SQL Server 2005 - Good SQL to create a data dictionary - sql-server-2005

Question

I have to create a data dictionary in an existing database for all user tables within that database in SQL Server 2005.
Does anyone have a good piece of sql to use for this purpose. I am intending to add comments in myself after I have the details of the tables and columns.

Answer 1

I don't have the exact sql, but you will need to query the systables and syscolumns tables, which have all of the information you need to create the data dictionary.

Answer 2

I would use the "information schema" views. Here are 2 of the most useful views:
SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.Tables
SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.Columns

Answer 3

Instead of doing this yourself, you could take a look at some SQL Server documentation tools/scripts:
http://www.mssqltips.com/tip.asp?tip=1250
http://www.red-gate.com/products/SQL_Doc/index.htm
http://www.mssqltips.com/tip.asp?tip=1499

Answer 4

https://www.csvreader.com/posts/data_dictionary.php
SELECT
d.[primary key],
d.[foreign key],
CASE
WHEN LEN(d.[column]) = 0 THEN d.[table]
ELSE ''
END AS [table],
d.[column],
CAST(d.[description] AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS [description],
d.[data type],
d.nullable,
d.[identity],
d.[default]
FROM
(
SELECT
'' AS [primary key],
'' AS [foreign key],
s.[name] AS [schema],
CASE
WHEN s.[name] = 'dbo' THEN t.[name]
ELSE s.[name] + '.' + t.[name]
END AS [table],
'' AS [column],
ISNULL(RTRIM(CAST(ep.[value] AS NVARCHAR(4000))), '') AS [description],
'' AS [data type],
'' AS nullable,
'' AS [identity],
'' AS [default],
NULL AS column_id
FROM
sys.tables t
INNER JOIN sys.schemas s ON
s.[schema_id] = t.[schema_id]
-- get description of table, if available
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.extended_properties ep ON
ep.major_id = t.[object_id] AND
ep.minor_id = 0 AND
ep.name = 'MS_Description' AND
ep.class = 1
WHERE
t.is_ms_shipped = 0 AND
NOT EXISTS
(
SELECT *
FROM
sys.extended_properties ms
WHERE
ms.major_id = t.[object_id] AND
ms.minor_id = 0 AND
ms.class = 1 AND
ms.[name] = 'microsoft_database_tools_support'
)
UNION ALL
SELECT
CASE
WHEN pk.column_id IS NOT NULL THEN 'PK'
ELSE ''
END AS [primary key],
CASE
WHEN fk.primary_table IS NOT NULL
THEN fk.primary_table + '.' + fk.primary_column
ELSE ''
END AS [foreign key],
s.[name] AS [schema],
CASE
WHEN s.[name] = 'dbo' THEN t.[name]
ELSE s.[name] + '.' + t.[name]
END AS [table],
c.[name] AS [column],
ISNULL(RTRIM(CAST(ep.[value] AS NVARCHAR(4000))), '') AS [description],
CASE
WHEN uty.[name] IS NOT NULL THEN uty.[name]
ELSE ''
END +
CASE
WHEN uty.[name] IS NOT NULL AND sty.[name] IS NOT NULL THEN '('
ELSE ''
END +
CASE
WHEN sty.[name] IS NOT NULL THEN sty.[name]
ELSE ''
END +
CASE
WHEN sty.[name] IN ('char', 'nchar', 'varchar', 'nvarchar', 'binary', 'varbinary')
THEN '(' +
CASE
WHEN c.max_length = -1 THEN 'max'
ELSE
CASE
WHEN sty.[name] IN ('nchar', 'nvarchar')
THEN CAST(c.max_length / 2 AS VARCHAR(MAX))
ELSE
CAST(c.max_length AS VARCHAR(MAX))
END
END
+ ')'
WHEN sty.[name] IN ('numeric', 'decimal')
THEN '(' +
CAST(c.precision AS VARCHAR(MAX)) + ', ' + CAST(c.scale AS VARCHAR(MAX))
+ ')'
ELSE
''
END +
CASE
WHEN uty.[name] IS NOT NULL AND sty.[name] IS NOT NULL THEN ')'
ELSE ''
END AS [data type],
CASE
WHEN c.is_nullable = 1 THEN 'Y'
ELSE ''
END AS nullable,
CASE
WHEN c.is_identity = 1 THEN 'Y'
ELSE ''
END AS [identity],
ISNULL(dc.[definition], '') AS [default],
c.column_id
FROM
sys.columns c
INNER JOIN sys.tables t ON
t.[object_id] = c.[object_id]
INNER JOIN sys.schemas s ON
s.[schema_id] = t.[schema_id]
-- get name of user data type
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.types uty ON
uty.system_type_id = c.system_type_id AND
uty.user_type_id = c.user_type_id AND
c.user_type_id <> c.system_type_id
-- get name of system data type
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.types sty ON
sty.system_type_id = c.system_type_id AND
sty.user_type_id = c.system_type_id
-- get description of column, if available
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.extended_properties ep ON
ep.major_id = t.[object_id] AND
ep.minor_id = c.column_id AND
ep.[name] = 'MS_Description' AND
ep.[class] = 1
-- get default's code text
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.default_constraints dc ON
dc.parent_object_id = t.[object_id] AND
dc.parent_column_id = c.column_id
-- check for inclusion in primary key
LEFT OUTER JOIN
(
SELECT
ic.column_id,
i.[object_id]
FROM
sys.indexes i
INNER JOIN sys.index_columns ic ON
ic.index_id = i.index_id AND
ic.[object_id] = i.[object_id]
WHERE
i.is_primary_key = 1
) pk ON
pk.column_id = c.column_id AND
pk.[object_id] = t.[object_id]
-- check for inclusion in foreign key
LEFT OUTER JOIN
(
SELECT
CASE
WHEN s.[name] = 'dbo' THEN pk.[name]
ELSE s.[name] + '.' + pk.[name]
END AS primary_table,
pkc.[name] as primary_column,
fkc.parent_object_id,
fkc.parent_column_id
FROM
sys.foreign_keys fk
INNER JOIN sys.tables pk ON
fk.referenced_object_id = pk.[object_id]
INNER JOIN sys.schemas s ON
s.[schema_id] = pk.[schema_id]
INNER JOIN sys.foreign_key_columns fkc ON
fkc.constraint_object_id = fk.[object_id] AND
fkc.referenced_object_id = pk.[object_id]
INNER JOIN sys.columns pkc ON
pkc.[object_id] = pk.[object_id] AND
pkc.column_id = fkc.referenced_column_id
) fk ON
fk.parent_object_id = t.[object_id] AND
fk.parent_column_id = c.column_id
WHERE
t.is_ms_shipped = 0 AND
NOT EXISTS
(
SELECT *
FROM
sys.extended_properties ms
WHERE
ms.major_id = t.[object_id] AND
ms.minor_id = 0 AND
ms.class = 1 AND
ms.[name] = 'microsoft_database_tools_support'
)
) d
ORDER BY
d.[schema],
d.[table],
d.column_id;