Export xlsx Files out of a SQL Server database - sql-server

Question

I'm trying to save Excel files in my SQL Server database as BLOB and export them.
Importing the file was quiet easy, but when I'm trying to export them to the file system, the file is damaged and unreadable.
I was quite shocked, because I thought Microsoft wouldn't have much problems importing and exporting their own file types.
INSERT INTO TestBlob(tbName, tbDesc, tbBin)
SELECT
'testfile.xlsx', 'testfile', BulkColumn
FROM
OPENROWSET (Bulk 'C:\temp\testfile.xlsx', Single_Blob) AS tb
I already tried to export it by bcp but I just got a corrupted file.
Do I have to provide a special format file for xlsx files? Are there any other ways to get the xlsx files out of the database?
Thanks in advance
BR. RF

Answer 1

EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;
GO
RECONFIGURE;
GO
EXEC sp_configure 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries', 1;
GO
RECONFIGURE;
GO
USE [AdventureWorks];
GO
INSERT INTO OPENROWSET ('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0', 'Excel 8.0;Database=c:\contact.xls;',
'SELECT * FROM [Sheet1$]')
SELECT TOP 5 FirstName, LastName
FROM Person.Contact
GO
https://blog.sqlauthority.com/2008/01/08/sql-server-2005-export-data-from-sql-server-2005-to-microsoft-excel-datasheet/
Or . . .
1 Export data to existing EXCEL file from SQL Server table
insert into OPENROWSET('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0',
'Excel 8.0;Database=D:\testing.xls;',
'SELECT * FROM [SheetName$]') select * from SQLServerTable
2 Export data from Excel to new SQL Server table
select *
into SQLServerTable FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0',
'Excel 8.0;Database=D:\testing.xls;HDR=YES',
'SELECT * FROM [Sheet1$]')
3 Export data from Excel to existing SQL Server table
Insert into SQLServerTable Select * FROM OPENROWSET('Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0',
'Excel 8.0;Database=D:\testing.xls;HDR=YES',
'SELECT * FROM [SheetName$]')
4 If you dont want to create an EXCEL file in advance and want to export data to it, use
EXEC sp_makewebtask
#outputfile = 'd:\testing.xls',
#query = 'Select * from Database_name..SQLServerTable',
#colheaders =1,
#FixedFont=0,#lastupdated=0,#resultstitle='Testing details'
(Now you can find the file with data in tabular format)
5 To export data to new EXCEL file with heading(column names), create the following procedure
create procedure proc_generate_excel_with_columns
(
#db_name varchar(100),
#table_name varchar(100),
#file_name varchar(100)
)
as
--Generate column names as a recordset
declare #columns varchar(8000), #sql varchar(8000), #data_file varchar(100)
select
#columns=coalesce(#columns+',','')+column_name+' as '+column_name
from
information_schema.columns
where
table_name=#table_name
select #columns=''''''+replace(replace(#columns,' as ',''''' as '),',',',''''')
--Create a dummy file to have actual data
select #data_file=substring(#file_name,1,len(#file_name)-charindex('\',reverse(#file_name)))+'\data_file.xls'
--Generate column names in the passed EXCEL file
set #sql='exec master..xp_cmdshell ''bcp " select * from (select '+#columns+') as t" queryout "'+#file_name+'" -c'''
exec(#sql)
--Generate data in the dummy file
set #sql='exec master..xp_cmdshell ''bcp "select * from '+#db_name+'..'+#table_name+'" queryout "'+#data_file+'" -c'''
exec(#sql)
--Copy dummy file to passed EXCEL file
set #sql= 'exec master..xp_cmdshell ''type '+#data_file+' >> "'+#file_name+'"'''
exec(#sql)
--Delete dummy file
set #sql= 'exec master..xp_cmdshell ''del '+#data_file+''''
exec(#sql)
After creating the procedure, execute it by supplying database name, table name and file path
EXEC proc_generate_excel_with_columns 'your dbname', 'your table name','your file path'
As an alternative, you could use "External data" from Excel. It can use ODBC connection to fetch data from external source: Data/Get External Data/New Database Query. That way, even if the data in the database changes, you can easily refresh.