Sql-server – Dynamic SQL With Double Quoting

sql serversql-server-2008-r2t-sql

I am attempting to run a dynamic SQL statement and it works for any storename that does not have an apostrophe in it. However, when the storename has an apostrophe in it the syntax does not properly, however I am stuck using dynamic SQL in this instance.

How should I ammend this syntax in order for storename to include an apastrophe?

Here is DDL

Declare @TestHyphens Table(StoreName varchar(500),topItemSale varchar(500))

Insert Into @TestHyphens (StoreName, topItemSale) Values
('Bob''s Burger''s','Pen'), ('Jacks Coffee Shop','Pencil')
,('Larry''s Hair Shack','Rainbow'), ('Manny''s Sandwich Shop','Sunglasses')

Declare @sql nvarchar(4000), @storename varchar(500)

Declare db_cursor CURSOR FOR
Select StoreName
FROM @TestHyphens

OPEN db_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @storename

While @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN

        Set @storename = REPLACE(@storename, '''', '''''''''');

        SET @storename = CHAR(39)+CHAR(39)+@storename+CHAR(39)+CHAR(39);

        SET @SQL = N'Select * from @TestHyphens where storename IN ('+@storename+ N')'

        Print @storename
        Print @sql

    FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @storename

END

Close db_cursor
DEALLOCATE db_cursor

And print statements produce:

''Bob''''s Burger''''s''
Select * from @TestHyphens where storename IN (''Bob''''s Burger''''s'')
''Jacks Coffee Shop''
Select * from @TestHyphens where storename IN (''Jacks Coffee Shop'')
''Larry''''s Hair Shack''
Select * from @TestHyphens where storename IN (''Larry''''s Hair Shack'')
''Manny''''s Sandwich Shop''
Select * from @TestHyphens where storename IN (''Manny''''s Sandwich Shop'')

And as you can see these are incorrectly hyphenated –

''Manny''''s Sandwich Shop''
''Larry''''s Hair Shack''
''Bob''''s Burger''''s''

Best Answer

You can temporarily change QUOTED_IDENTIFIER.

DECLARE @TestHyphens TABLE(StoreName varchar(500),topItemSale varchar(500))

INSERT INTO @TestHyphens (StoreName, topItemSale) VALUES
('Bob''s Burger''s','Pen'),
('Jacks Coffee Shop','Pencil'),
('Larry''s Hair Shack','Rainbow'), 
('Manny''s Sandwich Shop','Sunglasses');

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER OFF

SELECT StoreName, TopItemSale 
FROM   @TestHyphens 
WHERE  StoreName = "Bob's Burger's"

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON

| StoreName      | topItemSale |
|----------------|-------------|
| Bob's Burger's | Pen         |

Rextester here

Using within the cursor

DECLARE @sql nvarchar(MAX), @storename varchar(500)

DECLARE db_cursor CURSOR FOR
SELECT StoreName
FROM #TestHyphens

OPEN db_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @storename

WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN

    SET @SQL = N'SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER OFF '
               + N'Select * from #TestHyphens where StoreName = "' + @storename + N'"'
               + N'SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON';

    EXECUTE SP_EXECUTESQL @SQL;    

    FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @storename
END

CLOSE db_cursor
DEALLOCATE db_cursor

This is the result:

| StoreName             | topItemSale |
|-----------------------|-------------|
| Bob's Burger's        | Pen         |
| Jacks Coffee Shop     | Pencil      |
| Larry's Hair Shack    | Rainbow     |
| Manny's Sandwich Shop | Sunglasses  |

Rextester here

Related Solutions

Sql-server – Create view in a different database with dynamic SQL

This will require really having fun with escaping and re-escaping single quotes, but I think the technique you're after is:

DECLARE 
  @DB  NVARCHAR(255) = QUOTENAME(N'dbname'),
  @SQL NVARCHAR(MAX);

SET @SQL =  N'EXEC ' + @DB + '.sys.sp_executesql '
+ 'N''CREATE VIEW dbo.vWhatever
AS
  SELECT x = 1, y = ''''x'''', z = GETDATE();''';

EXEC sys.sp_executesql @SQL;

So you're kind of nesting the dynamic SQL; the inner one ensures that the SQL is executed at the target database, not locally.

Another way that I've picked up since this original question appeared:

DECLARE 
  @DB  NVARCHAR(255) = QUOTENAME('dbname'),
  @SQL NVARCHAR(MAX),
  @DBExec NVARCHAR(MAX);

SET @DBExec = @DB + N'.sys.sp_executesql';

SET @SQL = N'CREATE VIEW dbo.whatever
  AS
    SELECT x = 1, y = ''x'', z = GETDATE();';

EXEC @DBExec @SQL;

This is slightly tidier because you don't have to double-nest single quotes.

And here is a slightly tidier way to do it without cursors (well, without all the scaffolding of setting up a cursor). Note that the inner dynamic SQL will only be executed in databases where (a) a categories table exists (b) this view does not already exist and (c) it is not a system database (well, not one of the primary system databases, anyway).

DECLARE @SQL NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';

SELECT @SQL += NCHAR(13) + NCHAR(10)    
  + N'IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ' + QUOTENAME(name) 
  + '.sys.views WHERE name = ''vNonhiddenCategories'')
  AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ' + QUOTENAME(name)
  + '.sys.tables WHERE name = ''categories'')
  BEGIN
    EXEC ' + QUOTENAME(name) + '.sys.sp_executesql N''
    CREATE VIEW dbo.vNonhiddenCategories3
    AS
      SELECT x = 1, y = ''''x'''';''
  END'
  FROM sys.databases 
  WHERE database_id BETWEEN 5 AND 32766;

PRINT @sql;
-- EXEC sp_executesql @sql;

Of course "tidier" is in the eye of the beholder.

Sql-server – SQL Server: efficient query with (double) linked servers

Since you know exactly the T-SQL you'd like to run on server 'B', why not just execute that query remotely, at server 'B', like this:

DECLARE @cmd nvarchar(max);
SET @cmd = N'SELECT t.c1
    , t.c2
    , t.c3
FROM OPENQUERY (SERVER_C, N''SELECT c1,c2,c3 FROM t1,t2 WHERE t1.x=t2.x AND mykey=27;'') t;
';
EXEC [SERVER_B].tempdb.sys.sp_executesql @cmd;

That will cause server 'B' to query server 'C' with all the parameters you want, and should be about as quick as you can get.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Sql-server – Create view in a different database with dynamic SQL

Sql-server – SQL Server: efficient query with (double) linked servers

Related Question