Find a value anywhere in a database

-- exec pSearchAllTables 'M54*'

ALTER PROC pSearchAllTables (@SearchStr NVARCHAR(100))
AS
BEGIN
-- A procedure to search all tables in a database for a value
-- Note: Use * or % for wildcard

DECLARE
@Results TABLE([Schema.Table.ColumnName] NVARCHAR(370), ColumnValue NVARCHAR(3630))

SET NOCOUNT ON

DECLARE
@TableName NVARCHAR(256) = ''
, @ColumnName NVARCHAR(128)
, @SearchStr2 NVARCHAR(110) = QUOTENAME(REPLACE(@SearchStr, '*', '%'), '''')

WHILE @TableName IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
SET @ColumnName = ''
SET @TableName =
(
SELECT MIN(QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME))
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
AND QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME) > @TableName
AND OBJECTPROPERTY(OBJECT_ID(QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME)), 'IsMSShipped') = 0
)

WHILE (@TableName IS NOT NULL) AND (@ColumnName IS NOT NULL)
BEGIN
SET @ColumnName =
(
SELECT MIN(QUOTENAME(COLUMN_NAME))
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = PARSENAME(@TableName, 2)
AND TABLE_NAME = PARSENAME(@TableName, 1)
AND DATA_TYPE IN ('char', 'varchar', 'nchar', 'nvarchar')
AND QUOTENAME(COLUMN_NAME) > @ColumnName
)

IF @ColumnName IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
INSERT INTO @Results
EXEC ('SELECT ''' + @TableName + '.' + @ColumnName + ''', LEFT(' + @ColumnName + ', 3630) FROM ' + @TableName + ' (NOLOCK) WHERE ' + @ColumnName + ' LIKE ' + @SearchStr2)

END

END

END

SELECT
[Schema.Table.ColumnName]
, ColumnValue
FROM @Results
GROUP BY
[Schema.Table.ColumnName]
, ColumnValue

END

For Development purpose you can just export the required tables data into a single HTML and make a direct search on it.

Suppose if you want to get all the table with name a column name contain **logintime** in the database **MyDatabase** below is the code sample



use MyDatabase

SELECT t.name AS table_name,
SCHEMA_NAME(schema_id) AS schema_name,
c.name AS column_name
FROM sys.tables AS t
INNER JOIN sys.columns c ON t.OBJECT_ID = c.OBJECT_ID
WHERE c.name LIKE '%logintime%'
ORDER BY schema_name, table_name;

If you need to run such search only once then you can probably go with any of the scripts already shown in other answers. But otherwise, I’d recommend using [ApexSQL Search](

[To see links please register here]

) for this. It’s a free SSMS addin and it really saved me a lot of time.

Before running any of the scripts you should customize it based on the data type you want to search. If you know you are searching for datetime column then there is no need to search through nvarchar columns. This will speed up all of the queries above.

If you have **phpMyAdmin** installed use its *Search* feature.

Select your DataBase.

Be sure you do have selected DataBase, not a table, otherwise you'll get a completely different search dialog.

1. Click *Search* tab
2. List item Choose the search term you want
3. Choose the tables to search

I was looking for a just a numeric value = 6.84 - using the other answers here I was able to limit my search to this


Declare @sourceTable Table(id INT NOT NULL IDENTITY PRIMARY KEY, table_name varchar(1000), column_name varchar(1000))
Declare @resultsTable Table(id INT NOT NULL IDENTITY PRIMARY KEY, table_name varchar(1000))

Insert into @sourceTable(table_name, column_name)
select schema_name(t.schema_id) + '.' + t.name as[table], c.name as column_name
from sys.columns c
join sys.tables t
on t.object_id = c.object_id
where type_name(user_type_id) in ('decimal', 'numeric', 'smallmoney', 'money', 'float', 'real')
order by[table], c.column_id;

DECLARE db_cursor CURSOR FOR
Select table_name, column_name from @sourceTable
DECLARE @mytablename VARCHAR(1000);
DECLARE @mycolumnname VARCHAR(1000);

