SQL Server printf

Question

Is there a printf-like function in Sql Server? I want the same features as the RAISERROR function, but instead of throwing an error, or printing a message, I want to write it in a varchar, because my ERP won't let me handle the error messages.

This is SQL Server 2000.

Actual working example with RAISERROR:

declare @name varchar(10)
set @name = 'George'

RAISERROR ('Hello %s.', 10, 1, 'George')

prints Hello George

What I'm looking for:

declare @name varchar(10), @message varchar(50)
set @name = 'George'

SET @message = printf('Hello %s.', 'George')
return @message

This would return Hello George

Answer 1

If you have a limited number of format strings, and are able to add them to sysmessages (via sp_addmessage), you can use FORMATMESSAGE:

Like the RAISERROR statement, FORMATMESSAGE edits the message by substituting the supplied parameter values for placeholder variables in the message. For more information about the placeholders allowed in error messages and the editing process, see RAISERROR.

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The below would be a valid answer for SQL Server 2005 or later, but unfortunately, the OP is seeking a solution for SQL Server 2000:

---

It's ugly, and an abuse of Try/Catch and RAISERROR:

declare @message varchar(50)

begin try
    RAISERROR('Hello %s',16,1,'george')
end try
begin catch
    set @message = ERROR_MESSAGE()
end catch

print @message

Answer 2

PRINT is just RAISERROR with a severity of 0. So you can use.

declare @name varchar(10)
set @name = 'George'

RAISERROR ('Hello %s.', 0, 1, 'George') WITH NOWAIT

Edit to store it into a variable you can use the xp_sprintf extended stored procedure.

declare @name varchar(10)
set @name = 'George'

DECLARE @ret varchar(500)
exec master..xp_sprintf @ret OUTPUT, 'Hello %s.', @name
PRINT @ret

Answer 3

Here's a simple printf procedure using sql_variant data types. Unfortunately, it only works for SQL Server 2008 and above.

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.printf
  @string nvarchar(max),
  @p1 sql_variant = null,
  @p2 sql_variant = null,
  @p3 sql_variant = null
AS
BEGIN
  declare @str nvarchar(200), @pos int, @type char(1)
  select @str = @string, @pos = 0

  --- @p1
  set @pos = CHARINDEX('%', @str, @pos)
  if @pos > 0 and substring(@str, @pos, 2) = '%%'
    set @str = stuff(@str, @pos, 2, coalesce(cast(@p1 as nvarchar(100)),'<null>')) 

  --- @p2
  set @pos = CHARINDEX('%', @str, @pos)
  if @pos > 0 and substring(@str, @pos, 2) = '%%'
    set @str = stuff(@str, @pos, 2, coalesce(cast(@p2 as nvarchar(100)),'<null>')) 

  --- @p3
  set @pos = CHARINDEX('%', @str, @pos)
  if @pos > 0 and substring(@str, @pos, 2) = '%%'
    set @str = stuff(@str, @pos, 2, coalesce(cast(@p3 as nvarchar(100)),'<null>')) 

  print @str
END

And here are sample invocations:

exec dbo.printf 'Hello %%', 'World'
exec dbo.printf 'Hello %%. Today is %% of the month', 'World', 28
declare @dd datetime; set @dd = getDate()
exec dbo.printf 'Hello %%. Today''s date is %%', 'World', @dd

Answer 4

If you are looking to store some message in a variable, then SET should be enough for you to handle right? Unless I am not clear with the question.

SET @varcharVariable = 'message text';