Generate CREATE TABLE statement from arbitrary SQL query - sql-server

Question

Is there script/procedure/function that can generate a CREATE TABLE statement from an arbitrary SQL query?
When building procedures, I'd like to have a quick way to generate a temporary table, rather than having to review the table definitions of all of the tables referenced in the query.
Simple example:
SELECT p.pat_id, pat_name,
enc_id, admsn_time, disch_time
FROM patient p
INNER JOIN encounter e ON p.pat_id=e.pat_id
WHERE admsn_time >= '01/01/2014'
Would generate (columns' data definition is retrieved from the system table):
-- randomly-generated table name
CREATE TABLE #random_name (
PAT_ID VARCHAR(18) NOT NULL,
PAT_NAME VARCHAR(200),
ENC_ID NUMERIC(18,0) NOT NULL,
ADMSN_TIME DATE,
DISCH_TIME DATE
)
SSMS workflow:
select the text
right click, select Generate CREATE TABLE statement (function/script/proc called; result placed on clipboard)
place cursor in desired location
paste

Answer 1

This is a bit of a hack, but you could try selecting into a table (see line #3):
SELECT p.pat_id, pat_name,
enc_id, admsn_time, disch_time
INTO delete_me
FROM patient p
INNER JOIN encounter e ON p.pat_id=e.pat_id
WHERE admsn_time >= '01/01/2014'
Then you can highlight the delete_me table in SSMS, right-click, and generate the CREATE TABLE script.
Finally, you'd want to DROP TABLE delete_me to clean up.

Answer 2

use
SELECT p.pat_id, pat_name,
enc_id, admsn_time, disch_time
into #randomtable
FROM patient p
INNER JOIN encounter e ON p.pat_id=e.pat_id
WHERE admsn_time >= '01/01/2014'
and your table will be created when you execute the statement.

Answer 3

First of all, I would make a stored procedure of the query. (It keeps me from forgetting it later)
Secondly, I would write a query to generate the table for me:
DECLARE #CREATE_TABLE_QUERY NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';
SELECT
#CREATE_TABLE_QUERY += ', ' + name + ' ' + UPPER(system_type_name) + CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) + CHAR(9)
FROM
sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set('YOUR_PROCEDURE_NAME_HERE', NULL, 1);
SELECT
#CREATE_TABLE_QUERY = N'CREATE TABLE TABLE_NAME_HERE(' + CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) + CHAR(9) + STUFF(#CREATE_TABLE_QUERY, 1, 1, N'') + ');';
PRINT #CREATE_TABLE_QUERY;
Note: Replace 'YOUR_PROCEDURE_NAME_HERE' with the name of your own stored procedure.
Note: Replace TABLE_NAME_HERE with the table name of your choice.
The above will generate something like this:
CREATE TABLE TABLE_NAME_HERE(
WeekName VARCHAR(40)
, Line Name VARCHAR(50)
, TheDate DATETIME
, ReceivedAll INT
, Answered INT
, Abandoned INT
, Call Length INT
, WaitTimeAnswer INT
, WaitTimeAbandon INT
, PeriodName VARCHAR(10)
, Week SMALLINT
, Period SMALLINT
, Year SMALLINT
, WeekInPeriod SMALLINT
, NumWeeksInPeriod SMALLINT
, WeekendDate DATETIME
, CRCOperative VARCHAR(100)
, CallType VARCHAR(20)
, Charge Time INT
, SourceNumber VARCHAR(80)
, DestinationNumber VARCHAR(80)
, CallStart DATETIME
, Out of Hours VARCHAR(12)
, IsWorkingDay BIT
);