Create INSERT statements from Excel

  • Comments posted to this topic are about the item Create INSERT statements from Excel

  • Hello! I too used to use Insert statements to get my data from Excel into SQL, however, I have had to move away from this process (to using the Import function in SQL) because my data has single quotation marks in it. For example: "Bob's Auto Shop". Using the Insert process creates an unusable SQL script. Would you happen to know a way around this? Note: Removing the single quote is not an option.

    Thank you,

    Sophie

  • Adding :

    File = InputBox("Enter file destination like C:\\filename.sql", "Filename", "c:\\InsertScript.sql")

    will give you the option of saving somewhere else as the default setting.

    I haven't found a way of picking up the formatting of the column to eliminate the ' around numbers etc.

  • To include single quotation marks in the text of an insert statement, you need to replace the single quotation mark with two single quotation marks. (NOT a double quote - thats a single charactor, but two single quotes with no seperation)

    The following

    INSERT INTO [BASE_TABLE]([C1]) VALUES('Joe''s Bar')

    will work. Add code to the macro to replace ' with '' as you build the insert statement and you should be back in business

  • The script shown is really nice, rather the author has shown a generic approach on how we can build tools to make our lives easier!!!

    Nice script, keep posting. 🙂

    Regards,

    Sriram

    Sriram

  • Thank you to all those that replied. The single quote twice works the best in my particular environment. Perfect!!

    Thanks again!

    Sophie

  • I too liked this script 🙂

    I modified it a little so that any single quotes are replaced, the results are put into the last column and it prompts you for the table name, for when you forget to change the name of the sheet. 😉

    As ever when looking a utility macros, I always like to mention it's worth storing them in your PERSONAL.xls, so that they are available in any worksheet, just in case someone reading this doesn't know about that handy feature.

    Well done Arun

    HTH

    Dave Jackson

    Sub CreateInsertScript()

    Dim Row As Integer

    Dim Col As Integer

    'To store all the columns available in the current active sheet

    Dim ColNames(100) As String

    Col = 1

    Row = 1

    Dim ColCount As Integer

    ColCount = 0

    'Get Columns from the sheet

    Do Until ActiveSheet.Cells(Row, Col) = "" 'Loop until you find a blank.

    ColNames(ColCount) = "[" + ActiveSheet.Cells(Row, Col) + "]"

    ColCount = ColCount + 1

    Col = Col + 1

    Loop

    ColCount = ColCount - 1

    Dim LastRow As Long

    Dim LastCol As Integer

    Dim S As Worksheet

    Set S = ActiveSheet

    LastRow = S.UsedRange.Rows.Count

    LastCol = S.UsedRange.Columns.Count

    'Inputs for the starting and ending point for the rows

    Row = InputBox("Give the starting Row No.", , 2)

    Dim MaxRow As Integer

    MaxRow = InputBox("Give the Maximum Row No.", , LastRow)

    Dim tableName As String

    tableName = ActiveSheet.Name

    tableName = InputBox("Give the Table name.", , tableName)

    Dim CellColCount As Integer

    Dim StringStore As String 'Temporary variable to store partial statement

    Do While Row <= MaxRow

    StringStore = ""

    CellColCount = 0

    'ActiveSheet.Name will give the current active sheet name

    'this can be treated as table name in the database

    StringStore = StringStore + "insert into [" + ActiveSheet.Name + "] ( "

    Do While CellColCount <= ColCount

    StringStore = StringStore + ColNames(CellColCount)

    'To avoid "," after last column

    If CellColCount <> ColCount Then

    StringStore = StringStore + " , "

    End If

    CellColCount = CellColCount + 1

    Loop

    StringStore = StringStore + " ) values("

    CellColCount = 0

    Do While CellColCount <= ColCount

    StringStore = StringStore + " '" + Replace(CStr(ActiveSheet.Cells(Row, CellColCount + 1)), "'", "''") + "'"

    If CellColCount <> ColCount Then

    StringStore = StringStore + ", "

    End If

    CellColCount = CellColCount + 1

    Loop

    'Update the last column with the statement

    Cells(Row, LastCol + 1).Value = StringStore & ");"

    Row = Row + 1

    Loop

    MsgBox ("Successfully Done")

    End Sub


    http://glossopian.co.uk/
    "I don't know what I don't know."

