How to find column names for all tables in all dat

Question

I want to find all column names in all tables in all databases. Is there a query that can do that for me? The database is Microsoft SQL Server 2000.

Answer 1

try this:

select 
    o.name,c.name 
    from sys.columns            c
        inner join sys.objects  o on c.object_id=o.object_id
    order by o.name,c.column_id

or for more detail:

SELECT
    s.name as ColumnName
        ,sh.name+'.'+o.name AS ObjectName
        ,o.type_desc AS ObjectType
        ,CASE
             WHEN t.name IN ('char','varchar') THEN t.name+'('+CASE WHEN s.max_length<0 then 'MAX' ELSE CONVERT(varchar(10),s.max_length) END+')'
             WHEN t.name IN ('nvarchar','nchar') THEN t.name+'('+CASE WHEN s.max_length<0 then 'MAX' ELSE CONVERT(varchar(10),s.max_length/2) END+')'
            WHEN t.name IN ('numeric') THEN t.name+'('+CONVERT(varchar(10),s.precision)+','+CONVERT(varchar(10),s.scale)+')'
             ELSE t.name
         END AS DataType

        ,CASE
             WHEN s.is_nullable=1 THEN 'NULL'
            ELSE 'NOT NULL'
        END AS Nullable
        ,CASE
             WHEN ic.column_id IS NULL THEN ''
             ELSE ' identity('+ISNULL(CONVERT(varchar(10),ic.seed_value),'')+','+ISNULL(CONVERT(varchar(10),ic.increment_value),'')+')='+ISNULL(CONVERT(varchar(10),ic.last_value),'null')
         END
        +CASE
             WHEN sc.column_id IS NULL THEN ''
             ELSE ' computed('+ISNULL(sc.definition,'')+')'
         END
        +CASE
             WHEN cc.object_id IS NULL THEN ''
             ELSE ' check('+ISNULL(cc.definition,'')+')'
         END
            AS MiscInfo
    FROM sys.columns                           s
        INNER JOIN sys.types                   t ON s.system_type_id=t.user_type_id and t.is_user_defined=0
        INNER JOIN sys.objects                 o ON s.object_id=o.object_id
        INNER JOIN sys.schemas                sh on o.schema_id=sh.schema_id
        LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.identity_columns  ic ON s.object_id=ic.object_id AND s.column_id=ic.column_id
        LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.computed_columns  sc ON s.object_id=sc.object_id AND s.column_id=sc.column_id
        LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.check_constraints cc ON s.object_id=cc.parent_object_id AND s.column_id=cc.parent_column_id
    ORDER BY sh.name+'.'+o.name,s.column_id

EDIT
here is a basic example to get all columns in all databases:

DECLARE @SQL varchar(max)
SET @SQL=''
SELECT @SQL=@SQL+'UNION
select 
'''+d.name+'.''+sh.name+''.''+o.name,c.name,c.column_id
from '+d.name+'.sys.columns            c
    inner join '+d.name+'.sys.objects  o on c.object_id=o.object_id
    INNER JOIN '+d.name+'.sys.schemas  sh on o.schema_id=sh.schema_id
'
FROM sys.databases d
SELECT @SQL=RIGHT(@SQL,LEN(@SQL)-5)+'order by 1,3'
--print @SQL
EXEC (@SQL)

EDIT SQL Server 2000 version

DECLARE @SQL varchar(8000)
SET @SQL=''
SELECT @SQL=@SQL+'UNION
select 
'''+d.name+'.''+sh.name+''.''+o.name,c.name,c.colid
from '+d.name+'..syscolumns            c
    inner join sysobjects  o on c.id=o.id
    INNER JOIN sysusers  sh on o.uid=sh.uid
'
FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases d
SELECT @SQL=RIGHT(@SQL,LEN(@SQL)-5)+'order by 1,3'
--print @SQL
EXEC (@SQL)

EDIT
based on some comments, here is a version using sp_MSforeachdb:

sp_MSforeachdb 'select 
    ''?'' AS DatabaseName, o.name AS TableName,c.name AS ColumnName
    from sys.columns            c
        inner join ?.sys.objects  o on c.object_id=o.object_id
    --WHERE ''?'' NOT IN (''master'',''msdb'',''tempdb'',''model'')
    order by o.name,c.column_id'

