I would like to copy a table from one database to another. I know you can easily do the following if the databases are on the same SQL Server.
SELECT * INTO NewTable FROM existingdb.dbo.existingtable;
Is there any easy way to do this if the databases are on two different SQL Servers, without having to loop through every record in the original table and insert it into the new table?
Also, this needs to be done in code, outside of SQL Server Management Studio.
Yes. add a linked server entry, and use select into using the four part db object naming convention.
Example:
SELECT * INTO targetTable
FROM [sourceserver].[sourcedatabase].[dbo].[sourceTable]
If it’s only copying tables then linked servers will work fine or creating scripts but if secondary table already contains some data then I’d suggest using some third party comparison tool.
I’m using Apex Diff but there are also a lot of other tools out there such as those from Red Gate or Dev Art...
Third party tools are not necessary of course and you can do everything natively it’s just more convenient. Even if you’re on a tight budget you can use these in trial mode to get things done….
Here is a good thread on similar topic with a lot more examples on how to do this in pure sql.
SQL Server(2012) provides another way to generate script for the SQL Server databases with its objects and data. This script can be used to copy the tables’ schema and data from the source database to the destination one in our case.
Using the SQL Server Management Studio, right-click on the source database from the object explorer, then from Tasks choose Generate Scripts.
In the Choose objects window, choose Select Specific Database Objects to specify the tables that you will generate script for, then choose the tables by ticking beside each one of it. Click Next.
In the Set Scripting Options window, specify the path where you will save the generated script file, and click Advanced.
From the appeared Advanced Scripting Options window, specify Schema and Data as Types of Data to Script. You can decide from here if you want to script the indexes and keys in your tables. Click OK.
Getting back to the Advanced Scripting Options window, click Next.
Review the Summary window and click Next.
You can monitor the progress from the Save or Publish Scripts window. If there is no error click Finish and you will find the script file in the specified path.
SQL Scripting method is useful to generate one single script for the tables’ schema and data, including the indexes and keys. But again this method doesn’t generate the tables’ creation script in the correct order if there are relations between the tables.
Microsoft SQL Server Database Publishing Wizard will generate all the necessary insert statements, and optionally schema information as well if you need that:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=56E5B1C5-BF17-42E0-A410-371A838E570A
Generate the scripts?
Generate a script to create the table then generate a script to insert the data.
check-out SP_ Genereate_Inserts for generating the data insert script.
Create the database, with Script Database as... CREATE To
Within SSMS on the source server, use the export wizard with the destination server database as the destination.
Source instance > YourDatabase > Tasks > Export data
Data Soure = SQL Server Native Client
Validate/enter Server & Database
Destination = SQL Server Native Client
Validate/enter Server & Database
Follow through wizard
Related
I have a MS Access file containing hundred of tables, I should create these tables using C# at runtime. So I should generate a script and use that query inside C# to create the tables.
Is there a way that MS Access can generate this SQL script automatically?
Best regards
No, Access itself cannot automatically create DDL (CREATE TABLE ...) code like SQL Server can. It is entirely possible that some third-party product might be able to scan through an Access database and write DDL statements for each table, but recommendations for such a third-party product would be off-topic on Stack Overflow.
Also, as mentioned in the comments to the question, creating an empty database file and then creating each table "from scratch" via DDL is not really necessary for an Access database. Since an Access database is just a file you can distribute your application with a database file that already contains the empty tables (and other database objects as required).
You can use an SSIS package to generate the create table command.
Start a new SSIS package. Add a connection manager for the Access database.
Then add a connection manager for a SQL Server database.
When you configure the dataflow task. Select the Access database as the source, then the SQL server as the destination. When choosing the table or view for the destination hit the [New] button and you will get the table creation script from the Access table DDL translated to MS SQL Server.
I've created the structure of my database first in PhpMyAdmin and exported it to a .sql file.
Now I'm looking everywhere in SQL Server Management Studio where I can import/add the data in a new database.
Does anybody where to look or what to click?
I'm using the 2014 version (CTP2)
If you have a .sql file which contains SQL statements, you can just copy and paste the contents (or open the file in a query window) and run it. This assumes it has all of the create table etc. statements to create the schema/structure and not just insert statements for the data.
Check the top of the file to make sure that it is first selecting the correct database, if not add a USE statement to select the correct database.
You didn't say how big the file was, but if it is quite large and has the insert statements (data as well as schema), then you'll probably want to run by CLI using sqlcmd command. Much faster and SSMS won't freak out.
