How to capture stored procedure text when passing from Dephi 2006 - sql

HI all,
I have a large (100+) parameter list for my SP in my delphi code. This is for MS SQL Server 2005. For debugging purposes, I want to capture the text of the stored procedure command, so i can execute it on the SQL server and debug the SP. Is there a way i can capture what is exactly passed to the database? I thought about using a trace, and I'll try that tomorrow if this fails, but its cumbersome to set up and sift through and catch the SP.
Thanks

You should use the SQL Server Profiler for this. Start a new trace with default settings. Let it run while your client executes the SP. Stop the trace. Use ctrl-F and search for you SP name.

I normally don't care for playing with the programming environment.
Profiling would be a good option if you can identify the ClientProcessID (the PID showing in Task Manager of your client program) - that should narrow it down enough.
Another alternative I like is to simply capture it at the SQL Server end.
Sample proc
create proc takes3params
#a int, #b varchar(100), #c datetime
as
select #a, #b, #c
Becomes
alter proc takes3params
#a int, #b varchar(100), #c datetime
as
insert capture_takes3params(a,b,c) select #a, #b, #c -- << -- added
select #a, #b, #c
The support table is a mirror of the params, with 2 additional control columns
create table capture_takes3params(
id int identity primary key, captured datetime default(getdate()), -- control
a int, b varchar(100), c datetime
)
This doesn't work when the proc has defaults though.
EDIT
We use ADO to connect to MS SQL. Not sure what the alternative to 100+ params is, maybe pass table structures? Advice welcome! We are passing in HL7 messages which typically have 100 or so fields. –
Table valued parameters are only available from SQL Server 2008 onwards, from what I recall. That seems unwieldy as well from Delphi - I would instead look at a single XML parameter dissected in TSQL, which 2005+ has good support for.

Related

How to use OPENROWSET to execute a stored procedure with parameters and insert result into a temp table