  • If you want to save the INSERT script in the same location where the spreadsheet is located and name the file like the active sheet:

    Dim FieldName As String

    FilePath = ActiveWorkbook.Path

    FieldName = ActiveSheet.Name

    Open FilePath & "\" & TableName & ".sql" For Output As #1

    And to avoid to manually specify the size (end row and column), use the spreadsheet size:

    Dim SheetObj As Variant

    SheetObj = Sheets(1).UsedRange.Value

    The VBA function UBound(SheetObj, 1) gives the last row number and UBound(SheetObj, 2) the last column used

    Note: Empty trailing rows are also considered so your code needs to deal with that.

    Finally if the purpose is to insert data into a DB/table, why not insert it directly from EXCEL using i.e. an ADODB object?

  • Use array, as Join function helps with concatenation. Consider this macro:

    Dim FieldCount As Integer

    Sub makeInsert()

    Dim r As Range

    Dim BeginOfCommand As String

    Dim RestOfCommand As String

    Dim Command As String

    FieldCount = 0

    File = "c:\temp\InsertCode.txt" 'Associate file

    fHandle = FreeFile() ' Clean it

    Open File For Output As fHandle 'and open it for writing

    For Each r In ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Rows 'Go through all nonempty, continuous rows

    If r.Row = 1 Then ' first row contains field names

    BeginOfCommand = "INSERT INTO [myTable] (" & CollectFields(r, 1) & ") VALUES "

    Else

    RestOfCommand = CollectFields(r, 2) ' the others contains data for input

    Command = BeginOfCommand & "(" & RestOfCommand & ");" 'prepare INSERT declaration

    Print #fHandle, Command ' and write it in the file

    End If

    Next

    Close #fHandle

    End Sub

    Function CollectFields(r As Range, FieldType As Integer) As String

    If FieldType = 1 Then 'Detect how many fields we have

    While r.Cells(1, FieldCount + 1) <> ""

    FieldCount = FieldCount + 1

    Wend

    FieldCount = FieldCount - 1

    End If

    ReDim arr(FieldCount) As Variant 'Declare array

    Dim v As Variant

    For i = 0 To FieldCount

    v = r.Cells(1, i + 1).Value

    If IsNumeric(v) Then

    arr(i) = v

    Else

    If FieldType = 1 Then

    arr(i) = "[" & v & "]"

    Else

    arr(i) = "'" & v & "'"

    End If

    End If

    Next

    CollectFields = Join(arr, ", ")

    End Function

    Here You only need to name the fields in the first row and fill the data under. Oh, and if there is no data, just add "NULL"

  • This is a creative script and very flexible and I thank you for it.

    However I have used Excel to create Insert statements for a long time without leaning on the Excel object model and VBA quite successfully. I actually am surprised more developers don't use a similar approach.

    The trick is to use the "Concatenate" function to piece together the ascii portions of the the statement into one long string, providing single quotes where required. Each row can have values for the insert as was shown in the example here. Once the concatenage funtion is right for the first line, the formula can be copied to subsequent lines. The formula can be turned into a string by using the "copy"-"paste special"-"text" option. The result is that each line will have will have a formatted insert statement. This column can be copied and pasted into a query window in SSMS or a Text file as required.

  • I don't see the script in the article. Am I missing anything?

    Stan

  • suslikovich (5/3/2011)


    I don't see the script in the article. Am I missing anything?

    Stan

    Actualy, the script we are talking about is in the article at:

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/scripts/insert/66001/

    few lines after conclusion.

