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"
How to insert a sql script in a table column?
I have a table column which has ntext datatype. I will have to insert the whole function or stored procedure in the column.
Giving an example : sp_helptext 'sp_TestProcedure' will return the complete syntax of a stored procedure. How to populate the stored procedure script in a Table.
I can change the data type either ntext or nvarchar(max). Actual question is , how to insert the script in a column ?
This is not an insert of stored procedure result. This script which i am looking for is to insert the actual stored procedure (or) function (or) view in a table
You could take a look at sys.sql_modules, which contains definitions (code) for database objects.
INSERT INTO [dbo].[some_table] ([schema_name], [object_name], [definition])
SELECT
OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME([object_id]) [schema_name],
OBJECT_NAME([object_id]) [object_name],
[definition]
FROM sys.sql_modules
WHERE OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME([object_id]) = 'dbo'
AND OBJECT_NAME([object_id]) = 'some_object'
Update: As others have commented, if the purpose is to maintain version history it may be more effective to use some other source code control solution. Also, if you want to track any time code in database objects change you could look into implementing a DDL trigger. Just searching "ddl trigger to track schema changes" produced some promising results.
Also, I just stumbled across OBJECT_DEFINITION(), which may be helpful:
SELECT OBJECT_DEFINITION(OBJECT_ID('dbo.spt_values'))
script is text. simply use the regular 'insert into' that sql server has.
when that script is inside a file, you need to read the contents of that file first. the method of doing that depends on the type of language you use - c, c#, java or python (whichever).
if you want to retrieve it, use the normal 'select' command.
however, I do not believe it's a good way of storing functions. being inside a file-system works (usually).
I have a really large stored procedure which calls other stored procedures and applies the results into temp tables.
I am debugging in SQL 2008 Management Studio and can use the watch window to query local parameters but how can I query a temp table on whilst debugging?
If its not possible is there an alternative approach? I have read about using table variables instead, would it be possible to query these? If so how would I do this?
Use global temporary tables, i.e. with double hash.
insert into ##temp select ...
While debugging, you can pause the SP at some point, and in another query window, the ## table is available for querying.
select * from ##temp
Single hash tables (#tmp) is session specific and is only visible from the session.
I built a procedure which will display the content of a temp table from another database connection. (which is not possible with normal queries).
Note that it uses DBCC PAGE & the default trace to access the data so only use it for debugging purposes.
an alternative would be to use a variable in your stored proc that allows for debug on the fly.
i use a variable called #debug_out (BIT).
works something like this
ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_someProc]
#some_Var VARCHAR(15) = 'AUTO',
#debug_Out BIT = 0
BEGIN
IF #debug_Out = 1
BEGIN
PRINT('THIS IS MY TABLE');
SELECT * FROM dbo.myTable;
END ................
END
the great thing about doing this is when your code launches your stored procedure, the default is to show none of these debug sections. when you want to debug, you just pass in your debug variable.
EXEC usp_someProc #debug_Out = 1
simply dont drop temp table or close transaction
eg
select * into #temp from myTable
select * from #temp
I am working with Microsoft Access (not SQL server) and have written a stored procedure (Query) as shown below in SQL.
This procedure works but it relies on a hard coded path to the database from which to pull (SELECT) the data.
To make the query more useful I want to pass the database to SELECT from as a parameter to the query - how does one do this?
INSERT INTO Part_Batteries ( ItemCode, Size, Voltage )
SELECT tblBatteries.ItemCode, tblBatteries.SizeAH, tblBatteries.Voltage
FROM tblBatteries IN 'C:\Databases\DeviceDatabases\UKDevices.mdb';
I.e. I want to replace the line
FROM tblBatteries IN 'C:\Databases\DeviceDatabases\UKDevices.mdb';
with something like this
FROM tblBatteries IN #DB
Currently I am testing the procedures by either clicking on them in Access or by calling them from a VB module.
When I am satisfied they work I will call them as required from the main application that will be built using C#.
Thanks in advance.
Please read this http://www.sommarskog.se/dynamic_sql.html#storedprocedures
I think it is what you are looking for.
You need to declare the variable at the top of your stored proc
DECLARE #DB AS string
INSERT INTO Part_Batteries ( ItemCode, Size, Voltage )
SELECT tblBatteries.ItemCode, tblBatteries.SizeAH, tblBatteries.Voltage
FROM tblBatteries IN #DB;
Using SQL Server 2005, I'd like to run a stored procedure and insert all of the results into a new table.
I'd like the new table to have its columns automatically configured based upon the data returned by the stored procedure.
I am familiar with using the SELECT ... INTO syntax:
SELECT * INTO newtable FROM oldtable
Is this possible?
Edit for clarification: I'm hoping to accomplish something like:
Select * INTO newtable FROM exec My_SP
The only way to do this is w/ OPENROWSET against the local server:
SELECT * INTO #temp
FROM OPENROWSET (
'SQLOLEDB'
, 'Server=(local);TRUSTED_CONNECTION=YES;'
, 'SET FMTONLY OFF EXEC database.schema.procname'
) a
But this is kind of a last-ditch-gotta-do-it-damn-the-consequences kind of method. It requires elevated permissions, won't work for all procedures, and is generally inefficient.
More info and some alternatives here: http://www.sommarskog.se/share_data.html
This seems like a horrible design. You're really going to create a new table to store the results of a stored procedure, every time the stored procedure is called? And you really can't create the table in advance because you have absolutely no idea what kind of output the stored procedure has? What if the stored procedure returns multiple resultsets? What if it has side effects?
Okay, well, if that's what you really want to do...
One way to accomplish this is to use your local server as a linked server and utilize OPENQUERY. First you need to make sure your local server is configured for data access:
EXEC sp_serveroption 'local server name', 'DATA ACCESS', true;
Then you can do something like this:
SELECT * INTO dbo.newtable
FROM OPENQUERY('local server name', 'EXEC yourdb.dbo.yourproc;');
PS How are you going to write code that is going to perform SELECT INTO into a new table name every time (because you can only do SELECT INTO once)? Dynamic SQL? What happens if two users run this code at the same time? Does one of them win, and the other one just gets an error message?
A variation of the same is
create table somename
select * from wherever;