OPEN db_cursor;
FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @mytablename, @mycolumnname

WHILE @ @FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
Insert into @ResultsTable(table_name)
EXEC('SELECT ''' + @mytablename + '.' + @mycolumnname + ''' FROM ' + @mytablename + ' (NOLOCK) ' +
' WHERE ' + @mycolumnname + '=6.84')
FETCH NEXT FROM db_cursor INTO @mytablename, @mycolumnname
END;
CLOSE db_cursor;
DEALLOCATE db_cursor;
Select Distinct(table_name) from @ResultsTable

[This might help you][1]. - from Narayana Vyas. It searches all columns of all tables in a given database. I have used it before and it works.

This is the Stored Proc from the above link - the only change I made was substituting the temp table for a table variable so you don't have to remember to drop it each time.

CREATE PROC SearchAllTables
(
@SearchStr nvarchar(100)
)
AS
BEGIN

-- Copyright © 2002 Narayana Vyas Kondreddi. All rights reserved.
-- Purpose: To search all columns of all tables for a given search string
-- Written by: Narayana Vyas Kondreddi
-- Site:

[To see links please register here]

-- Tested on: SQL Server 7.0 and SQL Server 2000
-- Date modified: 28th July 2002 22:50 GMT

DECLARE @Results TABLE(ColumnName nvarchar(370), ColumnValue nvarchar(3630))

SET NOCOUNT ON

DECLARE @TableName nvarchar(256), @ColumnName nvarchar(128), @SearchStr2 nvarchar(110)
SET @TableName = ''
SET @SearchStr2 = QUOTENAME('%' + @SearchStr + '%','''')

WHILE @TableName IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
SET @ColumnName = ''
SET @TableName =
(
SELECT MIN(QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME))
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
AND QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME) > @TableName
AND OBJECTPROPERTY(
OBJECT_ID(
QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME)
), 'IsMSShipped'
) = 0
)

WHILE (@TableName IS NOT NULL) AND (@ColumnName IS NOT NULL)
BEGIN
SET @ColumnName =
(
SELECT MIN(QUOTENAME(COLUMN_NAME))
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = PARSENAME(@TableName, 2)
AND TABLE_NAME = PARSENAME(@TableName, 1)
AND DATA_TYPE IN ('char', 'varchar', 'nchar', 'nvarchar')
AND QUOTENAME(COLUMN_NAME) > @ColumnName
)

IF @ColumnName IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
INSERT INTO @Results
EXEC
(
'SELECT ''' + @TableName + '.' + @ColumnName + ''', LEFT(' + @ColumnName + ', 3630)
FROM ' + @TableName +
' WHERE ' + @ColumnName + ' LIKE ' + @SearchStr2
)
END
END
END

SELECT ColumnName, ColumnValue FROM @Results
END

To execute the stored procedure :

EXEC SearchAllTables 'YourStringHere'

[1]:

[To see links please register here]

There are lots of workable answers already. I just wanted to share one I wrote that has additional functionality.

--=======================================================================
-- MSSQL Unified Search
-- Minimum compatibility level = 130 (SQL Server 2016)
-- NOTE: The minimum compatibility level is required by the built-in STRING_SPLIT() function.
-- However, you can create the STRING_SPLIT() function at the bottom of this script for
-- lower versions of MSSQL Server.
--
-- Usage:
-- Set the parameters below and execute this script.
--
/************************ Enter Parameters Here ************************/
/**/
/**/ DECLARE @SearchString VARCHAR(1000) = 'string to search for'; -- Accepts SQL wilcards
/**/
/**/ DECLARE @IncludeUserTables BIT = 1;
/**/ DECLARE @IncludeViews BIT = 0;
/**/ DECLARE @IncludeStoredProcedures BIT = 0;
/**/ DECLARE @IncludeFunctions BIT = 0;
/**/ DECLARE @IncludeTriggers BIT = 0;
/**/
/**/ DECLARE @DebugMode BIT = 0;
/**/ DECLARE @ExcludeColumnTypes NVARCHAR(500) = 'text, ntext, char, nchar, timestamp, bigint, tinyint, smallint, bit, date, time, smalldatetime, datetime, datetime2, real, money, float, decimal, binary, varbinary, image'; -- Comma delimited list
/**/
/***********************************************************************/