Another alternative option to running the .sql file/code is to set up a data source for mysql and just use odbc to access the database itself.
Bear in mind that there are real and very annoying differences between mysql and t-sql that can make migration a pain. If you're just creating a few tables, it may not be an issue, but if there are a ton of tables with lots of fields of different data types, you may run into issues.
If you are looking to import table structure, you can copy-paste the content and run inside SSMS in a query window. Beware of syntax differences with MySQL and SQL Server. You will most likely get errors. You need to convert your SQL script from MySQL dialect to SQL Server dialect (or just add them manually if they are not too many). If you set the databases to a SQL standard-compatibility mode at the very beginning, you will have much less trouble.
If you are ONLY looking just to import the data into existing tables inside the SQL Server only, you can do the same (i.e. copy-paste and run in query window). You will have less trouble with that.
Open the server, open "Databases" and right click the database, go to "Tasks" and then Import Data...
I have had the most 'trouble free' success importing to SQL via a flat file method (comma delimited .txt file), the only stipulation when creating a flat file (i.e from Access) make sure the text identifier is set to {none} and not "".
To import the file: in the SQL Server Management Studio right click on Databases and create a new database. Then right click on the new database -> Tasks -> Import Data... The import window opens: in the DATA SOURCE option select Flat File Source and select the .txt file...click NEXT. In the DESTINATION field select SQL Server Native Client 11.0 and go through the import process. This worked very well for me.
Want to create a script to export Data and tables and views to a sql script.
I have SQL Server 2008 r2.
So far I've only been able to automatically generate an sqlscript for all tables and views. But the data wasn't included.
OR is there any easier way to export data, tables, views, from one SQL Server to my ISP's SQL server?
Regards
Tea
If for some reason a backup/restore won't work for you, SSMS' Generate Scripts tool includes an advanced scripting option to include data:
Here are some options to think over (prioritised in terms of what I would recommend):-
A simple backup and restore will be the easiest and quickest solution;
Using a data scripting tool (like Red-Gate's Data Compare) could solve your needs;
Use the database comparison as part of Visual Studio.
A SSIS package could be developed to pump data back and forth between the two instances; or
Write your own script using the SET IDENTITY INSERT ON / OFF command for the identity seeded tables
The easiest way to do this is to create a backup, copy the .bak file to the other server, and restore the backup there.
Like #jhewlett said that will be the best way to do it. to answer the question in the comment section. no it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure that the SQL Server Versions are the same. Had a bit of an issue not to long ago where there were two pc's with different releases of the R2 installed and couldn't restore the backup. Other thing you can also do is to script the entire database with data, but this will not be recommended as it could take a long time to generate the script and for it to finish running on the other computer.
Or you can simply just stop the SQL server instance and copy the database away onto an external hard drive and re-attach it to the other server. just remember to start the instances after doing this step.
I use Navicat Premium for these kind of things in mysql. It generates sql from data, tables, views and anything else. It provides tools to copy or synchronize table from one database on different server or platforms as well. For example I use it so much to transfer my tables from MySQL to a SQLite database, So easy and fast. Otherwise I had to transfer it manually with so much trouble.
very good tool and required for any DB admin or programmer. It support MySQL, Oracle, MS SQL Server, PostgreSQL and SQLite.
To Generate a schema with data follow these steps.
Select database to generate a schema '>' right click '>' Tasks '>' Generate schema '>' click NEXT in popup window '>'
select DB object to generate schema and click NEXT '>'
Go to advance option and scroll down '>'
Find Type of data to script and select one option as you need. '>'
and then Next Next and finish it.
Enjoy it.
If you don't want to port all tables data (for example you need to port just some base data in special tables) scripting options is not useful for you. In this case you'll have two options. First is using some third parties tools such as Red-Gate and Second way is writing the script by yourself. I prefer Second option because except the expensive price of most of them i want to run just little script for little delete, update and inserting purpose. But the important problem is here: maybe the record count is too long to write scripts record by record. I Think the linked Server is good point to solve that. It's enough for describing Just Declare Linked Server as you see in Images and get new script in your source DB and write scripts with access to both source and destination DB. Attached image must be clear.
Create New Linked Server:
Write Destination SQL Server Address:
Fill Login Info:
Now you have Linked Server:
Write script and enjoy:
Hope this help.
I want to dump one SQL Server database - get all SQL code necessary to create a similar database. I have full online rights to DatabaseA, I can feed it with SQL and get the results back in rows in a table.