I want to insert the results of a stored procedure into a temp table using OPENROWSET. However, the issue I run into is I'm not able to pass parameters to my stored procedure.
This is my stored procedure:
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[N_spRetrieveStatement]
#PeopleCodeId nvarchar(10),
#StatementNumber int
AS
SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE #PersonId int
SELECT #PersonId = [dbo].[fnGetPersonId](#PeopleCodeId)
SELECT *
INTO #tempSpRetrieveStatement
FROM OPENROWSET('SQLNCLI', 'Server=PCPRODDB01;Trusted_Connection=yes;',
'EXEC Campus.dbo.spRetrieveStatement #StatementNumber, #PersonId');
--2577, 15084
SELECT *
FROM #tempSpRetrieveStatement;
OpenRowSet will not allow you to execute Procedure with input parameters. You have to use INSERT/EXEC.
INTO #tempSpRetrieveStatement(Col1, Col2,...)
EXEC PCPRODDB01.Campus.dbo.spRetrieveStatement #StatementNumber, #PersonId
Create and test a LinkedServer for PCPRODDB01 before running the above command.
The root of your problem is that you don't actually have parameters inside your statement that you're transmitting to the remote server you're connecting to, given the code sample you provided. Even if it was the very same machine you were connecting to, they'd be in different processes, and the other process doesn't have access to your session variables.
LinkedServer was mentioned as an option, and my understanding is that's the preferred option. However in practice that's not always available due to local quirks in tech or organizational constraints. It happens.
But there is a way to do this.
It's hiding in plain sight.
You need to pass literals into the string that will be executed on the other server, right?
So, you start by building the string that will do that.
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[N_spRetrieveStatement]
#PeopleCodeId nvarchar(10),
#StatementNumber int
AS
SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE
#PersonId INT,
#TempSQL VARCHAR(4000) = '';
SELECT #PersonId = [dbo].[fnGetPersonId](#PeopleCodeId);
SET #TempSQL =
'EXEC Campus.dbo.spRetrieveStatement(''''' +
FORMAT(#StatementNumber,'D') +''''', ''''' +
FORMAT(#PersonId,'D') + ''''')';
--2577, 15084
Note the seemingly excessive number of quotes. That's not a mistake -- that's foreshadowing. Because, yes, OPENROWSET hates taking variables as parameters. It, too, only wants literals. So, how do we give OPENROWSET what it needs?
We create a string that is the entire statement, no variables of any kind. And we execute that.
SET #TempSQL =
'SELECT * INTO #tempSpRetrieveStatement ' +
'FROM OPENROWSET(''SQLNCLI'', ''Server=PCPRODDB01;Trusted_Connection=yes;'', ' + #TempSQL +
'EXEC Campus.dbo.spRetrieveStatement #StatementNumber, #PersonId';
EXEC (#TempSQL);
SELECT *
FROM #tempSpRetrieveStatement;
And that's it! Pretty simple except for counting your escaped quotes, right?
Now... This is almost beyond the scope of the question you asked, but it is a 'gotcha' I've experienced in executing stored procedures in another machine via OPENROWSET. You're obviously used to using temp tables. This will fail if the stored procedure you're calling is creating temp tables or doing a few other things that -- in a nutshell -- inspire the terror of ambiguity into your SQL server. It doesn't like ambiguity. If that's the case, you'll see a message like this:
"Msg 11514, Level 16, State 1, Procedure sp_describe_first_result_set, Line 1
The metadata could not be determined because statement '…your remote EXEC statement here…' in procedure '…name of your local stored procedure here…' contains dynamic SQL. Consider using the WITH RESULT SETS clause to explicitly describe the result set."
So, what's up with that?
You don't just get data back with OPENROWSET. The local and remote servers have a short conversation about what exactly the local server is going to expect from the remote server (so it can optimize receiving and processing it as it comes in -- something that's extremely important for large rowsets). Starting with SQL Server 2012, sp_describe_first_result_set is the newer procedure for this, and normally it executes quickly without you noticing it. It's just that it's powers of divination aren't unlimited. Namely, it doesn't know how to get the type and name information regarding temp tables (and probably a few other things it can't do -- PIVOT in a select statement is probably right out).
I specifically wanted to be sure to point this out because of your reply regarding your hesitation about using LinkedServer. In fact, the very same reasons you're hesitant are likely to render that error message's suggestion completely useless -- you can't even predict what columns you're getting and in what order until you've got them.
I think what you're doing will work if, say, you're just branching upstream based on conditional statements and are executing one of several potential SELECT statements. I think it will work if you're just not confident that you can depend on the upstream component being fixed and are trying to ensure that even if it varies, this procedure doesn't have to because it's very generic.
But on the other hand you're facing a situation in which you literally cannot guarantee that SQL Server can predict the columns, you're likely going to have to force some changes in the stored procedure you're calling to insist that it's stable. You might, for instance work out how to ensure all possible fields are always present by using CASE expressions rather than any PIVOT. You might create a session table that's dedicated to housing what you need to SELECT just long enough to do that then DELETE the contents back out of there. You might change the way in which you transmit your data such that it's basically gone through the equivalent of UNPIVOT. And after all that extra work, maybe it'll be just a matter of preference if you use LinkedServer or OPENROWSET to port the data across.
So that's the answer to the literal question you asked, and one of the limits on what you can do with the answer.

