I have table with more than 3 000 000 rows. I have try to export the data from it manually and with SQL Server Management Studio Export data functionality to Excel but I have met several problems:
when create .txt file manually copying and pasting the data (this is several times, because if you copy all rows from the SQL Server Management Studio it throws out of memory error) I am not able to open it with any text editor and to copy the rows;
the Export data to Excel do not work, because Excel do not support so many rows
Finally, with the Export data functionality I have created a .sql file, but it is 1.5 GB, and I am not able to open it in SQL Server Management Studio again.
Is there a way to import it with the Import data functionality, or other more clever way to make a backup of the information of my table and then to import it again if I need it?
Thanks in advance.
I am not quite sure if I understand your requirements (I don't know if you need to export your data to excel or you want to make some kind of backup).
In order to export data from single tables, you could use Bulk Copy Tool which allows you to export data from single tables and exporting/Importing it to files. You can also use a custom Query to export the data.
It is important that this does not generate a Excel file, but another format. You could use this to move data from one database to another (must be MS SQL in both cases).
Examples:
Create a format file:
Bcp [TABLE_TO_EXPORT] format "[EXPORT_FILE]" -n -f "[ FORMAT_FILE]" -S [SERVER] -E -T -a 65535
Export all Data from a table:
bcp [TABLE_TO_EXPORT] out "[EXPORT_FILE]" -f "[FORMAT_FILE]" -S [SERVER] -E -T -a 65535
Import the previously exported data:
bcp [TABLE_TO_EXPORT] in [EXPORT_FILE]" -f "[FORMAT_FILE] " -S [SERVER] -E -T -a 65535
I redirect the output from hte export/import operations to a logfile (by appending "> mylogfile.log" ad the end of the commands) - this helps if you are exporting a lot of data.
Here a way of doing it without bcp:
EXPORT THE SCHEMA AND DATA IN A FILE
- Use the ssms wizard
Database >> Tasks >> generate Scripts… >> Choose the table >> choose db model and schema
- Save the SQL file (can be huge)
- Transfer the SQL file on the other server
SPLIT THE DATA IN SEVERAL FILES
- Use a program like textfilesplitter to split the file in smaller files and split in files of 10 000 lines (so each file is not too big)
- Put all the files in the same folder, with nothing else
IMPORT THE DATA IN THE SECOND SERVER
- Create a .bat file in the same folder, name execFiles.bat
- You may need to check the table schema to disable the identity in the first file, you can add that after the import in finished.
This will execute all the files in the folder against the server and the database with, the –f define the Unicode text encoding should be used to handle the accents:
for %%G in (*.sql) do sqlcmd /S ServerName /d DatabaseName -E -i"%%G" -f 65001
pause
