SQL Server search for a column by name - sql

Question

I'm doing some recon work and having to dig through a few hundred SQL Server database tables to find columns.
Is there a way to easily search for columns in the database and return just the table name that the column belongs to?
I found this, but that also returns Stored procedures with that column name in it...

Answer 1

SELECT OBJECT_NAME(object_id) FROM sys.columns WHERE name = 'foo'
This includes views though but can be further filtered . It may be useful though.
More generally...
SELECT TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS WHERE COLUMN_NAME = 'foo'
sys.columns

Answer 2

To get the
1) full column name
2) object name (including schema)
3) object type (table/view)
4) data type (nice format: varchar(6) or numeric(5,2), etc.)
5) null/not null
6) information on identity, check constraint, and default info
try this:
DECLARE #Search varchar(200)
SET #Search='YourColumnName' --can be a partial or a complete name
SELECT
s.name as ColumnName
,sh.name+'.'+o.name AS ObjectName
,o.type_desc AS ObjectType
,CASE
WHEN t.name IN ('char','varchar') THEN t.name+'('+CASE WHEN s.max_length<0 then 'MAX' ELSE CONVERT(varchar(10),s.max_length) END+')'
WHEN t.name IN ('nvarchar','nchar') THEN t.name+'('+CASE WHEN s.max_length<0 then 'MAX' ELSE CONVERT(varchar(10),s.max_length/2) END+')'
WHEN t.name IN ('numeric') THEN t.name+'('+CONVERT(varchar(10),s.precision)+','+CONVERT(varchar(10),s.scale)+')'
ELSE t.name
END AS DataType
,CASE
WHEN s.is_nullable=1 THEN 'NULL'
ELSE 'NOT NULL'
END AS Nullable
,CASE
WHEN ic.column_id IS NULL THEN ''
ELSE ' identity('+ISNULL(CONVERT(varchar(10),ic.seed_value),'')+','+ISNULL(CONVERT(varchar(10),ic.increment_value),'')+')='+ISNULL(CONVERT(varchar(10),ic.last_value),'null')
END
+CASE
WHEN sc.column_id IS NULL THEN ''
ELSE ' computed('+ISNULL(sc.definition,'')+')'
END
+CASE
WHEN cc.object_id IS NULL THEN ''
ELSE ' check('+ISNULL(cc.definition,'')+')'
END
AS MiscInfo
FROM sys.columns s
INNER JOIN sys.types t ON s.system_type_id=t.system_type_id and t.is_user_defined=0
INNER JOIN sys.objects o ON s.object_id=o.object_id
INNER JOIN sys.schemas sh on o.schema_id=sh.schema_id
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.identity_columns ic ON s.object_id=ic.object_id AND s.column_id=ic.column_id
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.computed_columns sc ON s.object_id=sc.object_id AND s.column_id=sc.column_id
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.check_constraints cc ON s.object_id=cc.parent_object_id AND s.column_id=cc.parent_column_id
WHERE s.name LIKE '%'+#Search+'%'

Answer 3

select c.name as ColumnName, o.name as TableName
from sys.columns c
inner join sys.objects o on c.object_id = o.object_id
where c.name = 'MyColumnName'

Answer 4

http://www.red-gate.com/products/SQL_Search/index.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=brand_aware&utm_campaign=sqlsearch&gclid=COSfqe_mmKQCFSE1gwodSxOrEQ
This should do it for you. I use it everyday.

Answer 5

This stored procedure will search for table.name and column.name pairs.
I use when I have "WhateverId" in code and I want to know where that is (probably) stored in the database without actually having to read through and understand the code. :)
CREATE OR ALTER PROC FindColumns
#ColumnName VARCHAR(MAX) = NULL,
#TableName VARCHAR(MAX) = NULL
AS
SELECT T.[name] AS TableName, C.[name] AS ColumnName
FROM sys.all_columns C
JOIN sys.tables T ON C.object_id = T.object_id
JOIN sys.types CT ON C.user_type_id = CT.user_type_id
WHERE (#ColumnName IS NULL OR C.[name] LIKE '%' + TRIM(#ColumnName) + '%')
AND (#TableName IS NULL OR T.[name] LIKE '%' + TRIM(#TableName) + '%')
ORDER BY T.[name], C.[name]

Answer 6

select table_name from information_schema.columns
where column_name = '<your column name here>'
Using the information_schema views is 'more correct' as system details in the system databases are subject to change between implementations of SQL Server.