Question

I want to present a schema to my BA team.

Select TABLE_NAME, col.DATA_TYPE
from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS col
order by col.TABLE_CATALOG, TABLE_NAME, TABLE_SCHEMA, col.ORDINAL_POSITION

I want to present 3 rows of sample data as well but I wanted to pivot it out so they get an output that has the following 3 columns:

1. Table_Name
2. Data_Type
3. Sample_Data

How do I pivot that data?

Answer 1

I built this using XML PATH

SET NOCOUNT ON

SELECT 
    'SELECT ''' + col.TABLE_NAME + ''' AS TableName,' +
    '''' + col.COLUMN_NAME + ''' AS ColumnName,'+
    ' ''' +  col.DATA_TYPE + ''' as DataType,   '  +
    '
    (
        SELECT top 3 CONVERT (VARCHAR, p2.' + col.COLUMN_NAME + ') + '','' 
        FROM ' + col.TABLE_SCHEMA + '.' + col.TABLE_NAME + ' p2
        ORDER BY p2. ' +  col.COLUMN_NAME + '
        FOR XML PATH('''') 
    )
    UNION ALL'
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS col
ORDER BY 
    col.TABLE_CATALOG, 
    col.TABLE_NAME, 
    col.TABLE_SCHEMA, 
    col.ORDINAL_POSITION

I copy paste the result of this query into a new query editor window. I delete the last UNION ALL and execute the query.

It gives me an additional comma in the Returned data, but my B.A.’s were OK with that.