T-SQL query to show table definition?

Question

What is a query that will show me the full definition, including indexes and keys for a SQL Server table? I want a pure query - and know that SQL Studio can give this to me

Answer 1

The easiest and quickest way I can think of would be to use sp_help

sp_help 'TableName'

Answer 2

Another way is to execute sp_columns procedure.

EXEC sys.sp_columns @TABLE_NAME = 'YourTableName'

Answer 3

I know it's an old question, but exactly what I was looking for. Because I want to batch script some tables, I rewrote the C# code from Anthony Faull for PowerShell.

This one is uses Integrated Security:

Import-Module sqlps

$serverInstance = "<server>"
$database = "<database>"
$table = "<table>"
$schema = "<schema>"

$options = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ScriptingOptions
$options.DriAll = $true
$options.SchemaQualify = $true

$connection = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection `
    -ArgumentList $serverInstance
$server = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server `
    -ArgumentList $connection

$server.Databases.Item($database).Tables.Item($table, $schema).Script($options) `
    | ForEach-Object -Process { $_ + "`nGO"}

And here with username and password:

Import-Module sqlps

$serverInstance = "<server>"
$user = "<user>"
$password = "<pasword>"
$database = "<database>"
$table = "<table>"
$schema = "<schema>"

$options = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ScriptingOptions
$options.DriAll = $true
$options.SchemaQualify = $true

$connection = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection `
    -ArgumentList $serverInstance
$connection.LoginSecure = $false
$connection.Login = $user
$connection.Password = $password
$server = New-Object -TypeName Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server `
    -ArgumentList $connection

$server.Databases.Item($database).Tables.Item($table, $schema).Script($options) `
    | ForEach-Object -Process { $_ + "`nGO"}

Answer 4

A variation of @Anthony Faull's answer for those using LINQPad:

new Server(new ServerConnection(this.Connection.DataSource))
    .Databases[this.Connection.Database]
    .Tables["<table>", "dbo"]
    ?.Script(new ScriptingOptions {
        SchemaQualify = true,
        DriAll = true,
    })

You'll need to reference 2 assemblies:

• Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo.dll
• Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo.dll

And add namespace references as mentioned in Anthony's snippet.

Answer 5

As an addition to Barry's answer. The sp_help can also be used by itself to iterate all of the objects in a particular database. You also have sp_helptext for your arsenal, which scripts out programmatic elements, like stored procedures.

Answer 6

Since SQL 2012 you can run the following statement:

Exec sp_describe_first_result_set @tsql= N'Select * from <yourtable>'

If you enter a complex select statement (joins, subselects, etc), it will give you the definition of the result set. This is very handy, if you need to create a new table (or temp table) and you don't want to check every single field definition manually.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-describe-first-result-set-transact-sql