Stored procedure with multiple 'INSERT INTO Table_Variable EXECUTE stored_procedure' statements [duplicate]

I have three stored procedures Sp1, Sp2 and Sp3.
The first one (Sp1) will execute the second one (Sp2) and save returned data into #tempTB1 and the second one will execute the third one (Sp3) and save data into #tempTB2.
If I execute the Sp2 it will work and it will return me all my data from the Sp3, but the problem is in the Sp1, when I execute it it will display this error:
INSERT EXEC statement cannot be nested
I tried to change the place of execute Sp2 and it display me another error:
Cannot use the ROLLBACK statement
within an INSERT-EXEC statement.
This is a common issue when attempting to 'bubble' up data from a chain of stored procedures. A restriction in SQL Server is you can only have one INSERT-EXEC active at a time. I recommend looking at How to Share Data Between Stored Procedures which is a very thorough article on patterns to work around this type of problem.
For example a work around could be to turn Sp3 into a Table-valued function.
This is the only "simple" way to do this in SQL Server without some giant convoluted created function or executed sql string call, both of which are terrible solutions:
create a temp table
openrowset your stored procedure data into it
EXAMPLE:
INSERT INTO #YOUR_TEMP_TABLE
SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET ('SQLOLEDB','Server=(local);TRUSTED_CONNECTION=YES;','set fmtonly off EXEC [ServerName].dbo.[StoredProcedureName] 1,2,3')
Note: You MUST use 'set fmtonly off', AND you CANNOT add dynamic sql to this either inside the openrowset call, either for the string containing your stored procedure parameters or for the table name. Thats why you have to use a temp table rather than table variables, which would have been better, as it out performs temp table in most cases.
OK, encouraged by jimhark here is an example of the old single hash table approach: -
CREATE PROCEDURE SP3 as
BEGIN
SELECT 1, 'Data1'
UNION ALL
SELECT 2, 'Data2'
END
go
CREATE PROCEDURE SP2 as
BEGIN
if exists (select * from tempdb.dbo.sysobjects o where o.xtype in ('U') and o.id = object_id(N'tempdb..#tmp1'))
INSERT INTO #tmp1
EXEC SP3
else
EXEC SP3
END
go
CREATE PROCEDURE SP1 as
BEGIN
EXEC SP2
END
GO
/*
--I want some data back from SP3
-- Just run the SP1
EXEC SP1
*/
/*
--I want some data back from SP3 into a table to do something useful
--Try run this - get an error - can't nest Execs
if exists (select * from tempdb.dbo.sysobjects o where o.xtype in ('U') and o.id = object_id(N'tempdb..#tmp1'))
DROP TABLE #tmp1
CREATE TABLE #tmp1 (ID INT, Data VARCHAR(20))
INSERT INTO #tmp1
EXEC SP1
*/
/*
--I want some data back from SP3 into a table to do something useful
--However, if we run this single hash temp table it is in scope anyway so
--no need for the exec insert
if exists (select * from tempdb.dbo.sysobjects o where o.xtype in ('U') and o.id = object_id(N'tempdb..#tmp1'))
DROP TABLE #tmp1
CREATE TABLE #tmp1 (ID INT, Data VARCHAR(20))
EXEC SP1
SELECT * FROM #tmp1
*/
My work around for this problem has always been to use the principle that single hash temp tables are in scope to any called procs. So, I have an option switch in the proc parameters (default set to off). If this is switched on, the called proc will insert the results into the temp table created in the calling proc. I think in the past I have taken it a step further and put some code in the called proc to check if the single hash table exists in scope, if it does then insert the code, otherwise return the result set. Seems to work well - best way of passing large data sets between procs.
This trick works for me.
You don't have this problem on remote server, because on remote server, the last insert command waits for the result of previous command to execute. It's not the case on same server.
Profit that situation for a workaround.
If you have the right permission to create a Linked Server, do it.
Create the same server as linked server.
in SSMS, log into your server
go to "Server Object
Right Click on "Linked Servers", then "New Linked Server"
on the dialog, give any name of your linked server : eg: THISSERVER
server type is "Other data source"
Provider : Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL server
Data source: your IP, it can be also just a dot (.), because it's localhost
Go to the tab "Security" and choose the 3rd one "Be made using the login's current security context"
You can edit the server options (3rd tab) if you want
Press OK, your linked server is created
now your Sql command in the SP1 is
insert into #myTempTable
exec THISSERVER.MY_DATABASE_NAME.MY_SCHEMA.SP2
Believe me, it works even you have dynamic insert in SP2
I found a work around is to convert one of the prods into a table valued function. I realize that is not always possible, and introduces its own limitations. However, I have been able to always find at least one of the procedures a good candidate for this. I like this solution, because it doesn't introduce any "hacks" to the solution.
I encountered this issue when trying to import the results of a Stored Proc into a temp table, and that Stored Proc inserted into a temp table as part of its own operation. The issue being that SQL Server does not allow the same process to write to two different temp tables at the same time.
The accepted OPENROWSET answer works fine, but I needed to avoid using any Dynamic SQL or an external OLE provider in my process, so I went a different route.
One easy workaround I found was to change the temporary table in my stored procedure to a table variable. It works exactly the same as it did with a temp table, but no longer conflicts with my other temp table insert.
