POSITION as varchar(max)) as pos
from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS T
)V
PIVOT (max(V.COLUMN_NAME) for pos in ('+#query2+'))U'
exec(#query)
resultset achieved was the same as the xml method
TABLE_NAME Col_1 Col_2 Col_3
Veixxxxx cd_exxx cd_veixxx nr_apxxxxxx
Verxxxx cd_verxxx de_verxxx de_muxxxx