Getting the emails for SQL Server Job Failures - sql-server

Question

I'm trying to follow the link in order to send automated emails with the descriptions of the job failures.
However, when I'm trying to pass these arguments into the procedure:
EXEC msdb.dbo.TestMail
#job_id = '$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(JOBID))'
,#strtdt = '$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(STRTDT))'
,#strttm = '$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(STRTTM))'
,#operator_name = 'MSXOperator'
,#mail_on_success = 'Y'
,#attach_output_file = 'ON_FAILUR
I see the following error:
Msg 8114, Level 16, State 5, Procedure TestMail, Line 0
Error converting data type varchar to uniqueidentifier.
The code for TestMail is
USE msdb
GO
IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.TestMail') IS NOT NULL DROP PROC dbo.TestMail
GO
CREATE PROC dbo.TestMail
#job_id uniqueidentifier
,#strtdt varchar(100)
,#strttm varchar(100)
,#operator_name sysname = 'MSXOperator'
,#mail_on_success char(1) = 'Y' --'Y', 'N'
,#attach_output_file varchar(10) = 'ON_FAILURE' --'ALWAYS', 'NEVER', 'ON_FAILURE'
AS
SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE
#job_name sysname
,#job_id_str varchar(200) --GUID representation as string without hyphens
,#email_address nvarchar(300)
,#run_status int --0 = Failed, 1 = Succeeded, 2 = Retry, 3 = Canceled
,#run_status_desc varchar(9) --Failed, Succeeded, Retry, Canceled
,#importance varchar(6) --low, normal, high
,#output_file_names varchar(max)
,#subject nvarchar(255)
,#body nvarchar(max)
,#step_name sysname --to hold name of jobstep
,#step_duration int
,#step_duration_str varchar(20)
,#job_duration int
,#job_duration_str varchar(20)
,#step_id int
,#step_run_status int
,#step_run_status_desc varchar(9)
,#crlf char(2)
,#send_mail_bit bit --calculated just before send mail routine
,#attach_output_file_bit bit --calculated just before send mail routine
,#ag_tkn_step_id varbinary(200)
,#ag_tkn_job_id varbinary(200)
,#ag_tkn_strt_dt varbinary(200)
,#ag_tkn_strt_tm varbinary(200)
,#ag_tkn_mach_nm varbinary(200)
,#ag_tkn_inst_nm varbinary(200)
SET #crlf = CHAR(13) + CHAR(10)
SET #body = ''
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--We can't represent agent tokens as strings if we want to push this proc out from an MSX server.
--The first SELECT is only used in dev, to ger each strin representation as varbinary.
-- This will look weird when deployed on a TSX server.
--The second part sets each variable to a varbinary representation of each string.
--The variable are used later in the proc
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--SELECT
-- CAST('$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(STEPID))' AS varbinary(200))
--,CAST('$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(JOBID))' AS varbinary(200))
--,CAST('$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(STRTDT))' AS varbinary(200))
--,CAST('$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(STRTTM))' AS varbinary(200))
--,CAST('$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(MACH))' AS varbinary(200))
--,CAST('$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(INST))' AS varbinary(200))
SET #ag_tkn_step_id = 0x24284553434150455F5351554F5445285354455049442929
SET #ag_tkn_job_id = 0x24284553434150455F5351554F5445284A4F4249442929
SET #ag_tkn_strt_dt = 0x24284553434150455F5351554F5445285354525444542929
SET #ag_tkn_strt_tm = 0x24284553434150455F5351554F54452853545254544D2929
SET #ag_tkn_mach_nm = 0x24284553434150455F5351554F5445284D4143482929
SET #ag_tkn_inst_nm = 0x24284553434150455F5351554F544528494E53542929
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Validate input parameters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IF #mail_on_success NOT IN('Y', 'N')
BEGIN
RAISERROR('Bad value for parameter #mail_on_success, values allowed are ''Y'' and ''N''.', 16, 1)
RETURN
END
IF #attach_output_file NOT IN ('ALWAYS', 'NEVER', 'ON_FAILURE')
BEGIN
RAISERROR('Bad value for parameter #attach_output_file, values allowed are ''ALWAYS'', ''NEVER'' andd ''ON_FAILURE''.', 16, 1)
RETURN
END
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Get job name
