Search of SQL Database [duplicate] - sql

Question

This question already has answers here:
How do I search an SQL Server database for a string?
(16 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
I was wondering if it is possible to search for a string of data in an entire sql database?
i know you can search for certain column headers etc but I need to search for a single string of data and have no idea where in the database (table / column etc ) it will be held.
Is it possible? How would I do this in order to return the column, table or both for where it is held?
any advice much appreciated.
(I am using sql server management studio 2005)

Answer 1

You could write a script for that starting with
select *, COLUMN_NAME, TABLE_NAME
from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
where TABLE_SCHEMA = 'your_schema'
With that list of tables and columns you can iterate over all of them looking for your input.

Answer 2

This is the script I used in the end. very straight forwards and a great little thing to know.
CREATE PROCEDURE FindMyData_String
#DataToFind NVARCHAR(4000),
#ExactMatch BIT = 0
AS
SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE #Temp TABLE(RowId INT IDENTITY(1,1), SchemaName sysname, TableName sysname, ColumnName SysName, DataType VARCHAR(100), DataFound BIT)
INSERT INTO #Temp(TableName,SchemaName, ColumnName, DataType)
SELECT C.Table_Name,C.TABLE_SCHEMA, C.Column_Name, C.Data_Type
FROM Information_Schema.Columns AS C
INNER Join Information_Schema.Tables AS T
ON C.Table_Name = T.Table_Name
AND C.TABLE_SCHEMA = T.TABLE_SCHEMA
WHERE Table_Type = 'Base Table'
And Data_Type In ('ntext','text','nvarchar','nchar','varchar','char')
DECLARE #i INT
DECLARE #MAX INT
DECLARE #TableName sysname
DECLARE #ColumnName sysname
DECLARE #SchemaName sysname
DECLARE #SQL NVARCHAR(4000)
DECLARE #PARAMETERS NVARCHAR(4000)
DECLARE #DataExists BIT
DECLARE #SQLTemplate NVARCHAR(4000)
SELECT #SQLTemplate = CASE WHEN #ExactMatch = 1
THEN 'If Exists(Select *
From ReplaceTableName
Where Convert(nVarChar(4000), [ReplaceColumnName])
= ''' + #DataToFind + '''
)
Set #DataExists = 1
Else
Set #DataExists = 0'
ELSE 'If Exists(Select *
From ReplaceTableName
Where Convert(nVarChar(4000), [ReplaceColumnName])
Like ''%' + #DataToFind + '%''
)
Set #DataExists = 1
Else
Set #DataExists = 0'
END,
#PARAMETERS = '#DataExists Bit OUTPUT',
#i = 1
SELECT #i = 1, #MAX = MAX(RowId)
FROM #Temp
WHILE #i <= #MAX
BEGIN
SELECT #SQL = REPLACE(REPLACE(#SQLTemplate, 'ReplaceTableName', QUOTENAME(SchemaName) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TableName)), 'ReplaceColumnName', ColumnName)
FROM #Temp
WHERE RowId = #i
PRINT #SQL
EXEC SP_EXECUTESQL #SQL, #PARAMETERS, #DataExists = #DataExists OUTPUT
IF #DataExists =1
UPDATE #Temp SET DataFound = 1 WHERE RowId = #i
SET #i = #i + 1
END
SELECT SchemaName,TableName, ColumnName
FROM #Temp
WHERE DataFound = 1
GO
exec FindMyData_string 'VBAR2', 0