1. Create custom looping procedures in SQL Server 2005 | TechRepublic
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Create custom looping
procedures in SQL Server
2005
By Tim Chapman
July 8, 2008, 8:34 PM PDT
Takeaway: Tim Chapman shows how to create system stored procedures that will allow you to
loop through and execute statements against any type of object in SQL Server 2005.
In my previous SQL Server article, I discussed how you can use two undocumented system stored
procedures to your advantage when it comes to executing ad-hoc statements against a large
number of tables or databases. I’ll expand upon that idea and show how to create system stored Google Docs For
procedures that will allow you to loop through and execute statements against any type of Business
object in SQL Server 2005. Start with 5 GB of Included Storage Get
Additional 20 GB Just $4/month!
An example www.google.com/apps
My example will involve two stored procedures, both of which are alterations of the Dynamics in Romania
sp_msforeachdb and sp_msforeachtable system stored procedures. Microsoft Dynamics NAV Microsoft Dynamics
AX
First, I need to create a helper procedure, which I named sp_MSForEach_Helper. This procedure www.llpdynamics.ro
is almost exactly the same as its cousin sp_MSForEach_Worker; I only changed the names of the Multilingual WebCenter
cursor objects involved. The following script will create this stored procedure: Translate Content Inside WebCenter Lingotek
Collaborative Translation
set ANSI_NULLS ON
lingotek.com/oracle
set QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
go
use master
GO
/* Keep Up with TechRepublic
A CNET PROFESSIONAL BRAND
* This is the worker proc for all of the "for each" type procs. Its function is to read the
* next replacement name from the cursor (which returns only a single name), plug it into the
* replacement locations for the commands, and execute them. It assumes the cursor "hCForEach***"
* has already been opened by its caller.
* worker_type is a parameter that indicates whether we call this for a database (1) or for a table
(0)
Five Apps
*/
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[sp_MSForEach_Helper]
Google in the Enterprise
@command1 nvarchar(2000), @replacechar nchar(1) = N'?', @command2 nvarchar(2000) = null,
@command3 nvarchar(2000) = null Subscribe Today
as
create table #qtemp ( /* Temp command storage */
qnum Follow us however you choose!
int NOT NULL,
qchar nvarchar(2000) COLLATE
database_default NULL
)
set nocount on
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/datacenter/create-custom-looping-procedures-in-sql-server-2005/401[08/29/2012 3:38:37 PM]

2. Create custom looping procedures in SQL Server 2005 | TechRepublic
declare @name nvarchar(517), @namelen int, @q1 nvarchar(2000), @q2 nvarchar(2000)
declare @q3 nvarchar(2000), @q4 nvarchar(2000), @q5 nvarchar(2000)
declare @q6 nvarchar(2000), @q7 nvarchar(2000), @q8 nvarchar(2000), @q9 nvarchar(2000),
@q10 nvarchar(2000) Media Gallery
declare @cmd nvarchar(2000), @replacecharindex int, @useq tinyint, @usecmd tinyint,
@nextcmd nvarchar(2000)
declare @namesave nvarchar(517), @nametmp nvarchar(517), @nametmp2 nvarchar(258)
declare @local_cursor cursor
set @local_cursor = hCForEachObject
open @local_cursor PHOTO GALLERY (1 of 15)
fetch @local_cursor into @name Curiosity's autonomous
/* Loop for each database */
'seven minutes of...
while (@@fetch_status = 0) begin
/* Initialize. */ More Galleries »
/* save the original dbname */
select @namesave = @name
select @useq = 1, @usecmd = 1, @cmd = @command1, @namelen = datalength(@name)
while (@cmd is not null) begin /* Generate @q* for
exec() */
/*
* Parse each @commandX into a single executable batch.
* Because the expanded form of a @commandX may be VIDEO (1 of 13)
OSQL_MAXCOLLEN_SET, we'll need to allow overflow. Cracking Open: HTC Titan II
* We also may append @commandX's (signified by '++' as first
letters of next @command). More Videos »
*/
select @replacecharindex = charindex(@replacechar, @cmd)
while (@replacecharindex 0) begin
/* 7.0, if name contains ' character, and the name has been single quoted in command, Hot Questions View All
double all of them in dbname */
/* if the name has not been single quoted in command, do not doulbe them */
3 SSL redirection
/* if name contains ] character, and the name has been [] quoted in command, double all
of ] in dbname */
select @name = @namesave
select @namelen = datalength(@name)
3 Switching from a Job to a career in
declare @tempindex int
if (substring(@cmd, @replacecharindex - 1, 1) = N'''') begin the IT field: Need an IT pro's
/* if ? is inside of '', we need to double all the ' in name */ advice
select @name = REPLACE(@name, N'''', N'''''')
end else if (substring(@cmd, @replacecharindex - 1, 1) = N'[') begin
/* if ? is inside of [], we need to double all the ] in name */ 2 windows 7 won't shutdown and
select @name = REPLACE(@name, N']', N']]') keeps switching on
end else if ((@name LIKE N'%].%]') and (substring(@name, 1, 1) = N'[')) begin
/* ? is NOT inside of [] nor '', and the name is in [owner].[name] format, handle it
*/ 2 can anyone suggest if any such
/* !!! work around, when using LIKE to find string pattern, can't use '[', since LIKE software exist with similar
operator is treating '[' as a wide char */ functionality?