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SET #job_name = (SELECT s.name FROM msdb.dbo.sysjobs AS s WHERE s.job_id = #job_id)
IF #job_name IS NULL
BEGIN
RAISERROR('Failed to retreive job name baed on #job_id, teminating procedure MailAfterJob.', 16, 1)
RETURN
END
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--String representation of job_id (to match representation in file name)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SET #job_id_str = UPPER(master.dbo.fn_varbintohexstr(#job_id))
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Get email_address for operator
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SET #email_address = (SELECT o.email_address FROM msdb.dbo.sysoperators AS o WHERE o.name = #operator_name)
IF #email_address IS NULL
BEGIN
RAISERROR('Unknown mail operator name, teminating procedure MailAfterJob.', 16, 1)
RETURN
END
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Get job outcome for *this* execuution, store in table variable
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECLARE #jobhistory table(instance_id int, step_id int, run_status int, step_name sysname, step_duration int)
INSERT INTO #jobhistory (instance_id, step_id, run_status, step_name, step_duration)
SELECT instance_id, step_id, run_status, step_name, run_duration
FROM msdb.dbo.sysjobhistory AS h
WHERE h.job_id = #job_id
AND msdb.dbo.agent_datetime(h.run_date, h.run_time) >= msdb.dbo.agent_datetime(CAST(#strtdt AS int), CAST(#strttm AS int))
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Get lowest run status for this execution (0 = fail)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SET #run_status = (SELECT MIN(h.run_status)
FROM #jobhistory AS h
INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.sysjobhistory AS hi ON hi.instance_id = h.instance_id
WHERE hi.job_id = #job_id)
IF #run_status IS NULL
BEGIN
RAISERROR('Could not determine run status for job, teminating procedure MailAfterJob.', 16, 1)
RETURN
END
SET #run_status_desc = CASE #run_status
WHEN 0 THEN 'FAILED'
WHEN 1 THEN 'SUCCEEDED'
WHEN 2 THEN 'RETRY'
WHEN 3 THEN 'CANCELED'
END
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Set importance for email
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IF #run_status = 0
SET #importance = 'high'
ELSE
SET #importance = 'low'
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Get output file names to attach to email, in table variable
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECLARE #output_file_names_table table(output_file_name_step varchar(300))
INSERT INTO #output_file_names_table(output_file_name_step)
SELECT REPLACE(COALESCE(s.output_file_name, ''), CAST(#ag_tkn_step_id AS varchar(200)), CAST(s.step_id AS varchar(20))) AS out_file_name
FROM msdb.dbo.sysjobsteps AS s
WHERE s.job_id = #job_id
AND s.output_file_name IS NOT NULL
AND EXISTS(SELECT * FROM #jobhistory AS h WHERE h.step_id = s.step_id)
--Replace agent tokens with actual values
UPDATE #output_file_names_table SET output_file_name_step = REPLACE(output_file_name_step, CAST(#ag_tkn_job_id AS varchar(200)), #job_id_str)
UPDATE #output_file_names_table SET output_file_name_step = REPLACE(output_file_name_step, CAST(#ag_tkn_strt_dt AS varchar(200)), #strtdt)
UPDATE #output_file_names_table SET output_file_name_step = REPLACE(output_file_name_step, CAST(#ag_tkn_strt_tm AS varchar(200)), #strttm)
UPDATE #output_file_names_table SET output_file_name_step = REPLACE(output_file_name_step, CAST(#ag_tkn_mach_nm AS varchar(200)), CAST(SERVERPROPERTY('MachineName') AS varchar(100)))
UPDATE #output_file_names_table SET output_file_name_step = REPLACE(output_file_name_step, CAST(#ag_tkn_inst_nm AS varchar(200)), (ISNULL(CAST(SERVERPROPERTY('InstanceName') AS varchar(100)), '')))
--Loop table with file names, create semi-colon separated string
DECLARE #output_file_name_step varchar(300)
SET #output_file_names = ''
DECLARE c CURSOR FOR SELECT DISTINCT output_file_name_step FROM #output_file_names_table
OPEN c
WHILE 1 = 1
BEGIN
FETCH NEXT FROM c INTO #output_file_name_step
IF ##FETCH_STATUS <> 0
BREAK
SET #output_file_names = #output_file_names + #output_file_name_step + ';'
END
CLOSE c
DEALLOCATE c
--Remove the last semi-colon
