Select all unique values from all columns in a table - sql-server

Question

I need to select all unique values from all columns in a table.
I have tried to implement the query below which I found in the thread How to get unique values from all columns of a table in SQL Server.
declare #Sql_Str varchar(8000)='';
select #Sql_Str=#Sql_Str+' select cast (' +name +' as varchar(500))
from <yourtable> union'
from sys.columns
where [object_id]=object_id('<yourtable>');
set #Sql_Str=SUBSTRING(#Sql_Str,1,len(#Sql_Str)-6);
exec(#Sql_Str)
I cannot get that query to work however. My table has 118 columns. I think that may be more data than the query above may handle.

Answer 1

Try something like this:
DECLARE #Schema VARCHAR(500)='dbo';
DECLARE #tableName VARCHAR(500)='SomeTable';
DECLARE #cmd NVARCHAR(MAX)=
(
SELECT STUFF(
(
SELECT ' UNION ALL SELECT ''' + c.TABLE_SCHEMA + ''' AS TableSchema '
+ ',''' + c.TABLE_NAME + ''' AS TableName '
+ ',''' + c.COLUMN_NAME + ''' AS ColumnName '
+ ',''' + c.DATA_TYPE + ''' AS ColumnType '
+ ',CAST(' + QUOTENAME(c.COLUMN_NAME)+' AS NVARCHAR(MAX)) AS Value '
+ ' FROM ' + QUOTENAME(c.TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(c.TABLE_NAME)
+ ' WHERE ' + QUOTENAME(c.COLUMN_NAME) + ' IS NOT NULL '
+ ' GROUP BY ' + QUOTENAME(c.COLUMN_NAME) + ' '
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS AS c
WHERE TABLE_NAME=#TableName
AND TABLE_SCHEMA=#Schema
--exclude not supported types
--AND c.DATA_TYPE NOT IN('xml') --add more types
FOR XML PATH(''),TYPE
).value('.','nvarchar(max)'),1,10,'')
);
--PRINT #cmd
EXEC(#cmd);
This statement will first create a long list of UNION ALL SELECT with GROUP BY (better than DISTINCT) as dynamically created SQL and executes this with EXEC().
You can decomment PRINT to examine the statement created.

Answer 2

This should work in tSQL:
declare #table_name varchar(55)
set #table_name= 'IV00101' ---- <-- Change this to your table name
create table #colcount (
colname varchar(55),
dct int,
tot int
)
create table #colContent (
colname varchar(55),
col_val nvarchar(max),
col_val_count int
)
create table #sqlexecs( s varchar(max))
declare #col_name varchar(max), #sql nvarchar(max), #sql2 nvarchar(max)
declare c cursor for
select name from sys.columns where [object_id]=object_id(#table_name)
open c
fetch next from c into #col_name
while ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
begin
set #sql = 'select cn.name, count(distinct '+#col_name+') as dct_numrow, count('+#col_name+') as tot_numrow from '+#table_name+' join (select name from sys.columns where name = '''+#col_name+''' and [object_id]=object_id('''+#table_name+''')) cn on cn.name = '''+#col_name+''' group by cn.name'
set #sql2 = 'select ' +#col_name+', count('+#col_name+') as colvalcnt from '+#table_name+' group by '+#col_name
--insert into #sqlexecs values (#sql) --uncomment to view sql selects produced by #sql
--insert into #sqlexecs values (#sql2) --uncomment to view sql selects produced by #sql2
insert into #colcount execute sp_executesql #sql
------
declare #d int, #t int
set #d = (select dct from #colcount where colname = #col_name)
set #t = (select tot from #colcount where colname = #col_name)
if (#d <> #t)
begin
insert into #colContent (colname) values (#col_name)
insert into #colContent (col_val,col_val_count) execute sp_executesql #sql2
end
else
begin
insert into #colContent values (#col_name,1,1)
end
fetch next from c into #col_name
end
close c
deallocate c
--select * from #sqlexecs -- uncomment to view sql code produced by #sql and #sql2
select * from #colcount --order by dct desc
select * from #colContent
drop table #colcount
drop table #colContent
drop table #sqlexecs
The first table shows column name, distinct value count, and total value count.
The second table shows column name, distinct values, and the number of times a distinct value appears. If values in column are all distinct (column is a candidate key), colname | 1 | 1 is shown. This should work if copy/pasted, please let me know it doesn't. Dev for use in Dynamics GP.