Just to head off the comment I know that a few of you are about to write, warning me off Table Variables as performance killers... All I can say to you is that in 2020 it pays dividends not to be afraid of Table Variables. If this was 2008 and my Database was hosted on a server with 16GB RAM and running off 5400RPM HDDs, I might agree with you. But it's 2020 and I have an SSD array as my primary storage and hundreds of gigs of RAM. I could load my entire company's database to a table variable and still have plenty of RAM to spare.
Table Variables are back on the menu!
I recommend to read this entire article. Below is the most relevant section of that article that addresses your question:
Rollback and Error Handling is Difficult
In my articles on Error and Transaction Handling in SQL Server, I suggest that you should always have an error handler like
BEGIN CATCH
IF ##trancount > 0 ROLLBACK TRANSACTION
EXEC error_handler_sp
RETURN 55555
END CATCH
The idea is that even if you do not start a transaction in the procedure, you should always include a ROLLBACK, because if you were not able to fulfil your contract, the transaction is not valid.
Unfortunately, this does not work well with INSERT-EXEC. If the called procedure executes a ROLLBACK statement, this happens:
Msg 3915, Level 16, State 0, Procedure SalesByStore, Line 9 Cannot use the ROLLBACK statement within an INSERT-EXEC statement.
The execution of the stored procedure is aborted. If there is no CATCH handler anywhere, the entire batch is aborted, and the transaction is rolled back. If the INSERT-EXEC is inside TRY-CATCH, that CATCH handler will fire, but the transaction is doomed, that is, you must roll it back. The net effect is that the rollback is achieved as requested, but the original error message that triggered the rollback is lost. That may seem like a small thing, but it makes troubleshooting much more difficult, because when you see this error, all you know is that something went wrong, but you don't know what.
I had the same issue and concern over duplicate code in two or more sprocs. I ended up adding an additional attribute for "mode". This allowed common code to exist inside one sproc and the mode directed flow and result set of the sproc.
what about just store the output to the static table ? Like
-- SubProcedure: subProcedureName
---------------------------------
-- Save the value
DELETE lastValue_subProcedureName
INSERT INTO lastValue_subProcedureName (Value)
SELECT #Value
-- Return the value
SELECT #Value
-- Procedure
--------------------------------------------
-- get last value of subProcedureName
SELECT Value FROM lastValue_subProcedureName
its not ideal, but its so simple and you don't need to rewrite everything.
UPDATE:
the previous solution does not work well with parallel queries (async and multiuser accessing) therefore now Iam using temp tables
-- A local temporary table created in a stored procedure is dropped automatically when the stored procedure is finished.
-- The table can be referenced by any nested stored procedures executed by the stored procedure that created the table.
-- The table cannot be referenced by the process that called the stored procedure that created the table.
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#lastValue_spGetData') IS NULL
CREATE TABLE #lastValue_spGetData (Value INT)
-- trigger stored procedure with special silent parameter
EXEC dbo.spGetData 1 --silent mode parameter
nested spGetData stored procedure content
-- Save the output if temporary table exists.
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#lastValue_spGetData') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
DELETE #lastValue_spGetData
INSERT INTO #lastValue_spGetData(Value)
SELECT Col1 FROM dbo.Table1
END
-- stored procedure return
IF #silentMode = 0
SELECT Col1 FROM dbo.Table1
Declare an output cursor variable to the inner sp :
#c CURSOR VARYING OUTPUT
Then declare a cursor c to the select you want to return.
Then open the cursor.
Then set the reference:
DECLARE c CURSOR LOCAL FAST_FORWARD READ_ONLY FOR
SELECT ...
OPEN c
SET #c = c
DO NOT close or reallocate.
Now call the inner sp from the outer one supplying a cursor parameter like:
exec sp_abc a,b,c,, #cOUT OUTPUT
Once the inner sp executes, your #cOUT is ready to fetch. Loop and then close and deallocate.
If you are able to use other associated technologies such as C#, I suggest using the built in SQL command with Transaction parameter.
var sqlCommand = new SqlCommand(commandText, null, transaction);
I've created a simple Console App that demonstrates this ability which can be found here:
https://github.com/hecked12/SQL-Transaction-Using-C-Sharp
In short, C# allows you to overcome this limitation where you can inspect the output of each stored procedure and use that output however you like, for example you can feed it to another stored procedure. If the output is ok, you can commit the transaction, otherwise, you can revert the changes using rollback.
On SQL Server 2008 R2, I had a mismatch in table columns that caused the Rollback error. It went away when I fixed my sqlcmd table variable populated by the insert-exec statement to match that returned by the stored proc. It was missing org_code. In a windows cmd file, it loads result of stored procedure and selects it.
set SQLTXT= declare #resets as table (org_id nvarchar(9), org_code char(4), ^
tin(char9), old_strt_dt char(10), strt_dt char(10)); ^
insert #resets exec rsp_reset; ^
select * from #resets;
sqlcmd -U user -P pass -d database -S server -Q "%SQLTXT%" -o "OrgReport.txt"