IF LEN(#output_file_names) > 0
SET #output_file_names = SUBSTRING(#output_file_names, 1, LEN(#output_file_names) - 1)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Construct email parts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Set mail subject
--SET #subject = ##SERVERNAME + ' ' + #run_status_desc + ' ' + #job_name
SET #subject = CASE WHEN #run_status_desc = 'SUCCEEDED' THEN 'Ok' ELSE #run_status_desc END + ': ' + #job_name
--Set mail body
DECLARE c cursor FOR SELECT h.step_id, h.step_name, h.step_duration, h.run_status FROM #jobhistory AS h ORDER BY instance_id
OPEN c
WHILE 1 = 1
BEGIN
FETCH NEXT FROM c INTO #step_id, #step_name, #step_duration, #step_run_status
IF ##FETCH_STATUS <> 0
BREAK
SET #step_duration_str = RIGHT('00000' + CAST(#step_duration AS varchar(6)), 6) --Make sure we have 0:s first
SET #step_duration_str = SUBSTRING(#step_duration_str, 1, 2) + ':' +
SUBSTRING(#step_duration_str, 3, 2) + ':' + SUBSTRING(#step_duration_str, 5, 2)
SET #step_run_status_desc = CASE #step_run_status
WHEN 0 THEN 'FAILED'
WHEN 1 THEN 'SUCCEEDED'
WHEN 2 THEN 'RETRY'
WHEN 3 THEN 'CANCELED'
END
IF #step_id <> 0
SET #body = #body + 'Step "' + #step_name + '" executed ' + #step_run_status_desc + ', time ' + #step_duration_str + '.' + #crlf
END
CLOSE c
DEALLOCATE c
SET #job_duration = (SELECT SUM(step_duration) FROM #jobhistory)
SET #job_duration_str = RIGHT('00000' + CAST(#job_duration AS varchar(6)), 6) --Make sure we have 0:s first
SET #job_duration_str = SUBSTRING(#job_duration_str, 1, 2) + ':' +
SUBSTRING(#job_duration_str, 3, 2) + ':' + SUBSTRING(#job_duration_str, 5, 2)
SET #body = 'Job executed, time ' + #job_duration_str + '.' + #crlf + #crlf + #body
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Decide whether to send email
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IF (#mail_on_success = 'N' AND #run_status = 1) --1 = Success
SET #send_mail_bit = 0
ELSE
SET #send_mail_bit = 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Decide whether to attach output file
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SET #attach_output_file_bit = 0
IF #attach_output_file = 'ALWAYS'
SET #attach_output_file_bit = 1
IF #attach_output_file = 'NEVER'
SET #attach_output_file_bit = 0
IF #attach_output_file = 'ON_FAILURE' AND #run_status <> 1 --1 = Success
SET #attach_output_file_bit = 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Send the email
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IF #send_mail_bit = 1
BEGIN
IF #attach_output_file_bit = 0
EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_send_dbmail --Do no attach output file
#recipients = #email_address
,#subject = #subject
,#body = #body
,#importance = #importance
ELSE
EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_send_dbmail --Do attach output file
#recipients = #email_address
,#subject = #subject
,#body = #body
,#importance = #importance
,#file_attachments = #output_file_names
END
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Exit with fail if we got here on failure
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IF #run_status = 0
RAISERROR('Job failed', 16, 1)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/*
--Sample execution, as to be defined in job (this can look weird when deployed on TSX server)
EXEC sqlmaint.dbo.MailAfterJob
#job_id = $(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(JOBID))
,#strtdt = '$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(STRTDT))'
,#strttm = '$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(STRTTM))'
,#operator_name = 'MSXOperator'
,#mail_on_success = 'Y'
,#attach_output_file = 'ON_FAILURE' --'ALWAYS', 'NEVER', 'ON_FAILURE'
*/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GO
The link is: http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/util_MailAfterJob.asp

Answer 1

I was able to duplicate the error; it indicates the problem exactly. The problem is that you are quoting the token '$(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(JOBID))' causing the proc to think you are passing a string, implicitly converted to VARCHAR. Since VARCHAR doesn't implicitly convert to the defined UNIQUEIDENTIFIER, you get your error.
