Use findstr to replace null values with empty strings from sqlcmd command - sql-server

Question

I have an sqlcmd command which generates a csv file from a view. Is it possible to replace the NULL values to empty string using the findstr command?
Here is what I tried.
sqlcmd -S . -d SAMPLEDB -U sa -P pass -s"|" -W -Q "SET NOCOUNT ON SET ANSI_WARNINGS OFF select * from view_Table" > Sample.csv -h -1 | findstr /v /c:"NULL"

Answer 1

You can easily build the extraction SQL for each view using the system management views. This simple query:
SELECT v.[name]
,c.[name]
,c.[column_id]
,c.[is_nullable]
FROM sys.views V
INNER JOIN sys.columns C
ON V.[object_id] = C.[object_id];
will return everything we need to perform the task:
the view name
the column name
the column order
if the column is nullable
So, we need only to build the extraction SQL statements:
SELECT v.[name]
,'SELECT ' + DS.[definition] + ' FROM ' + v.[name]
FROM sys.views V
CROSS APPLY
(
SELECT STUFF
(
(
SELECT ',' + CASE WHEN c.[is_nullable] = 1 THEN 'ISNULL(' + c.[name] + ','''')' ELSE c.[name] END
FROM sys.columns C
WHERE V.[object_id] = C.[object_id]
ORDER BY c.[column_id]
FOR XML PATH(''), TYPE
).value('.', 'NVARCHAR(MAX)')
,1
,1
,''
)
) DS ([definition]);
Depending on your SQL version you can reduce the code above - for example using IIF or STRING_AGG.
Also, you can add WHERE clause to filter the query for specific views.

Answer 2

Change the sql in the command string to select fields individually and do an ISNULL on them
select * from view_Table
To
select ISNULL([FIELD_1],''''),ISNULL([FIELD_2],'''') from view_Table
in you calling string
use the following code to build it and check to see the final statement runs
DECLARE #Temp VARCHAR(MAX)
SET #Temp = 'SELECT ISNULL([FIELD_1],''''),ISNULL([FIELD_2],'''') FROM view_Table'
SELECT #Temp