Search word in sql server

  • Hi,

    I am looking for query where I want to search particular word in all rows all tables in particular database.

    Thank you in advance !!!

  • monilps (10/22/2012)


    Hi,

    I am looking for query where I want to search particular word in all rows all tables in particular database.

    Thank you in advance !!!

    This is a horribly horribly slow process no matter what you do. You have to evaluate every column of every row of every table. I hope this not something you need to do repeatedly.

    I put this next piece of code together several years for just this sort of thing. DO NOT run this in production. Expect it to take a long time. It will eventually give you the results you are after.

    declare @table_name varchar(2000)

    declare @sSQL nvarchar(4000)

    declare @result varchar(20)

    declare @column_name varchar(2000)

    declare @SearchVal varchar(200)

    set @SearchVal = '%your search val here%'

    declare @ColName varchar (250)

    set @ColName = '%use this if you want to limit to a naming convention on the columns to search (i.e. email)%'

    declare SearchList cursor for

    select distinct so.name,sc.name from syscolumns sc

    inner join sysobjects so on sc.id = so.id

    where sc.name like @ColName

    and so.type = 'U'

    open SearchList

    fetch next from SearchList into @table_name, @column_name

    while(@@fetch_status = 0)

    begin

    select @sSQL = 'if exists (select ''' + @table_name + ''' as TableName,' + @column_name + ' from ' + @table_name + ' where ' + @column_name + ' like ''' + @SearchVal + ''') select ''' + @table_name + ''' as TableName,' + @column_name + ' from ' + @table_name + ' where ' + @column_name + ' like ''' + @SearchVal + ''''

    exec sp_executesql @sSQL

    --select @ssql

    fetch next from SearchList into @table_name, @column_name

    end

    close SearchList

    deallocate SearchList

    Another long time poster on these forums, Lowell, has submitted his own version many times. His does some things differently than mine and depending on your situation may be better suited. The same caveat goes with his. It is slow, it will cripple your sql server while it is running. DO NOT run this in production!!!

    CREATE PROCEDURE sp_UGLYSEARCH

    /*

    --Purpose: to search every string column in a databasefor a specific word

    --returns sql statement as a string which idnetifies the matching table

    -- or when the optional parameter is used, the sql statement for the specific matching column.

    --usage:

    -- EXEC sp_UGLYSEARCH 'Provisional'

    -- EXEC sp_UGLYSEARCH 'TEST'

    -- creates one SQL for each table that actually has a match for the searched value i.e.

    -- SELECT * FROM [ACACTSCR] WHERE [DESCRIP] LIKE '%TEST%' OR [TITLE] LIKE '%TEST%'

    --optional parameter SEARCHBYCOLUMN

    -- EXEC sp_UGLYSEARCH 'TEST',1

    -- creates one SQL for each Column that actually has a match for the searched value i.e.

    -- SELECT * FROM [dbo].[ACACTSCR] WHERE [DESCRIP] LIKE '%TEST%'

    -- SELECT * FROM [dbo].[ACACTSCR] WHERE [TITLE] LIKE '%TEST%'

    */

    @SEARCHSTRING VARCHAR(50),

    @SEARCHBYCOLUMN INT = 0

    AS

    BEGIN

    SET NOCOUNT ON

    DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(max),

    @SCHEMANAME VARCHAR(100),

    @TABLENAME VARCHAR(100),

    @COLUMNNAME VARCHAR(100),

    @COLZ VARCHAR(max)

    CREATE TABLE #RESULTS(SCHEMANAME VARCHAR(100), TBLNAME VARCHAR(100),COLNAME VARCHAR(100),SQL VARCHAR(max))

    SELECT

    SCHEMA_NAME(schema_id) AS SCHEMANAME,

    objz.name AS TBLNAME,

    colz.name AS COLNAME,

    TYPE_NAME(colz.user_type_id) AS DATATYPE

    INTO #TEMP

    FROM sys.objects objz

    INNER JOIN sys.columns colz ON objz.object_id = colz.object_id

    WHERE objz.type='U'

    AND TYPE_NAME(colz.user_type_id) IN ('VARCHAR','NVARCHAR','CHAR','NCHAR')

    AND colz.max_length >= LEN(@SEARCHSTRING) --smart: don't search varchar(1) columns for 'TEST' 4xmpl