SET NOCOUNT ON;
SET @SearchString = QUOTENAME(@SearchString,'''');

DECLARE @Results TABLE ([ObjectType] NVARCHAR(200), [ObjectName] NVARCHAR(200), [ColumnName] NVARCHAR(400), [Value] NVARCHAR(MAX), [SelectStatement] NVARCHAR(1000));
DECLARE @ExcludeColTypes TABLE (system_type_id INT);

INSERT INTO @ExcludeColTypes ([system_type_id])
SELECT [system_type_id]
FROM sys.types WHERE
[name] IN (
SELECT LTRIM(RTRIM([value])) FROM STRING_SPLIT(@ExcludeColumnTypes,',')
);

DECLARE @ObjectType NVARCHAR(200);
DECLARE @ObjectName NVARCHAR(200);
DECLARE @Value NVARCHAR(MAX);
DECLARE @SelectStatement NVARCHAR(1000);
DECLARE @Query NVARCHAR(4000);


/********************* Table Objects *********************/
IF (@IncludeUserTables = 1)
BEGIN
DECLARE @TableObjectId INT = (SELECT MIN([object_id]) FROM sys.tables);
DECLARE @ColumnId INT;
WHILE @TableObjectId IS NOT NULL
BEGIN

SELECT @ObjectType = 'USER TABLE';
SELECT @ObjectName = '[' + SCHEMA_NAME([schema_id]) + '].[' + OBJECT_NAME(@TableObjectId) + ']' FROM sys.tables WHERE [object_id] = @TableObjectId;

SET @ColumnId = (SELECT MIN([column_id]) FROM sys.columns WHERE [system_type_id] NOT IN (SELECT [system_type_id] FROM @ExcludeColTypes) AND [object_id] = @TableObjectId);
WHILE @ColumnId IS NOT NULL
BEGIN

SELECT @Value = '[' + [name] +']' FROM sys.columns WHERE [object_id] = @TableObjectId AND column_id = @ColumnId;

SET @SelectStatement = 'SELECT * FROM ' + @ObjectName + ' WHERE CAST(' + @Value + ' AS NVARCHAR(4000)) LIKE ' + @SearchString + ';';

SET @Query = 'SELECT '
+ QUOTENAME(@ObjectType, '''')
+ ', ' + QUOTENAME(@ObjectName, '''')
+ ', ' + QUOTENAME(@Value, '''')
+ ', ' + @Value
+ ', ''' + REPLACE(@SelectStatement,'''','''''') + ''''
+ ' FROM ' + @ObjectName
+ ' WHERE CAST(' + @Value + ' AS NVARCHAR(4000)) LIKE ' + @SearchString + ';';

IF @DebugMode = 0
BEGIN
INSERT INTO @Results EXEC(@Query);
END;
ELSE
BEGIN
PRINT 'Select Statement: ' + @SelectStatement;
PRINT 'Query: ' + @Query;
END;

SET @ColumnId = (SELECT MIN([column_id]) FROM sys.columns WHERE [system_type_id] NOT IN (SELECT [system_type_id] FROM @ExcludeColTypes) AND [object_id] = @TableObjectId AND [column_id] > @ColumnId);
END;

SET @TableObjectId = (SELECT MIN([object_id]) FROM sys.tables WHERE [object_id] > @TableObjectId);
END;
END;

