Calling dynamic SQL or stored procedure - sql-server

Question

I'm using a search object query (found on the internet, wish I could give credit to the developer) to search database for the columns needed when I write queries. The output search object query allows me to enter the type of table to look in (partial name) as well as the column name (partial name) I'm trying to find. I've been attempting to modify the search object query so it returns the 1st value (Top 1) it finds. This would help me to easily see at a glance if the column has the particular type of data I'm looking for.
I've attempted to write it both as a stored procedure that I could pass two parameters (partial table and partial column name) and I've also tried using dynamic SQL (my first attempt at using it, so I'm a novice when it comes to use it). I had moderate success with the use of dynamic SQL, but can only get it to produce one result rather than be called multiple times for all the results in my search object output. The code I used is shown here:
-- This is the search object query found on internet
Use masterdb
Select a.name, b.name
From sysobjects a
Inner Join syscolumns b On a.id = b.id
Where b.name like '%Result%'
And a.name like '%Lab%'
Order By a.name, b.name
-- This is a separate query I used to test calling the data with dynamic SQL
DECLARE #value VARCHAR(100), #tablename VARCHAR(100)
SET #value = 'Result'
SET #tablename = 'LabSpecimen'
DECLARE #sqlText NVARCHAR(1000);
SET #sqlText = N'SELECT Top 1 ' + #value + ' FROM testndb.dbo.' + #tablename
EXEC (#sqlText)
If I use the search object query and search for tables that have lab and column names that have result, I might get output like this:
LabMain,ResultID
LabSpecimen,ResultCategory
LabSpecimen,ResultDate
LabSpecimen,Results
I would like to have the search object query pull data from the table in the first column and the column name in the 2nd column and return the first value it finds to give me a sample output for the given column name/table. Output would look like this:
LabMain,ResultID,E201812310001
LabSpecimen,ResultCategory,ExampleCategory
LabSpecimen,ResultDate,20181231
LabSpecimen,Results,34.20