Answer 2

Some minor improvements

->previous answers weren't showing all results

->possible to filter on column name by setting the column name variable

DECLARE @columnname nvarchar(150)
SET @columnname=''

DECLARE @SQL varchar(max)
SET @SQL=''
SELECT @SQL=@SQL+'UNION
select 
'''+d.name+'.''+sh.name+''.''+o.name COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS as name,c.name COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS as columnname,c.column_id
from '+d.name+'.sys.columns            c
    inner join '+d.name+'.sys.objects  o on c.object_id=o.object_id
    INNER JOIN '+d.name+'.sys.schemas  sh on o.schema_id=sh.schema_id
    where c.name like ''%'+@columnname+'%'' and sh.name<>''sys'' 
'
FROM sys.databases d
SELECT @SQL=RIGHT(@SQL,LEN(@SQL)-5)+'order by 1,3'
--print @SQL
EXEC (@SQL)

Answer 3

Why not use

Select * From INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS

You can make it DB specific with

Select * From DBNAME.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS

Answer 4

Better way for you

sp_MSForEachDB @command1='USE ?;
SELECT 
    Table_Catalog 
    ,Table_Schema
    ,Table_Name
    ,Column_Name
    ,Data_Type
    ,Character_Maximum_Length
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE COLUMN_NAME like ''%ColumnNameHere%'''

Answer 5

try the below query

DECLARE @Query VARCHAR(max) 
SELECT @Query = 'USE ? SELECT ''?'' AS DataBaseName,
                                sys.columns.name AS ColumnName  ,
                                sys.tables.name  AS TableName   ,
                                schema_name (sys.tables.schema_Id) AS schemaName
                         FROM sys.columns
                         JOIN sys.tables 
              ON sys.columns.object_id = sys.tables.object_id
              WHERE sys.columns.name = ''id'' '
EXEC SP_MSFOREACHDB @Query

gives list of tables containing ID column from all databases.

Answer 6

Normally I try to do whatever I can to avoid the use of cursors, but the following query will get you everything you need:

--Declare/Set required variables
DECLARE @vchDynamicDatabaseName AS VARCHAR(MAX),
        @vchDynamicQuery As VARCHAR(MAX),
        @DatabasesCursor CURSOR

SET @DatabasesCursor = Cursor FOR

--Select * useful databases on the server
SELECT name 
FROM sys.databases 
WHERE database_id > 4 
ORDER by name

--Open the Cursor based on the previous select
OPEN @DatabasesCursor
FETCH NEXT FROM @DatabasesCursor INTO @vchDynamicDatabaseName
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
   BEGIN

   --Insert the select statement into @DynamicQuery 
   --This query will select the Database name, all tables/views and their columns (in a comma delimited field)
   SET @vchDynamicQuery =
   ('SELECT ''' + @vchDynamicDatabaseName + ''' AS ''Database_Name'',
          B.table_name AS ''Table Name'',
         STUFF((SELECT '', '' + A.column_name
               FROM ' + @vchDynamicDatabaseName + '.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS A
               WHERE A.Table_name = B.Table_Name
               FOR XML PATH(''''),TYPE).value(''(./text())[1]'',''NVARCHAR(MAX)'')
               , 1, 2, '''') AS ''Columns''
   FROM ' + @vchDynamicDatabaseName + '.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS B
   WHERE B.TABLE_NAME LIKE ''%%''
         AND B.COLUMN_NAME LIKE ''%%''
   GROUP BY B.Table_Name
   Order BY 1 ASC')

   --Print @vchDynamicQuery
   EXEC(@vchDynamicQuery)

   FETCH NEXT FROM @DatabasesCursor INTO @vchDynamicDatabaseName
END
CLOSE @DatabasesCursor
DEALLOCATE @DatabasesCursor
GO

I added a where clause in the main query (ex: B.TABLE_NAME LIKE ''%%'' AND B.COLUMN_NAME LIKE ''%%'') so that you can search for specific tables and/or columns if you want to.