/********************* Objects Other than Tables *********************/
SET @Query = 'SELECT ' +
'ObjectType = CASE ' +
'WHEN b.[type] = ''V'' THEN ''VIEW'' ' +
'WHEN b.[type] = ''P'' THEN ''STORED PROCEDURE'' ' +
'WHEN b.[type] = ''FN'' THEN ''SCALAR-VALUED FUNCTION'' ' +
'WHEN b.[type] = ''IF'' THEN ''TABLE-VALUED FUNCTION'' ' +
'WHEN b.[type] = ''TR'' THEN ''TRIGGER'' ' +
'END ' +
',[ObjectName] = ''['' + SCHEMA_NAME(b.[schema_id]) + ''].['' + OBJECT_NAME(a.[object_id]) + '']'' ' +
',[ColumnName] = NULL ' +
',[Value] = a.[definition] ' +
',[SelectStatement] = ''SP_HELPTEXT '' + QUOTENAME(''['' + SCHEMA_NAME(b.[schema_id]) + ''].['' + OBJECT_NAME(a.[object_id]) + '']'','''''''') + '';'' ' +
'FROM [sys].[sql_modules] a ' +
'JOIN [sys].[objects] b ON a.[object_id] = b.[object_id] ' +
'WHERE ' +
'( ' +
' a.[definition] LIKE ' + @SearchString +
') ' +
'AND ' +
'( ' +
' ( ' +
CAST(@IncludeViews AS VARCHAR(1)) + ' = 1 ' +
' AND ' +
' b.[type] IN (''V'') ' +
' ) ' +
' OR ' +
' ( ' +
CAST(@IncludeStoredProcedures AS VARCHAR(1)) + ' = 1 ' +
' AND ' +
' b.[type] IN (''P'') ' +
' ) ' +
' OR ' +
' ( ' +
CAST(@IncludeFunctions AS VARCHAR(1)) + ' = 1 ' +
' AND ' +
' b.[type] IN (''FN'',''IF'') ' +
' ) ' +
' OR ' +
' ( ' +
CAST(@IncludeTriggers AS VARCHAR(1)) + ' = 1 ' +
' AND ' +
' b.[type] IN (''TR'') ' +
' ) ' +
'); ';

IF @DebugMode = 0
BEGIN
INSERT INTO @Results EXEC(@Query);
END;
ELSE
BEGIN
PRINT 'Select Statement: ' + @SelectStatement;
PRINT 'Query: ' + @Query;
END;

IF @DebugMode = 0
BEGIN
SELECT
[ObjectType]
,[ObjectName]
,[ColumnName]
,[Value]
,[Count] = CASE
WHEN [ObjectType] IN ('USER TABLE') THEN COUNT(1)
ELSE NULL
END
,[SelectStatement]
FROM @Results
GROUP BY [ObjectType], [ObjectName], [ColumnName], [Value], [SelectStatement]
ORDER BY [Value];
END;

/********************** STRING_SPLIT() FUNCTION **********************
CREATE FUNCTION STRING_SPLIT (
@Expression nvarchar(4000)
,@Delimiter nvarchar(100)
)
RETURNS @Ret TABLE ([value] NVARCHAR(4000))
AS
BEGIN

DECLARE @Start INT = 0, @End INT, @Length INT;
SELECT @End = CHARINDEX(@Delimiter,@Expression), @Length = @End - @Start;

IF @End <= 0
BEGIN
INSERT INTO @Ret ([value]) VALUES (@Expression);
END
ELSE
BEGIN
WHILE @Length >= 0
BEGIN
INSERT INTO @Ret ([value])
SELECT ltrim(rtrim(substring(@Expression,@Start,@Length)));

SELECT @Start = @End + LEN(@Delimiter)
SELECT @End = CHARINDEX(@Delimiter,@Expression,@Start)
IF @End < 1
SELECT @End = LEN(@Expression) + 1;
SELECT @Length = @End - @Start;

END;
END;
RETURN;
END;
*********************************************************************/

By far the best and most universal solution I found is to pipe a dump of the db through to a grep of what you are searching for.

e.g. for Mysql:

```
mysqldump -pPASSWORD database | grep 'search phrase'
```

Or if you get too many results, you can then output them to a file:

```
mysqldump -pPASSWORD database | grep 'search phrase' > results.txt