Question

I read somewhere that if we create a table in master db by using sp_sometablename it will be accessible from any other user database.

e.g.

use master
create table sp_TestTbl(Id int identity, Name varchar(20))
//Table created

Now if I execute the below

use test
select * from sp_TestTbl

it worked.

Whereas, if I don’t prefix the table name with sp_, though the table will be created in master db, but we cannot access it from any of the user database

use master
create table abc_TestTbl(Id int identity, Name varchar(20))

use test
select * from abc_TestTbl

Error:

Msg 208, Level 16, State 1, Line 6 Invalid object name
‘abc_TestTbl’.

what is the cause?

Thanks

Answer 1

Try this:

use master
create table abc_TestTbl(Id int identity, Name varchar(20))

use test
select * from master.dbo.abc_TestTbl

You need to fully qualify the table name when using from another DB

BUT

This is a completely bad idea – to create user objects in master database.

The sp_ prefix is handled differently by Sql Server – it looks for the object in master DB first for this prefix