Answer 1

Okay, I really didn't want to have to post an answer to this, but here goes.
So, the first, really-really-huge thing is: SQL Injection. SQL Injection is the #1 security vulnerability for something like a dozen years running, per OWASP. Basically, SQL Injection is where you use dynamic SQL that has any fragment of the sql command being populated by a user. So in the OP's case, this section here:
SET #value = 'Result'
SET #tablename = 'LabSpecimen'
DECLARE #sqlText NVARCHAR(1000);
SET #sqlText = N'SELECT Top 1 ' + #value + ' FROM testndb.dbo.' + #tablename
EXEC (#sqlText)
... if the end incarnation would be that #tableName and #value are populated by the user as part of their search? Then the user can do a 'search' that ends up injecting sql statements that the server runs directly; for a cheap example, imagine this for #value:
3' ; drop table #tableName --
... which would go ahead and drop every table that matches the #tablename you passed in.
Anyway, so, as we go through this problem, we're going to keep SQL Injection in mind at every step.
Problem #1: How to get the tables/columns that match.
You pretty much already nailed this. The only thing missing is to put it into a temp table so that you can loop through it (and limit it down to U-types, since otherwise you'll get stored procs and system tables.) I went ahead and had it also hit the Schema information - that way, if you have tables in different schemas, it'll still be able to get the results.
declare #tableNameFragment varchar(100) -- note: these top 4 lines will eventually
declare #columnNameFragment varchar(100) -- be changed to stored proc args
set #tableNameFragment = 'Performance' -- and populated by the user calling
set #columnNameFragment = 'status' -- the proc (instead of hard-coded.)
declare #entityMatches TABLE (TableName varchar(200), ColName varchar(128))
insert into #entityMatches
Select sch.TABLE_SCHEMA + '.' + sysobj.name as TableName, syscol.name as ColName
From sysobjects sysobj
Join syscolumns syscol On sysobj.id = syscol.id
Join INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES sch on sch.TABLE_NAME = sysobj.name
where sysobj.xtype = 'U'
and (sysobj.name like '%' + isnull(#tableNameFragment,'') + '%')
and (syscol.name like '%' + isnull(#columnNameFragment,'') + '%')
Now, notice that while #tableNameFragment and #columnNameFragment are used, they're not used in a dynamic query. It doesn't matter if the user puts in something malicious into those values
Problem #2 - How to loop through your table
Basically, you're going to need a cursor. I hate cursors, but sometimes (like this one), they're necessary.
Problem #3 - How to actually do a dynamic query and get a result back
This is actually trickier than it looks. You can't do a raw EXEC() for a return value, nor can you simply have the cmd you're executing populating a variable - because EXEC (and SP_ExecuteSql operate in a different context, so they can't populate variables outside in your script.)
You need to use SP_ExecuteSQL, but specify a return variable getting populated by the interior sql command. For example:
declare #sqlCmd nvarchar(max)
declare #dynamicReturn varchar(max)
set #sqlCmd = 'select #retVal=1'
EXEC Sp_executesql #sqlCmd,
N'#retVal varchar(max) output',
#dynamicReturn output
select #dynamicReturn
Problem #4 - How to write your Dynamic command
Here's where things get dicey, since it's where we're using a dynamic SQL command. The important thing here is: you cannot use anything the user provided as an input. Which means, you can't use the variables #tableNameFragment or #columnNameFragment. You can use the values in the #entityMatches table, though. Why? Because the user didn't populate them. They got populated by the data in the sys tables - it doesn't matter if the user puts something nefarious in the input variables, that #entityMatches data simply holds the existing table/column names that match.
Also important: When you're working on code that could be a problem if a future dev down the line tweaks or copies/pastes - you should put comment warnings to illuminate the issue.
So, putting it all together? You'll have something that looks like this:
declare #tableNameFragment varchar(100) -- note: these top 4 lines will eventually
declare #columnNameFragment varchar(100) -- be changed to stored proc args
set #tableNameFragment = 'Performance' -- and populated by the user calling
set #columnNameFragment = 'status' -- the proc (instead of hard-coded.)
declare #entityMatches TABLE (TableName varchar(200), ColName varchar(128))
insert into #entityMatches
Select sch.TABLE_SCHEMA + '.' + sysobj.name as TableName, syscol.name as ColName
From sysobjects sysobj
Join syscolumns syscol On sysobj.id = syscol.id
Join INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES sch on sch.TABLE_NAME = sysobj.name
where sysobj.xtype = 'U'
and (sysobj.name like '%' + isnull(#tableNameFragment,'') + '%')
and (syscol.name like '%' + isnull(#columnNameFragment,'') + '%')
declare #returnResults TABLE (TableName varchar(200), ColName varchar(128), FirstValue varchar(max))
declare Cur Cursor For select TableName,ColName from #entityMatches
declare #cursorTable varchar(200), #cursorColumn varchar(128)
open Cur
fetch Next from cur into #cursorTable,#cursorColumn
while ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
begin
-- Note: the variables #cursorTable, #cursorColumn are NOT user populated
-- but instead are populated from the Sys tables. Because of this,
-- this dynamic sql below is not SQL-Injection vulnerable (the entries
-- are not populated from user entry of any sort.)
-- Be very careful modifying the lines below to make sure you don't
-- introduce a vulnerability.
declare #sqlCmd nvarchar(max)
declare #dynamicReturn varchar(max)
set #sqlCmd = 'select top 1 #retVal=[' + #cursorColumn + '] from ' + #cursorTable
EXEC Sp_executesql #sqlCmd,
N'#retVal varchar(max) output',
#dynamicReturn output
insert into #returnResults values (#cursorTable, #cursorColumn, #dynamicReturn)
fetch Next from cur into #cursorTable,#cursorColumn
End
close cur
deallocate cur
select * from #returnResults

Answer 2

Create a stored procedure like below mention stored procedure.
Get the table and column name from sysobject & syscolumn and add it in hash table on the base of parameter of stored procedure. After that declare a cursor and in loop of cursor create a dynamic query of column and table name and get first row of current column from table of cursor loop. After that execute the query and update the result in the hash table. At the end of lookup select the Record from hash table. Check the below stored procedure. I hope that its helpful for you.
Create procedure Sp_GetSampleData
#TName varchar(200) = ''
as
Select
a.name TableName, b.name ColumnName,
CAST('' as varchar(max)) as SampleValue
into
#Tbl
from
sysobjects a
inner join
syscolumns b on a.id = b.id
where
(#TName='' or a.name = #TName)
order ny
a.name, b.name
declare #TableName varchar(200), #ColumnName varchar(200),
#sqlText nvarchar(max), #Val varchar(max)
declare Cur Cursor For
select TableName, ColumnName
from #Tbl
open Cur
fetch Next from cur into #TableName,#ColumnName
while ##FETCH_STATUS =0
begin
set #sqlText=''
set #Val=''
SET #sqlText = N'SELECT Top 1 #Val=[' + #ColumnName + '] FROM testndb.dbo.' + #TableName
EXEC Sp_executesql
#sqlText,
N'#Val varchar(max) output',
#Val output
print #sqlText
update #Tbl set SampleValue=#Val where TableName=#TableName and ColumnName =#ColumnName
fetch Next from cur into #TableName,#ColumnName
End
close cur
deallocate cur
select * from #Tbl