If you simply remove the quotes, in the job step, everything works as designed. Hopefully, you aren't trying to test this outside of a SQL Agent job or it will fail no matter what you do.
Simplified Proc to Address the conversion error:
use msdb
go
if OBJECT_ID('testString','P') is null
execute sp_executesql N'CREATE PROC testString as select ''stub'' stubProc'
go
alter proc testString
#job_id uniqueidentifier
as
declare #job_id_str varchar(200)
SET #job_id_str = UPPER( master.dbo.fn_varbintohexstr( #job_id ) )
select #job_id jobID, #job_id_str jobIDStr
Test job
USE [msdb]
GO
/****** Object: Job [id TEST] Script Date: 6/8/2016 9:06:06 AM ******/
EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_delete_job #job_name=N'id TEST', #delete_unused_schedule=1
GO
/****** Object: Job [id TEST] Script Date: 6/8/2016 9:06:06 AM ******/
BEGIN TRANSACTION
DECLARE #ReturnCode INT
SELECT #ReturnCode = 0
/****** Object: JobCategory [[Uncategorized (Local)]] Script Date: 6/8/2016 9:06:06 AM ******/
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT name FROM msdb.dbo.syscategories WHERE name=N'[Uncategorized (Local)]' AND category_class=1)
BEGIN
EXEC #ReturnCode = msdb.dbo.sp_add_category #class=N'JOB', #type=N'LOCAL', #name=N'[Uncategorized (Local)]'
IF (##ERROR <> 0 OR #ReturnCode <> 0) GOTO QuitWithRollback
END
DECLARE #jobId BINARY(16)
EXEC #ReturnCode = msdb.dbo.sp_add_job #job_name=N'id TEST',
#enabled=1,
#notify_level_eventlog=0,
#notify_level_email=0,
#notify_level_netsend=0,
#notify_level_page=0,
#delete_level=0,
#description=N'No description available.',
#category_name=N'[Uncategorized (Local)]',
#owner_login_name=N'DOMAIN\USER', #job_id = #jobId OUTPUT
IF (##ERROR <> 0 OR #ReturnCode <> 0) GOTO QuitWithRollback
/****** Object: Step [TEST] Script Date: 6/8/2016 9:06:06 AM ******/
EXEC #ReturnCode = msdb.dbo.sp_add_jobstep #job_id=#jobId, #step_name=N'TEST',
#step_id=1,
#cmdexec_success_code=0,
#on_success_action=1,
#on_success_step_id=0,
#on_fail_action=2,
#on_fail_step_id=0,
#retry_attempts=0,
#retry_interval=0,
#os_run_priority=0, #subsystem=N'TSQL',
#command=N'EXEC msdb.dbo.testString
#job_id = $(ESCAPE_SQUOTE(JOBID))',
#database_name=N'master',
#flags=0
IF (##ERROR <> 0 OR #ReturnCode <> 0) GOTO QuitWithRollback
EXEC #ReturnCode = msdb.dbo.sp_update_job #job_id = #jobId, #start_step_id = 1
IF (##ERROR <> 0 OR #ReturnCode <> 0) GOTO QuitWithRollback
EXEC #ReturnCode = msdb.dbo.sp_add_jobserver #job_id = #jobId, #server_name = N'(local)'
IF (##ERROR <> 0 OR #ReturnCode <> 0) GOTO QuitWithRollback
COMMIT TRANSACTION
GOTO EndSave
QuitWithRollback:
IF (##TRANCOUNT > 0) ROLLBACK TRANSACTION
EndSave:
GO