exporting data from sql server into a CSV using ssms

Question

I need to export data from several tables in SQL Server 2008 using SSMS. I do not want to use the native Export Data Wizard; I want to use a query instead. This means I cannot use sqlcmd or bcp.

How can I export data out of SQL Server 2008 using a query?

I need it to be comma delimited and double quoted as a text qualifier.

Thanks so much for any guidance/help.

Answer 1

You can easily create CSV output from SSMS, however it does not do quoting so you may want to choose a format like Tab delimited instead in step 6:

1. Open a new query window.
2. Create your SQL query.
3. Right click in the query window.
4. Choose Query Options...
5. Choose Text under Results.
6. Change the Output format: to Comma delimited.
7. Change the Maximum number of characters displayed in each column to 8000 or an appropriate value.
8. Click OK.
9. Right click in the query window.
10. Choose Results To and Results to File.
11. Execute your query.
12. Choose a file name and location.
13. Click Save.

Answer 2

You could run xp_cmdshell to run a bcp operation:

use [master];

declare @sql nvarchar(4000)
select @sql = 'bcp "select * from sys.columns" queryout c:\file.csv -c -t, -T -S'+ @@servername
exec xp_cmdshell @sql

You'd, of course, have to figure out how to format your qualifiers (probably through a format file)

EDIT:

Your source query would need to be something along the lines of:

SELECT IntValue + '"' + CharValue + '"' FROM TABLE

Also, you may need to have this feature enabled

EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO
EXEC sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell', 1;
RECONFIGURE;
GO