Exporting binary file data (images) from SQL via a stored procedure

Question

I am trying to export a fairly large number of image files, stored internally in an SQL database as binary data.

Being fairly new to writing stored procedures in SQ

Answer 1

Here is my final working procedure and format file. I was not able to find the finer details of BCP commands, permision settings and format file layouts in one place, so maybe this will be of use to someone.

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[ImgExport] 
   @OutputFilePath VARCHAR(500) = 'C:\SQLTest\ '
AS
BEGIN
   DECLARE @totrow int
   DECLARE @currow int
   DECLARE @result int
   DECLARE @nsql nvarchar(4000)
   DECLARE @sqlStatements table (ID int IDENTITY(1, 1),  SqlStatement varchar(max))   

   INSERT
   INTO @sqlStatements
   SELECT 'BCP "SELECT Photograph_Data FROM [ALBSCH_Trial].[dbo].[Photograph] WHERE  Photograph_ID = '''
     + CAST(Photograph_ID AS VARCHAR(500)) + '''" queryout ' + @OutputFilePath 
     + CAST(Photograph_ID AS VARCHAR(500)) + '.jpg -S localhost\SQLEXPRESS2008 -T -f C:\SQLTest\Images.fmt'
   FROM dbo.Photograph  

   SET @totrow = @@ROWCOUNT
   SET @currow = 1
   WHILE @totrow > 0 and @currow <= @totrow
   BEGIN
      SELECT @nsql = SqlStatement
      FROM @sqlStatements
      WHERE ID = @currow
      EXEC @result = xp_cmdshell @nsql
      SET @currow = @currow + 1
   END
END    

Format file:

9.0  
1  
1       SQLBINARY       0       0       "\t"     1      Photograph_Data                                  ""

I hope that helps somebody.