select @tempindex = charindex(N'].[', @name)
select @nametmp = substring(@name, 2, @tempindex-2 )
select @nametmp2 = substring(@name, @tempindex+3, len(@name)-@tempindex-3 )
Ask a Question
select @nametmp = REPLACE(@nametmp, N']', N']]')
select @nametmp2 = REPLACE(@nametmp2, N']', N']]')
select @name = N'[' + @nametmp + N'].[' + @nametmp2 + ']'
end else if ((@name LIKE N'%]') and (substring(@name, 1, 1) = N'[')) begin
/* ? is NOT inside of [] nor '', and the name is in [name] format, handle it */ Hot Discussions View All
/* j.i.c., since we should not fall into this case */
/* !!! work around, when using LIKE to find string pattern, can't use '[', since LIKE
operator is treating '[' as a wide char */ 221 Should developers be sued for
select @nametmp = substring(@name, 2, len(@name)-2 ) security holes?
select @nametmp = REPLACE(@nametmp, N']', N']]')
select @name = N'[' + @nametmp + N']'
end 79 The sitting duck that is open
/* Get the new length */ source
select @namelen = datalength(@name)
/* start normal process */ Five fast Windows desktop search
if (datalength(@cmd) + @namelen - 1 2000) begin
27
utilities
/* Overflow; put preceding stuff into the
temp table */
if (@useq 9) begin Is the death knell sounding for
close @local_cursor
30
traditional antivirus?
deallocate
hCForEachObject
raiserror 55555 Start a Discussion
N'sp_MSforeach_worker assert failed: command too long'
return 1
end
if (@replacecharindex @namelen) begin
Blog Archive
/* If this happened close to
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3. Create custom looping procedures in SQL Server 2005 | TechRepublic
beginning, make sure expansion has enough room. */
/* In this case no trailing August 2012 December 2011
space can occur as the row ends with @name. */
select @nextcmd = July 2012 November 2011
substring(@cmd, 1, @replacecharindex) June 2012 October 2011
select @cmd = substring(@cmd,
@replacecharindex + 1, 2000) May 2012 September 2011
select @nextcmd =
April 2012 August 2011
stuff(@nextcmd, @replacecharindex, 1, @name)
select @replacecharindex = March 2012 July 2011
charindex(@replacechar, @cmd)
February 2012 June 2011
insert #qtemp values (@useq,
@nextcmd) January 2012
select @useq = @useq + 1
continue
end
/* Move the string down and stuff() in-
place. */
/* Because varchar columns trim trailing
spaces, we may need to prepend one to the following string. */
/* In this case, the char to be replaced
is moved over by one. */
insert #qtemp values (@useq,
substring(@cmd, 1, @replacecharindex - 1))
if (substring(@cmd, @replacecharindex - 1,
1) = N' ') begin
select @cmd = N' ' +
substring(@cmd, @replacecharindex, 2000)
select @replacecharindex = 2
end else begin
select @cmd = substring(@cmd,
@replacecharindex, 2000)
select @replacecharindex = 1
end
select @useq = @useq + 1
end
select @cmd = stuff(@cmd, @replacecharindex, 1, @name)
select @replacecharindex = charindex(@replacechar,
@cmd)
end
/* Done replacing for current @cmd. Get the next one and see if
it's to be appended. */
select @usecmd = @usecmd + 1
select @nextcmd = case (@usecmd) when 2 then @command2 when 3
then @command3 else null end
if (@nextcmd is not null and substring(@nextcmd, 1, 2) = N'++')
begin
insert #qtemp values (@useq, @cmd)
select @cmd = substring(@nextcmd, 3, 2000), @useq =
@useq + 1
continue
end
/* Now exec() the generated @q*, and see if we had more commands
to exec(). Continue even if errors. */
/* Null them first as the no-result-set case won't. */
select @q1 = null, @q2 = null, @q3 = null, @q4 = null, @q5 =
null, @q6 = null, @q7 = null, @q8 = null, @q9 = null, @q10 = null
select @q1 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 1
select @q2 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 2
select @q3 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 3
select @q4 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 4
select @q5 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 5
select @q6 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 6
select @q7 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 7
select @q8 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 8
select @q9 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 9
select @q10 = qchar from #qtemp where qnum = 10
truncate table #qtemp
exec (@q1 + @q2 + @q3 + @q4 + @q5 + @q6 + @q7 + @q8 + @q9 + @q10
+ @cmd)
select @cmd = @nextcmd, @useq = 1
end /* while @cmd is not null, generating @q* for exec() */
/* All commands done for this name. Go to next one. */
fetch @local_cursor into @name
end /* while FETCH_SUCCESS */
close @local_cursor
deallocate hCForEachObject
return 0
GO
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/datacenter/create-custom-looping-procedures-in-sql-server-2005/401[08/29/2012 3:38:37 PM]

4. Create custom looping procedures in SQL Server 2005 | TechRepublic
Now all I need to do is make the stored procedure a system stored procedure by using the
following code:
EXECUTE sp_MS_MarkSystemObject 'sp_MSForEach_Helper'
GO
Once my helper procedure is created, I can start working on the procedure to which I’ll be passing
my commands. The script below is an adaptation of the Microsoft procedure sp_MSForEachTable.