I do not have the possibility to use Enterprise Manager, any applications, utilities or the like. I can only feed it with pure SQL.
What I am after is SQL code, like CREATE TABLE and so on. So that I just can paste this into a query and voila - tables, procedures, functions are created in DatabaseB.
I will not copy the data.
This partly does what I want, it gives me procedures and functions:
Select object_Name(object_ID),definition from sys.SQL_Modules
But not for tables.
You can use the command line or you can create a stored procedure to create a back up, then use that backup to create a new database. I have used the command line often. Here is a previous Stack question that has a command line example and a link to a stored procedure example.
You can generate scripts in SQL Server Management Studio for an entire database or specific database objects.
To do this, right click the database then select Tasks then select Generate Scripts.
It will then open a wizard which will give you the option to choose to script the full database or just specific database objects.
I need to upsize a split Access database, i.e., one that's currently split between tow mdb files, a front-end and back-end. I see many webpages that in essence say, "run the Upsizing Wizard." My first, very basic question:
Should I be running this wizard in my front-end mdb or my back-end mdb?
I assume I don't want to link main mdb -> backend mdb -> sql server. Should I run the wizard on the backend mdb, and then in the frontend mdb change the linked tables to point to sql server rather than to the backend mdb? If so, how is this done? When I right-click and go into the Linked Table Manager for a table in the frontend (linked to the backend md), it only seems to let me choose a new mdb file.
I would agree with your first guess: you will want to run the wizard on the back-end mdb.
Once that's in SQL Server, also as you guessed, you'll want to link the front end to work with the SQL Server data. One way to do this is to set up an ODBC data source for your new SQL Server database and select that in the Linked Table Manager.
Open the Data Sources (ODBC) shortcut: in XP Pro, this is in the Control Panel under Administrative Tools. (If you don't see it, you probably don't have permission to create a data source, so you'll have to work with your network people to do this.) This will open the ODBC Administrator.
On the File DSN tab, click Add.... You'll see a list of available drivers. Select SQL Server and click Next. (If the front end is only being used on your machine, you can create a System DSN instead.)
Find a common location and name your data source.
Click Next and Finish. This will set up the first part of the data source, and will open the SQL Server data source wizard.
Name the data source and select the server on which you've put the upsized back-end database.
Change the rest of the settings as needed (you may not need to change much, but the scope of those changes may require a second question) and click through to Finish.
Once you have the data source set up, then Get External Data should give you the option to select it as your source. (In 2007, you can get there from the External Data ribbon. ODBC data sources are available under More.)
To expand a little further based on Matt's follow-up questions:
How you do it is a design choice. I recommend upsizing the back-end mdb because that would allow you to keep whatever forms and such you had in Access; I think it's less of a transition if your data is in SQL Server.
Before you upsized, your tables were linked to the back-end database, and the Linked Table Manager showed the links. After you set up the ODBC data source and linked those tables, it'll show that link. You'll view the links in two different ways because they're actually different types of links (Access vs. ODBC), even though the links may look the same in your front-end mdb.
Personally I have found that the upsizing wizard does a very bad job of determining correct datatypes. I would create the tables myself in SQL server using the datatypes I need, then move the data to the existing tables from Access. other wise you will be stuck with text data when you could use varchar or float when you really need decimal.
Once the data has been moved then I would delete the Access tables and link to the SQL Server tables.
Do not do anything without having a backup copy of the database first.
As a matter of standard paranoia, I would just make a backup copy of the existing files and run the Upsizing Wizard on the front end. If anything undesirable happens, just revert the changes by overwriting with the backup copy.
Update the front end, and it will import the back end tables before it upsizes. I did this a week ago with a successful result.
However, any queries that use -1 instead of Yes will fail. Any full table deletes on tables without a primary key will fail, and you will get different behaviour from that than you will by merely using a pass-through SQL query to truncate table. The trunc will delete all rows, the Access version may leave a blank.
Also you'll need to include dbSeeChanges anywhere you have a recordset opening on a table with an autonumber column data type. SQL changes these to Identity data types, then gripes before you try to open the table. Good luck.
Do it all in the front end
You can simply export the tables to SQL Server.
You can then delete the linked tables you have in your frontend.
Then link the connection to SQL Server
Check:
when you open tables you get records
all your queries run
compile your code
You will also have to consider how you are releasing the front end. If you are using a dsn file you will need to provide that to each user.
You will need to determine how the end user accesses SQL Server. Are you using a single login with the username and password stored in the connection?
You could also split your backend DB into multiple Access DB and link them in the frontend.