Sql-server – SELECT INTO a table variable in T-SQL

insertsql servertable-variabletsql

Got a complex SELECT query, from which I would like to insert all rows into a table variable, but T-SQL doesn't allow it.

Along the same lines, you cannot use a table variable with SELECT INTO or INSERT EXEC queries.
http://odetocode.com/Articles/365.aspx

Short example:

declare @userData TABLE(
                        name varchar(30) NOT NULL,
                        oldlocation varchar(30) NOT NULL
                       )

SELECT name, location
INTO @userData
FROM myTable
    INNER JOIN otherTable ON ...
WHERE age > 30

The data in the table variable would be later used to insert/update it back into different tables (mostly copy of the same data with minor updates). The goal of this would be to simply make the script a bit more readable and more easily customisable than doing the SELECT INTO directly into the right tables.
Performance is not an issue, as the rowcount is fairly small and it's only manually run when needed.
…or just tell me if I'm doing it all wrong.

Best Answer

Try something like this:

DECLARE @userData TABLE(
    name varchar(30) NOT NULL,
    oldlocation varchar(30) NOT NULL
);

INSERT INTO @userData (name, oldlocation)
SELECT name, location FROM myTable
INNER JOIN otherTable ON ...
WHERE age > 30;

Related Solutions

Sql – How to perform an IF…THEN in an SQL SELECT

The CASE statement is the closest to IF in SQL and is supported on all versions of SQL Server.

SELECT CAST(
             CASE
                  WHEN Obsolete = 'N' or InStock = 'Y'
                     THEN 1
                  ELSE 0
             END AS bit) as Saleable, *
FROM Product

You only need to use the CAST operator if you want the result as a Boolean value. If you are happy with an int, this works:

SELECT CASE
            WHEN Obsolete = 'N' or InStock = 'Y'
               THEN 1
               ELSE 0
       END as Saleable, *
FROM Product

CASE statements can be embedded in other CASE statements and even included in aggregates.

SQL Server Denali (SQL Server 2012) adds the IIF statement which is also available in access (pointed out by Martin Smith):

SELECT IIF(Obsolete = 'N' or InStock = 'Y', 1, 0) as Saleable, * FROM Product

Sql – Add a column with a default value to an existing table in SQL Server

Syntax:

ALTER TABLE {TABLENAME} 
ADD {COLUMNNAME} {TYPE} {NULL|NOT NULL} 
CONSTRAINT {CONSTRAINT_NAME} DEFAULT {DEFAULT_VALUE}
WITH VALUES

Example:

ALTER TABLE SomeTable
        ADD SomeCol Bit NULL --Or NOT NULL.
 CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol --When Omitted a Default-Constraint Name is autogenerated.
    DEFAULT (0)--Optional Default-Constraint.
WITH VALUES --Add if Column is Nullable and you want the Default Value for Existing Records.

Notes:

Optional Constraint Name:
If you leave out CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol then SQL Server will autogenerate
a Default-Contraint with a funny Name like: DF__SomeTa__SomeC__4FB7FEF6

Optional With-Values Statement:
The WITH VALUES is only needed when your Column is Nullable
and you want the Default Value used for Existing Records.
If your Column is NOT NULL, then it will automatically use the Default Value
for all Existing Records, whether you specify WITH VALUES or not.

How Inserts work with a Default-Constraint:
If you insert a Record into SomeTable and do not Specify SomeCol's value, then it will Default to 0.
If you insert a Record and Specify SomeCol's value as NULL (and your column allows nulls),
then the Default-Constraint will not be used and NULL will be inserted as the Value.

Notes were based on everyone's great feedback below.
Special Thanks to:
@Yatrix, @WalterStabosz, @YahooSerious, and @StackMan for their Comments.