Slow in SSRS but fast in SSMS

I have a query that runs fast in SSMS but runs very slow in SSRS and As I was searching for a solution, I came about this solution below provided by user275554
"Thanks for the suggestions provided here. We have found a solution and it did turn out to be related to the parameters. SQL Server was producing a convoluted execution plan when executed from the SSRS report due to 'parameter sniffing'. The workaround was to declare variables inside of the stored procedure and assign the incoming parameters to the variables. Then the query used the variables rather than the parameters. This caused the query to perform consistently whether called from SQL Server Manager or through the SSRS report".
My Problem is that I tried assigning parameters to the variables but it seems I really don't know how to do it so the report didn't produce any data.
An example of what I tried is this:
CREATE PROC MissingData
AS
DECLARE #Office varchar (200)
DECLARE #employee varchar (100)
SET #Office = #Office -- #office is the parameter from SSRS
SET #employee = #employee-- #employee is the parameter FROM SSRS
Can someone help me on how to assign the parameter to use the variables as provided by the solution.
Thanks
Mi
See this article for a good explanation of parameter sniffing, performance problems and solutions.
Since it's a reporting procedure my guess is the easiest way to get around this is to add WITH RECOMPILE to the CREATE PROC statement, which means SQL Server will recompile the proc each time it's run and therefore will work out the best query plan based on the parameters you're calling it with, rather than parameters you previously called it with.
This is the right format to pass the parameters to the Stored Proc and then create the local variables to prevent parameter sniffing. As was mentioned, you can also add WITH RECOMPILE
CREATE PROC MissingData
#Office varchar(200)
,#employee varchar(100)
WITH RECOMPILE
AS
DECLARE #ramOffice varchar (200)
DECLARE #ramEmployee varchar (100)
SET #ramOffice = #Office -- #office is the parameter from SSRS
SET #ramemployee = #employee-- #employee is the parameter FROM SSRS

