CODEWITHSUNDEEP
sqlsql-server-2008
user2135970
user2135970

Reputation: 815

Drop Several Tables at Once

I have some tables that I need to drop on a regular basis. The names of the tables sometimes change but the table names always begin with 'db_comp_temp'. Is it possible to write some SQL that will in effect do something like:

DROP TABLE db_comp_temp*

Thanks in advance,

Upvotes: 2

Views: 221

Answers (1)

Aaron Bertrand
Aaron Bertrand

Reputation: 280625

No, there is no wildcard support in DDL.

DECLARE @sql nvarchar(max) = N'';

SELECT @sql += N'DROP TABLE ' + QUOTENAME(s.name)
  + '.' + QUOTENAME(t.name) + ';
' FROM sys.tables AS t
INNER JOIN sys.schemas AS s
ON t.[schema_id] = s.[schema_id]
WHERE t.name LIKE N'db[_]comp[_]temp%';

PRINT @sql;
-- EXEC sys.sp_executesql @sql;

Or:

DECLARE @sql nvarchar(max) = N'';

SELECT @sql += N'
  ,' + QUOTENAME(s.name) + '.' + QUOTENAME(t.name)
FROM sys.tables AS t
INNER JOIN sys.schemas AS s
ON t.[schema_id] = s.[schema_id]
WHERE t.name LIKE N'db[_]comp[_]temp%';

SET @sql = N'DROP TABLE ' + STUFF(@sql, 1, 1, '');

PRINT @sql;
-- EXEC sys.sp_executesql @sql;

You could also do it with FOR XML PATH but I don't think it's necessary when you're not grouping the result into another outer query.

Upvotes: 6

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