Avoiding a Cursor

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Avoiding a Cursor

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five_ten_fiftyfold Ten Centuries Points: 1164 More actions · Answer 1

I guess sometimes you need to dance with the Devil

This is a high-class Bureau-de-Change.

Cadavre SSC-Forever Points: 41690 More actions · Answer 2

five_ten_fiftyfold (2/29/2012)
I guess sometimes you need to dance with the Devil

Again, nope. You could use FOR XML to generate your SQL dynamically then execute it.

e.g.

DECLARE @sql AS NVARCHAR(MAX);

SELECT @sql = STUFF(REPLACE(CAST((

SELECT ';' + CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) + 'DROP TABLE ' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME)

FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES

WHERE TABLE_NAME LIKE '%71%'

FOR XML PATH('')) AS NVARCHAR(MAX)),';&#x0D',''),1,2,'');

PRINT @sql;

--EXECUTE sp_executesql @sql;

Creates the following on one of my test servers: -

DROP TABLE [dbo].[TC71_MangledWords];

DROP TABLE [dbo].[TC71_Dictionary]

If I then run the commented out code instead of the PRINT, those two tables would be dropped.

--Edit--

I never learn. . . the forums have replaced "& # x 0 D ;" (no spaces or quotations) with a line break in the code block above. If you add "& # x 0 D ;" (no spaces or quotations) back into the replace, just before the CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) at the end, then it'll work but otherwise it won't.

Forever trying to learn
My blog - http://www.cadavre.co.uk/
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Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004577 More actions · Answer 3

five_ten_fiftyfold (2/29/2012)
I guess sometimes you need to dance with the Devil

Nah... not for something like this. Cadavre has the right stuff on this one.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Possinator Hall of Fame Points: 3452 More actions · Answer 4

Lol. The right "stuff". You made a punny.

[font="Courier New"]Looking for a Deadlock Victim Support Group..[/font]

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004577 More actions · Answer 5

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Avoiding a Cursor

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