How can I quickly delete all databases whose name matches a patttern? - sql-server

Question

I have many databases that on my SQL Server box that start with a prefix zzz.
Is there a way to do a DROP DATABASE (or some other method) that will remove and delete the data files? If a connection is opened, I want it closed.
Basically I just want them gone.

Answer 1

Generate a drop script, copy/paste & run:
exec master.sys.sp_msforeachdb 'if ''?'' like ''ZZZ%'' print ''drop database [?]'''
Or drop directly in the SQL string if your brave.

Answer 2

use master;
go
-- this will drop all dbs that start with t5....
declare #strsql varchar(500)
declare #curname sysname
select #curname = name from sys.databases
where name like 't5%'
while( ##rowcount> 0)
begin
set #strsql ='ALTER DATABASE ' +#curname +' SET OFFLINE WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE'
exec (#strsql)
set #strsql ='drop database '+#curname
exec (#strsql)
select #curname = name from sys.databases
where name like 't5%'
end

Answer 3

You could write a dynamic SQL to do this:
use master
go
declare #dbnames nvarchar(max)
declare #statement nvarchar(max)
declare #closeconnection nvarchar(max)
set #dbnames = ''
set #statement = ''
select #dbnames = #dbnames + ',[' + name + ']' from sys.databases where name like 'zzz%'
if len(#dbnames) = 0
begin
print 'no databases to drop'
end
else
BEGIN
SET #closeconnection = 'alter database ' + substring(#dbnames, 2, len(#dbnames))
+ ' SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE'
set #statement = 'drop database ' + substring(#dbnames, 2, len(#dbnames))
print #statement
EXEC sp_executesql #closeconnection;
exec sp_executesql #statement;
end
Normally, the syntax to close all active connections to a database is:
--set it to single user to disable any other connections
ALTER DATABASE YourDatabase SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE
--do your stuff here
--set it back to multiple users
ALTER DATABASE YourDatabase SET MULTI_USER
Alternatively, you could also generate a dynamic select list that populates your drop database statement along with close connection statements like this:
USE master;
Go
SELECT 'DROP DATABASE '+ name,
'alter database ' + name + ' SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE'
FROM sys.databases WHERE name like 'zzz%';
GO
Courtesy: #SeriousM and OFH

Answer 4

I modified benjamin's script a bit so you only have to declare the prefix once.
use master;
declare #dbPrefix varchar(10)
set #dbPrefix = 'zzz_%';
declare #strsql varchar(500)
declare #curname sysname
select #curname = name from sys.databases
where name like #dbPrefix
while( ##rowcount> 0)
begin
set #strsql ='ALTER DATABASE ' +#curname +' SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE'
exec (#strsql)
set #strsql ='drop database '+#curname
exec (#strsql)
select #curname = name from sys.databases
where name like #dbPrefix
end