How to find specific word in all columns of a table - sql-server

Question

this is my table structure and data.
create table tbl_test
(id int identity(1,1),
column1 nvarchar(50),
coulmn2 nvarchar(50),
coulmn3 nvarchar(50))-- Create a table
insert into tbl_Test (column1,coulmn2,coulmn3) values
('qqGriffrr','Serjey','Maciej')
insert into tbl_Test (column1,coulmn2,coulmn3) values('King','Fisher','Ajay')
insert into tbl_Test (column1,coulmn2,coulmn3) values('Paul','ssGriffdd','Serjey')
insert into tbl_Test (column1,coulmn2,coulmn3) values('King','Fisher','xxGriffzzz')
this way i am finding and it is working
select * from tbl_test where 'Griff'
IN(column1 ,column2 ,column3)
select * from tbl_test where column1 like '%Griff%'
OR coulmn2 like '%Griff%'
OR coulmn3 like '%Griff%'
i am looking some neat way hence i do not have to include so many OR and Like clause if no of column would increase. so tell me the best approach to solve it.
thanks

Answer 1

If you have an ability to use full text search you can just do it like this:
select *
from test_table
where CONTAINS(*, '"blablabla"')

Answer 2

A little more generic, remove the external loop if you need only a single table:
DECLARE #TableName sysname, #ColName sysname
DECLARE #Find sysname
DECLARE #sql nvarchar(4000)
SET #Find = N'sometext'
DECLARE cTables CURSOR FOR SELECT name from dbo.sysobjects where Category = 0 AND type NOT IN (N'F', N'FN', N'IF', N'TF', N'P', N'TR', N'V', N'K')
OPEN cTables
FETCH NEXT FROM cTables INTO #TableName
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
DECLARE cColumns CURSOR FOR SELECT column_name FROM information_schema.columns WHERE table_name = #TableName AND DATA_TYPE NOT IN ('Image', 'bit', 'int', 'datetime', 'ntext', 'varbinary')
OPEN cColumns
FETCH NEXT FROM cColumns INTO #ColName
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
SET #sql = N'SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE #Value sysname, #NewValue sysname
IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM [' + #TableName + N'] WHERE [' + #ColName + N'] LIKE N''%'+ #Find + '%'')
BEGIN
SELECT #Value = [' + #ColName + N'] FROM [' + #TableName + N'] WHERE [' + #ColName + N'] LIKE N''%' + #Find + '%''
SELECT ''' + #ColName + N''' [Column], ''' + #TableName + N''' [Table], [' + #ColName + N'] [ValueFound], * FROM [' + #TableName + N'] WHERE [' + #ColName + N'] LIKE N''%' + #Find + '%''
END
'
-- PRINT #sql
EXEC sp_sqlexec #sql
FETCH NEXT FROM cColumns INTO #ColName
END
CLOSE cColumns;
DEALLOCATE cColumns;
FETCH NEXT FROM cTables INTO #TableName
END
CLOSE cTables;
DEALLOCATE cTables;
edited to use only selected table:
DECLARE #ColName sysname
DECLARE #Find sysname
DECLARE #sql nvarchar(4000), #TableName sysname
SET #Find = N'sometext'
SET #TableName = N'YourTable'
DECLARE cColumns CURSOR FOR SELECT column_name FROM information_schema.columns WHERE table_name = #TableName AND DATA_TYPE NOT IN ('Image', 'bit', 'int', 'datetime', 'ntext', 'varbinary')
OPEN cColumns
FETCH NEXT FROM cColumns INTO #ColName
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
SET #sql = N'SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE #Value sysname, #NewValue sysname
IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM [' + #TableName + N'] WHERE [' + #ColName + N'] LIKE N''%'+ #Find + '%'')
BEGIN
SELECT #Value = [' + #ColName + N'] FROM [' + #TableName + N'] WHERE [' + #ColName + N'] LIKE N''%' + #Find + '%''
SELECT ''' + #ColName + N''' [Column], ''' + #TableName + N''' [Table], [' + #ColName + N'] [ValueFound], * FROM [' + #TableName + N'] WHERE [' + #ColName + N'] LIKE N''%' + #Find + '%''
END
'
-- PRINT #sql
EXEC sp_sqlexec #sql
FETCH NEXT FROM cColumns INTO #ColName
END
CLOSE cColumns;
DEALLOCATE cColumns;

Answer 3

select *
from tbl_test
where column1+column2 +column3 like '%Griff%'

Answer 4

I found one which looks good. here it is.
Searching and finding a string value in all columns in a SQL Server table
CREATE PROCEDURE sp_FindStringInTable #stringToFind VARCHAR(100), #schema sysname, #table sysname
AS
DECLARE #sqlCommand VARCHAR(8000)
DECLARE #where VARCHAR(8000)
DECLARE #columnName sysname
DECLARE #cursor VARCHAR(8000)
BEGIN TRY
SET #sqlCommand = 'SELECT * FROM [' + #schema + '].[' + #table + '] WHERE'
SET #where = ''
SET #cursor = 'DECLARE col_cursor CURSOR FOR SELECT COLUMN_NAME
FROM ' + DB_NAME() + '.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = ''' + #schema + '''
AND TABLE_NAME = ''' + #table + '''
AND DATA_TYPE IN (''char'',''nchar'',''ntext'',''nvarchar'',''text'',''varchar'')'
EXEC (#cursor)
OPEN col_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM col_cursor INTO #columnName
WHILE ##FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
IF #where <> ''
SET #where = #where + ' OR'
SET #where = #where + ' [' + #columnName + '] LIKE ''' + #stringToFind + ''''
FETCH NEXT FROM col_cursor INTO #columnName
END
CLOSE col_cursor
DEALLOCATE col_cursor
SET #sqlCommand = #sqlCommand + #where
--PRINT #sqlCommand
EXEC (#sqlCommand)
END TRY
BEGIN CATCH
PRINT 'There was an error. Check to make sure object exists.'
IF CURSOR_STATUS('variable', 'col_cursor') <> -3
BEGIN
CLOSE col_cursor
DEALLOCATE col_cursor
END
END CATCH
Calling this way
EXEC sp_FindStringInTable 'Irv%', 'Person', 'Address'