The procedure allows an object type parameter, so you can choose the type of object on your
system that you want to loop through. Below is a listing of the available object types:
AF: Aggregate function (CLR)
C: CHECK constraint
D: DEFAULT (constraint or stand-alone)
F: FOREIGN KEY constraint
PK: PRIMARY KEY constraint
P: SQL stored procedure
PC: Assembly (CLR) stored procedure
FN: SQL scalar function
FS: Assembly (CLR) scalar function
FT: Assembly (CLR) table-valued function
R: Rule (old-style, stand-alone)
RF: Replication-filter-procedure
S: System base table
SN: Synonym
SQ: Service queue
TA: Assembly (CLR) DML trigger
TR: SQL DML trigger
IF: SQL inline table-valued function
TF: SQL table-valued-function
U: Table (user-defined)
UQ: UNIQUE constraint
V: View
X: Extended stored procedure
IT: Internal table
I also swapped out the EXECUTE() command for the stored procedure sp_executesql.
set ANSI_NULLS ON
set QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
SET ARITHABORT ON
go
use master
go
CREATE PROCEDURE sp_ForEachObject
(
@command1 NVARCHAR(2000), @replacechar nchar(1) = N'?',
@objecttype NVARCHAR(2) = null, @command2 NVARCHAR(2000) = null,
@command3 NVARCHAR(2000) = null, @whereand NVARCHAR(2000) = null,
@precommand NVARCHAR(2000) = null, @postcommand NVARCHAR(2000) = null
)
AS
BEGIN
DECLARE @mscat NVARCHAR(12)
DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(4000)
DECLARE @retval INT
IF @precommand IS NOT NULL
EXECUTE sp_executesql @precommand
SET @sql = N'DECLARE hCForEachObject CURSOR GLOBAL FOR SELECT ''['' + syso.name + '']''
FROM sys.all_objects syso '
IF @objecttype IS NOT NULL
SET @sql = @sql + ' WHERE syso.type = ''' + @objecttype + ''''
EXECUTE sp_executesql @sql
SET @retval = @@error
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5. Create custom looping procedures in SQL Server 2005 | TechRepublic
IF (@retval = 0)
BEGIN
EXECUTE @retval = sp_MSForEach_Helper
@command1 = @command1,
@replacechar = @replacechar,
@command2 = @command2,
@command3 = @command3
END
IF (@retval = 0 and @postcommand is not null)
EXECUTE(@postcommand)
RETURN @retval
END
go
EXECUTE sp_MS_marksystemobject 'sp_ForEachObject'
Once I execute this script, I am able to execute sp_ForEachObject in any database on my server
and execute commands on any of the object types listed above. For example, the following code
loops through all user-defined tables in my database and prints them to the screen:
EXECUTE sp_ForEachObject
@command1 = 'select ''?''',
@objecttype = 'U'
Another great use for this stored procedure is to print out the text of all of my stored procedures in
my database. Here is the code:
sp_ForEachObject
@command1 = 'PRINT OBJECT_DEFINITION(OBJECT_ID(''?'')) + CHAR(10) + ''GO''',
@objecttype = 'P'
Start creating
These custom loop procedures are a powerful and flexible addition to your SQL Server 2005
toolkit. For instance, it would be very simple to alter sp_ForEachObject so that you can loop
through databases, server triggers, or logins. Give it a try!
Tim Chapman a SQL Server database administrator and consultant who works for a bank in
Louisville, KY. Tim has more than eight years of IT experience, and he is a Microsoft certified
Database Developer and Administrator. If you would like to contact Tim, please e-mail him at
chapman.tim@gmail.com.
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6. Create custom looping procedures in SQL Server 2005 | TechRepublic
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