SQL - case statement

  • Hi All,

    I want to write a sql query which which check if a table exists , then populate the data from that table else the query should retrieve results from a different table.

    I wanted to write something similar to the below query:

    SELECT

    CASE WHEN (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM databasename.sys.tables WHERE databasename.sys.tables.name= 'tableX')=1

    THEN

    CASE WHEN c.NAME IS NULL

    THEN (ISNULL((SELECT TOP 1 NAME FROM databasename.tableX) cc WHERE cc.cnr=c.ccnr

    END),c.cname)))

    ELSE

    UPPER(c.FinalNAME)

    END AS 'Name'

    FROM

    tableY c

    Can anyone help on this? Thanks in advance

  • You can use a query in the case statement, simplifies thing

    😎

    SELECT

    CASE

    WHEN EXISTS (SELECT * FROM DB_1.sys.tables WHERE name = 'TBL_TRIP') THEN (SELECT TOP 1 name FROM DB_1.sys.tables WHERE name = 'TABLE_NAME')

    WHEN EXISTS (SELECT * FROM DB_2.sys.tables WHERE name = 'TBL_TRIP') THEN (SELECT TOP 1 name FROM DB_2.sys.tables WHERE name = 'TABLE_NAME')

    ELSE 'NOT FOUND'

    END AS DB_CHECK

  • Can't you use an IF statement?

    IF (

    SELECT COUNT(*)

    FROM databasename.sys.tables

    WHERE databasename.sys.tables.NAME = 'tableX'

    ) = 1

    BEGIN

    SELECT TOP 1 NAME

    FROM databasename.tableX

    WHERE cc.cnr = c.ccnr

    END

    ELSE

    BEGIN

    SELECT UPPER(c.FinalNAME) AS 'Name'

    FROM tableY c

    END

    ** Don't mistake the ‘stupidity of the crowd’ for the ‘wisdom of the group’! **
  • If the table may or may not exist, you'll have to make references to that table only in dynamic SQL. Otherwise, if the code runs and the table does not exist, you'll get "object not found" errors.

    If you're willing to use dynamic SQL to resolve this, let me know and I'll provide specifics on how to do so in your case.

    SQL DBA,SQL Server MVP(07, 08, 09) "It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear." "Norm", on "Cheers". Also from "Cheers", from "Carla": "You need to know 3 things about Tortelli men: Tortelli men draw women like flies; Tortelli men treat women like flies; Tortelli men's brains are in their flies".

  • If your query is quite simple, then something like the code below will work.

    BEGIN TRY

    EXEC('SELECT name FROM sys.databased')

    END TRY

    BEGIN CATCH

    EXEC('SELECT name FROM sys.databases')

    END CATCH

    If it's a bit more complex, you're probably better off building your command line by line and then executing it at the end, which I imagine is what Scott had in mind.

    Do you have any control over the structure of the database, because you shouldn't be having this problem if it's properly designed?

    John

  • ScottPletcher (8/1/2014)


    If the table may or may not exist, you'll have to make references to that table only in dynamic SQL. Otherwise, if the code runs and the table does not exist, you'll get "object not found" errors.

    If you're willing to use dynamic SQL to resolve this, let me know and I'll provide specifics on how to do so in your case.

    Querying the sys.tables or INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES will not error if the table does not exist.

    😎

  • Eirikur Eiriksson (8/1/2014)


    ScottPletcher (8/1/2014)


    If the table may or may not exist, you'll have to make references to that table only in dynamic SQL. Otherwise, if the code runs and the table does not exist, you'll get "object not found" errors.

    If you're willing to use dynamic SQL to resolve this, let me know and I'll provide specifics on how to do so in your case.

    Querying the sys.tables or INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES will not error if the table does not exist.

    😎

    Eirikur Eiriksson (8/1/2014)


    ScottPletcher (8/1/2014)


    If the table may or may not exist, you'll have to make references to that table only in dynamic SQL. Otherwise, if the code runs and the table does not exist, you'll get "object not found" errors.

    If you're willing to use dynamic SQL to resolve this, let me know and I'll provide specifics on how to do so in your case.

    Querying the sys.tables or INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES will not error if the table does not exist.

    😎

    That's what your code does. The original code queries the actual table itself.

    SQL DBA,SQL Server MVP(07, 08, 09) "It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear." "Norm", on "Cheers". Also from "Cheers", from "Carla": "You need to know 3 things about Tortelli men: Tortelli men draw women like flies; Tortelli men treat women like flies; Tortelli men's brains are in their flies".

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