    ORDER BY TBLNAME,COLNAME

    IF @SEARCHBYCOLUMN = 0

    BEGIN

    DECLARE C1 CURSOR FOR

    SELECT SCHEMANAME,TBLNAME,COLNAME FROM #TEMP ORDER BY SCHEMANAME,TBLNAME,COLNAME

    OPEN C1

    FETCH NEXT FROM C1 INTO @SCHEMANAME,@TABLENAME,@COLUMNNAME

    WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS <> -1

    BEGIN

    SET @COLZ=''

    SELECT @COLZ = @COLZ + QUOTENAME(COLNAME) + ' LIKE ''%' + @SEARCHSTRING + '%'' OR ' FROM #TEMP WHERE TBLNAME=@TABLENAME

    --@COLZ has a trailing 'OR ' which must be removed

    SET @COLZ = SUBSTRING(@COLZ,1,LEN(@COLZ) -3)

    --PRINT @COLZ

    SET @SQL = 'IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM ' + QUOTENAME(@SCHEMANAME) + '.' + QUOTENAME(@TABLENAME) + ' WHERE ' + @COLZ + ') INSERT INTO #RESULTS(TBLNAME,COLNAME,SQL) VALUES(''' + @TABLENAME + ''',''-'','' SELECT * FROM ' + QUOTENAME(@TABLENAME) + ' WHERE ' + REPLACE(@COLZ,'''','''''') + ''') ;'

    --PRINT @SQL

    EXEC (@SQL)

    FETCH NEXT FROM C1 INTO @SCHEMANAME,@TABLENAME,@COLUMNNAME

    END

    CLOSE C1

    DEALLOCATE C1

    END

    ELSE --@SEARCHBYCOLUMN <> 0

    BEGIN

    DECLARE C2 CURSOR FOR

    SELECT SCHEMANAME,TBLNAME,COLNAME FROM #TEMP ORDER BY SCHEMANAME,TBLNAME,COLNAME

    OPEN C2

    FETCH NEXT FROM C2 INTO @SCHEMANAME,@TABLENAME,@COLUMNNAME

    WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS <> -1

    BEGIN

    SET @SQL = 'IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM ' + QUOTENAME(@SCHEMANAME) + '.' + QUOTENAME(@TABLENAME) + ' WHERE ' + QUOTENAME(@COLUMNNAME) + ' LIKE ''%' + @SEARCHSTRING + '%'')

    INSERT INTO #RESULTS(SCHEMANAME,TBLNAME,COLNAME,SQL) VALUES(''' + @SCHEMANAME + ''',''' + @TABLENAME + ''',''' + @COLUMNNAME + ''',''

    SELECT * FROM ' + QUOTENAME(@SCHEMANAME) + '.' + QUOTENAME(@TABLENAME) + ' WHERE ' + QUOTENAME(@COLUMNNAME) + ' LIKE ''''%' + @SEARCHSTRING + '%'''' '') ;'

    PRINT @SQL

    EXEC (@SQL)

    FETCH NEXT FROM C2 INTO @SCHEMANAME,@TABLENAME,@COLUMNNAME

    END

    CLOSE C2

    DEALLOCATE C2

    END --@SEARCHBYCOLUMN <> 0

    SELECT * FROM #RESULTS ORDER BY TBLNAME,COLNAME

    END --PROC

    GO

    SELECT * FROM #RESULTS ORDER BY TBLNAME,COLNAME

    END --PROC

    GO

    Happy searching!!!

    _______________________________________________________________

    Need help? Help us help you.

    Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.

    Need to split a string? Try Jeff Modens splitter http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Tally+Table/72993/.

    Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
    Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Crosstab/65048/
    Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69953/
    Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 2) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69954/

  • Thank you very much !!!

  • tipping my hat to Sean, we travel in the same circles so often!

    Thanks for the honorable mention, my friend!

    Lowell


    --help us help you! If you post a question, make sure you include a CREATE TABLE... statement and INSERT INTO... statement into that table to give the volunteers here representative data. with your description of the problem, we can provide a tested, verifiable solution to your question! asking the question the right way gets you a tested answer the fastest way possible!

  • Lowell (10/22/2012)


    tipping my hat to Sean, we travel in the same circles so often!

    Thanks for the honorable mention, my friend!

    We do seem to end up on the same threads pretty frequently. Happy to oblige and share your work with others.

    _______________________________________________________________

    Need help? Help us help you.

    Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.

    Need to split a string? Try Jeff Modens splitter http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Tally+Table/72993/.

    Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
    Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Crosstab/65048/
    Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69953/
    Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 2) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69954/

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