Validate new Create Trigger for SQL Server 2000

I have been told to create a trigger for inserts on our SQL Server 2000.
I've never written a trigger before, and our old server does not appear to have any triggers defined on it.
Following the Triggers in SQL Server tutorial, I have created this trigger that I have not executed yet:
create trigger trgAfterMachine1Insert on Test_Results
after insert
as
declare #sn varchar(20), #sysID varchar(50),
#opID varchar(50), #testResult varchar(255)
select #sn=Serial_Number from inserted
select #sysID=System_ID from inserted
select #opID=Op_ID from inserted
select #testResult=Test_Result from inserted
exec sp1_AddSnRecord(#sn, #sysID, #opID, #testResult)
print 'Machine1 After Insert Trigger called AddSnRecord'
go
First, notice that I have written a stored procedure called sp1_AddSnRecord to insert this data into a new table (so I do not mess up the existing table). I certainly hope a stored procedure can be called on a trigger, because it performs data validation and enumeration on the data before inserting anything into the other tables.
I really don't see a way in SQL Server 2000 to test to see if this will work, and I'm a bit nervous about just hitting that Execute button in Management Studio.
So, I've been looking at this for a while and trying to read up on some other SO techniques.
From Aaron Bertrand's example HERE, it looks like I can combine all of my select calls into one line:
create trigger trgAfterMachine1Insert on Test_Results
after insert
as
declare #sn varchar(20), #sysID varchar(50),
#opID varchar(50), #testResult varchar(255)
select #sn=Serial_Number, #sysID=System_ID,
#opID=Op_ID, #testResult=Test_Result
from inserted
exec sp1_AddSnRecord(#sn, #sysID, #opID, #testResult)
print 'Machine1 After Insert Trigger called AddSnRecord'
go
Otherwise, I don't see anything more enlightening anywhere or see anyone asking about techniques to test triggers before creating them.
One of my colleges here at work does more SQL work than I do, but he admits that he has never written triggers. All he was able to tell me was, "Man, if you screw that up, you could cause a lot of problems on the server!" All that did was make me nervous, which is why I am here. (98% of what I do is write C# code for Windows Forms and old Windows Mobile devices).
So, how would I verify that this trigger is valid and will not cause any issues on the Server before creating? I've got a local SQL Server Express on my machine, but it is much newer than SQL 2000 and does not have the live data running on it from our Production floor.
If the trigger proves to be faulty afterwards, would I be able to remove it with a simple delete trigger trgAfterMachine1Insert? My search for "delete trigger" seems to have returned mostly triggers for AFTER DELETE.
Thanks in advance.
UPDATE: Including the stored procedure at Martin's request:
ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[sp1_AddSnRecord](
#serial_Number varchar(20),
#system_ID varchar(50),
#op_ID varchar(50),
#test_Result varchar(255)) as begin
set NOCOUNT ON;
declare #sn as VarChar(20);
set #sn=dbo.fn_ValidSN(#serial_Number);
if (7<Len(#sn)) begin
declare #badge varchar(50), #result varchar(50), #sysID varchar(50);
set #badge=dbo.fn_GetBadge(#op_ID);
set #result=dbo.fn_GetTestResult(#test_Result);
set #sysID=dbo.fn_GetSysType(#system_ID);
if ((0<Len(#badge)) and (0<Len(#result)) and (0<Len(#sysID))) begin
declare #id int;
select #id=ID from Serial_Numbers where Serial_Number=#sn;
if (#id<1) begin -- this serial number has not been entered
insert into Serial_Numbers (Serial_Number) values (#sn);
select #id=##IDENTITY from Serial_Numbers;
end
if (0<#id) begin -- now insert into SN_Records
insert into SN_Records (SN_ID, SYS_ID, OP_ID, Date_Time, Test_Result)
values (#id, #sysID, #badge, GetDate(), #result);
end
end
end
end
So, let me re-phrase what you are saying:
you have no experience writing triggers
there is no one else in the company with experience to write triggers
you only have a production environment and no other place to test you code
management is telling you to get this done by tonight
This is a sure recipe for disaster.
First you need to stand up against requests where your only option is to fail. Tell management that their data is too important to do something like this without proper testing.
Then get an appropriate testing environment. If your company is a MSDN subscriber you will have access to a copy of SQL Server 2000 Developer Edition that you can install on you laptop or better in some virtual machine.
While you are waiting for that install read about professional behavior in software development. Start with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Cecil_Martin and then go to software craftsmanship.
But, as I know that won't happen tonight, you can do this in the meantime:
1) Create a new database on the production server
2) Copy the table in question: SELECT TOP(10) * INTO NewDb.dbo.Table FROM OldDb.dbo.Table;
You don't need more data as this is an insert trigger
3) Copy the other tables you need in the same way
4) apply your trigger to the table in NewDb
5) test
6) fix and go back to 5
7) if you are satisfied, copy the trigger to OldDb
Some things to consider:
Make sure you test inserts of more than one row
Don't call a procedure in the trigger. Not that that is wrong in it self, but you won't be able to get multi row inserts working with it
do not ever use ##IDENTITY. That's an order. (reasons and solutions are here: http://sqlity.net/en/351/identity-crisis/ )
After all that start looking into TDD in the database here: tSQLt.org
(Most ideas work in SQL 2000, however the framework does not.)
Hope that helps.

