TSQL transform row values into one column table - sql-server

Question

Source Table
Col1 |Col2 |Col3 |Col4 | Col5
----------------------------------
hi | this | is | a | test
Destination Table
RowValues|
----------
hi
this
is
a
test
I am using Dynamic SQL.
Any help ?
This is my code , just change table name and the Id in the where clause to what suits you
DECLARE #sql nVARCHAR(max), #TableName nvarchar(100), #where nvarchar(max)
set #TableName = 'stockItems'
set #where= ' where id = 2'
select #sql ='Select '
select #sql = #sql+ + ' '''+ [name] +' = ''+ cast(' + [name] + ' as nvarchar(10)) as '+[name]+', '
from sys.columns where object_name (object_id) = #TableName
set #sql = stuff(#sql, len(#sql), 1, '') + ' From '+#TableName+ #where
print #sql
set #sql = REPLACE(#sql,', From',' From')
set #sql = #sql + ' '
print #sql
exec(#sql)
Now I need to create a new table that has one column that hold holds each value as a row
Thanks to #Mahmoud-Gamal
The solution should be something like below
declare #cols nvarchar(max)
select #cols = STUFF((SELECT distinct ',' +
QUOTENAME(column_name)
FROM information_schema.columns
WHERE table_name = 'vehicles'
FOR XML PATH(''), TYPE
).value('.', 'NVARCHAR(MAX)')
, 1, 1, '');
declare #statement nvarchar(max)
set #statement ='
SELECT
ColumnName, Value
FROM
Vehicles
UNPIVOT
(
Value
FOR ColumnName
IN
(
'+#cols+'
)
)
AS A'
execute(#statement)
Please change the "vehicle" table name to any table on your database that has columns from different types (datetime, int and nvarchar) and the below error is shown
Any help ?
The type of column "Description" conflicts with the type of other columns specified in the UNPIVOT list.

Answer 1

Use the UNPIVOT table operator:
SELECT col AS RowValues
FROM table1 AS t
UNPIVOT
(
col
FOR value IN([col1],
[col2],
[col3],
[col4],
[col5])
) AS u;
SQL Fiddle Demo
This will give you:
| ROWVALUES |
|-----------|
| hi |
| this |
| is |
| a |
| test |
Update:
In case you don't know the names of the columns, and you want to do this dynamically, you have to do this using dynamic SQL.
But the problem is how to get the columns names?
You can get the columns names from the information_schema.columns, then concatenate them in one sql, then replace the columns' names in the UNPIVOT with this string, and execute that statement dynamically like this:
DECLARE #cols AS NVARCHAR(MAX);
DECLARE #query AS NVARCHAR(MAX);
select #cols = STUFF((SELECT distinct ',' +
QUOTENAME(column_name)
FROM information_schema.columns
WHERE table_name = 'Table1'
FOR XML PATH(''), TYPE
).value('.', 'NVARCHAR(MAX)')
, 1, 1, '');
SELECT #query = ' SELECT col AS RowValues
FROM table1 AS t
UNPIVOT
(
val
FOR col IN ( ' + #cols + ' )
) AS u;';
EXECUTE(#query);
Updated SQL Fiddle Demo

Answer 2

I believe you want this
Select Col1 + Col2 + Col3 + Col4 + Col5 From Table
Or may be following
Select Col1 From Table1
union Select Col2 From Table1
union Select Col3 From Table1
union Select Col4 From Table1
union Select Col5 From Table1 ;