In SQL Server, how do I generate a CREATE TABLE statement for a given table?

Question

I\'ve spent a good amount of time coming up with solution to this problem, so in the spirit of this post, I\'m posting it here, since I think it might be useful to others. <

Answer 1

A query based on Hubbitus answer.

• includes schema names
• fixes foreign keys with more than one field
• includes CASCADE UPDATE & DELETE
• includes a conditioned DROP TABLE

SELECT 
  Schema_Name = SCHEMA_NAME(obj.uid)
, Table_Name = name
, Drop_Table = 'IF (EXISTS (SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES  WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = ''' + SCHEMA_NAME(obj.uid) + '''  AND  TABLE_NAME = ''' + obj.name + '''))
DROP TABLE [' + SCHEMA_NAME(obj.uid) + '].[' + obj.name + '] '
, Create_Table ='
CREATE TABLE [' + SCHEMA_NAME(obj.uid) + '].[' + obj.name + '] (' + LEFT(cols.list, LEN(cols.list) - 1 ) + ')' + ISNULL(' ' + refs.list, '')
    FROM sysobjects obj
    CROSS APPLY (
        SELECT 
            CHAR(10)
            + ' [' + column_name + '] '
            + data_type
            + CASE data_type
                WHEN 'sql_variant' THEN ''
                WHEN 'text' THEN ''
                WHEN 'ntext' THEN ''
                WHEN 'xml' THEN ''
                WHEN 'decimal' THEN '(' + CAST(numeric_precision as VARCHAR) + ', ' + CAST(numeric_scale as VARCHAR) + ')'
                ELSE COALESCE('(' + CASE WHEN character_maximum_length = -1 THEN 'MAX' ELSE CAST(character_maximum_length as VARCHAR) END + ')', '')
            END
            + ' '
            + case when exists ( -- Identity skip
                                select id from syscolumns
                                where id = obj.id
                                and name = column_name
                                and columnproperty(id, name, 'IsIdentity') = 1 
                                ) then
                        'IDENTITY(' + 
                            cast(ident_seed(obj.name) as varchar) + ',' + 
                            cast(ident_incr(obj.name) as varchar) + ')'
            else ''
            end + ' '
            + CASE WHEN IS_NULLABLE = 'No' THEN 'NOT ' ELSE '' END
            + 'NULL'
            + CASE WHEN IC.column_default IS NOT NULL THEN ' DEFAULT ' + IC.column_default ELSE '' END
            + ','
        FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS IC
        WHERE IC.table_name   = obj.name
          AND IC.TABLE_SCHEMA = SCHEMA_NAME(obj.uid)
        ORDER BY ordinal_position
        FOR XML PATH('')
    ) cols (list)
    CROSS APPLY(
        SELECT
            CHAR(10) + 'ALTER TABLE [' + SCHEMA_NAME(obj.uid) + '].[' + obj.name + '] ADD ' + LEFT(alt, LEN(alt)-1)
        FROM(
            SELECT
                CHAR(10)
                + ' CONSTRAINT ' + tc.constraint_name
                + ' ' + tc.constraint_type + ' (' + LEFT(c.list, LEN(c.list)-1) + ')'
                + COALESCE(CHAR(10) + r.list, ', ')
            FROM information_schema.table_constraints tc
                CROSS APPLY(
                    SELECT   '[' + kcu.column_name + '], '
                    FROM     information_schema.key_column_usage kcu
                    WHERE    kcu.constraint_name = tc.constraint_name
                    ORDER BY kcu.ordinal_position
                    FOR XML PATH('')
                ) c (list)
                OUTER APPLY(
                    -- // http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3907879/sql-server-howto-get-foreign-key-reference-from-information-schema
                    SELECT LEFT(f.list, LEN(f.list)-1) + ')' + IIF(rc.DELETE_RULE = 'NO ACTION', '', ' ON DELETE ' + rc.DELETE_RULE) + IIF(rc.UPDATE_RULE = 'NO ACTION', '', ' ON UPDATE ' + rc.UPDATE_RULE) + ', '
                    FROM information_schema.referential_constraints rc
                    CROSS APPLY(
                        SELECT IIF(kcu.ordinal_position = 1, ' REFERENCES [' + kcu.table_schema + '].[' + kcu.table_name + '] (', '') 
                                + '[' + kcu.column_name + '], '
                        FROM information_schema.key_column_usage kcu 
                        WHERE kcu.constraint_catalog = rc.unique_constraint_catalog AND kcu.constraint_schema = rc.unique_constraint_schema AND kcu.constraint_name = rc.unique_constraint_name
                        ORDER BY kcu.ordinal_position
                        FOR XML PATH('')
                    ) f (list)
                    WHERE rc.constraint_catalog = tc.constraint_catalog 
                      AND rc.constraint_schema  = tc.constraint_schema 
                      AND rc.constraint_name    = tc.constraint_name
                ) r (list)
            WHERE tc.table_name = obj.name
            FOR XML PATH('')
        ) a (alt)
    ) refs (list)
    WHERE xtype = 'U'

To combine drop table (if exists) with create use like this:

SELECT Drop_Table + CHAR(10) + Create_Table FROM SysCreateTables