  • In case anyone is interested I modified the script to be used for writing updates as well. It assumes that the fields which make up your primary key are the first X columns in the excel file. This is needed so they don't try to get updated, and so they appear in the where clause. It prompts for the number of unique columns. I'm sure some of my syntax can be cleaned up, this it my first time with VB.

    Sub CreateUpdateScript()

    Dim Row As Integer

    Dim Col As Integer

    'To store all the columns available in the current active sheet

    Dim ColNames(100) As String

    Col = 1

    Row = 1

    Dim ColCount As Integer

    ColCount = 0

    'Get Columns from the sheet

    Do Until ActiveSheet.Cells(Row, Col) = "" 'Loop until you find a blank.

    ColNames(ColCount) = ActiveSheet.Cells(Row, Col)

    ColCount = ColCount + 1

    Col = Col + 1

    Loop

    ColCount = ColCount - 1

    'Inputs for the starting and ending point for the rows

    Row = InputBox("Give the starting Row No.")

    Dim MaxRow As Integer

    MaxRow = InputBox("Give the Maximum Row No.")

    Dim keyCols As Integer

    keyCols = InputBox("Give the Number of unique id columns.")

    'File to save the generated insert statements

    File = "c:\\UpdateCode.txt"

    fHandle = FreeFile()

    Open File For Output As fHandle

    Dim CellColCount As Integer

    Dim StringStore As String

    Dim whereClause As String

    Do While Row <= MaxRow

    StringStore = ""

    whereClause = ""

    CellColCount = 0

    'ActiveSheet.Name will give the current active sheet name

    'this can be treated as table name in the database

    StringStore = StringStore + "update " + ActiveSheet.Name + " SET "

    Do While CellColCount <= ColCount

    If CellColCount>keyCols Then

    StringStore = StringStore + ColNames(CellColCount) + "= '" + CStr(ActiveSheet.Cells(Row, CellColCount + 1)) + "'"

    End If

    If CellColCount < keyCols-1 Then

    whereClause = whereClause + ColNames(CellColCount) + "= '" + CStr(ActiveSheet.Cells(Row, CellColCount + 1)) + "' AND "

    End If

    If CellColCount = keyCols-1 Then

    whereClause = whereClause + ColNames(CellColCount) + "= '" + CStr(ActiveSheet.Cells(Row, CellColCount + 1)) + "'"

    End If

    If (CellColCount <> ColCount) AND (cellColCount > keyCols) Then

    StringStore = StringStore + " , "

    End If

    CellColCount = CellColCount + 1

    Loop

    Print #fHandle, StringStore + " WHERE " + whereClause

    Print #fHandle, " "

    Row = Row + 1

    Loop

    Close #fHandle

    MsgBox ("Successfully Done")

    End Sub

  • My project tool will build SQL statements for you too.

    The tool will also validate and send the data directly from Excel if you wish.

    The app will generate Insert statements using a template and merge code system.

    Here is an example template :

    INSERT INTO Customers

    (

    "Short Name",

    "Name",

    "Contact First Name",

    "Contact Surname",

    "Address",

    "Town",

    "Zip/PostCode",

    "Days Credit",

    "FirstOrder"

    )

    VALUES

    ( '{XL-merge:Short Name}',

    '{XL-merge:Name}',

    '{XL-merge:Contact First Name}',

    '{XL-merge:Contact Surname}',

    '{XL-merge:Address}',

    '{XL-merge:Town}',

    '{XL-merge:Zip/PostCode}',

    {XL-merge:Days Credit},

    '{XL-merge:FirstOrder}')

    Templates are auto generated after you select a destination table or procedure.

    The application will validate all of your data by wrapping the operation in Transaction, and reporting any errors and the reason for the error against each row.

    You can modify the template SQL as you wish - changing it to Update or conditional insert / update or execute stored procedure if you wish.

    Its free for 60 days and could save you allot of time 😉

  • Hi, i liked the insert macro, can you please let me know how to add delete statement with where condition (which is in in 1st (A1) cell. Appreciate your help.

    Thanks

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