How to see the values of a table variable at debug time in T-SQL?

Can we see the values (rows and cells) in a table valued variable in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) during debug time? If yes, how?
DECLARE #v XML = (SELECT * FROM <tablename> FOR XML AUTO)
Insert the above statement at the point where you want to view the table's contents. The table's contents will be rendered as XML in the locals window, or you can add #v to the watches window.
That's not yet implemented according this Microsoft Connect link:
Microsoft Connect
This project https://github.com/FilipDeVos/sp_select has a stored procedure sp_select which allows for selecting from a temp table.
Usage:
exec sp_select 'tempDb..#myTempTable'
While debugging a stored procedure you can open a new tab and run this command to see the contents of the temp table.
In the Stored Procedure create a global temporary table ##temptable and write an insert query within your stored procedure which inserts the data in your table into this temporary table.
Once this is done you can check the content of the temporary table by opening a new query window.
Just use "select * from ##temptable"
If you are using SQL Server 2016 or newer, you can also select it as JSON result and display it in JSON Visualizer, it's much easier to read it than in XML and allows you to filter results.
DECLARE #v nvarchar(max) = (SELECT * FROM Suppliers FOR JSON AUTO)
I have come to the conclusion that this is not possible without any plugins.
SQL Server Profiler 2014 lists the content of table value parameter. Might work in previous versions too.
Enable SP:Starting or RPC:Completed event in Stored Procedures group and TextData column and when you click on entry in log you'll have the insert statements for table variable.
You can then copy the text and run in Management Studio.
Sample output:
declare #p1 dbo.TableType
insert into #p1 values(N'A',N'B')
insert into #p1 values(N'C',N'D')
exec uspWhatever #PARAM=#p1
Why not just select the Table and view the variable that way?
SELECT * FROM #d
Sorry guys, I'm a little late to the party but for anyone that stumbles across this question at a later date, I've found the easiest way to do this in a stored procedure is to:
Create a new query with any procedure parameters declared and initialised at the top.
Paste in the body of your procedure.
Add a good old fashioned select query immediately after your table variable is initialised with data.
If 3. is not the last statement in the procedure, set a breakpoint on the same line, start debugging and continue straight to your breakpoint.
Profit!!
messi19's answer should be the accepted one IMHO, since it is simpler than mine and does the job most of the time, but if you're like me and have a table variable inside a loop that you want to inspect, this does the job nicely without too much effort or external SSMS plugins.