Tag Archives: multiple

How to replace multiple words within a string at once using python

Below is a quick code snippet example you can reuse to replace multiple words within a string using python.

s = "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
print(s)
for r in (("brown", "red"), ("lazy", "quick")):
    s = s.replace(*r)
print(s)

How to grant a User SELECT permission on multiple tables in SQL Server using T-SQL and Excel Formulas

Maybe you get emails from time to time saying something like “Hey can you grant so-and-so SELECT permission on” and then they list a few dozen tables.

There’s a couple of issues with this.

Firstly you shouldn’t be getting that as a simple email, it should come in as a formal access request.

Secondly User access should be defined in roles (or group logins if you want to manage access at an Active Directory level) that tie back to departments and seniority. Different roles have different permissions on different objects. This makes the subject of access more manageable and easily auditable. The access request should be “can you add so-and-so to this role” and ideally people should only exist in one role.

Thirdly this would be really annoying and, depending on the length of the table list, take too long to do via the SSMS GUI.

So if you are getting emails like the above try move your organisation along with regards the first two points. But to help you action the email I’ve created the Excel file DbaScripts_GrantSelect which can be downloaded here.

Grant Select Excel Sheet Snippet

The DbaScripts_GrantSelect file allows you to enter the Login (user name), Database name and Schema name in the first three columns. You can then copy and paste the table names into the fourth column called Table. Drag the first three columns down for as many table name entries there are. Then drag the SQL Command formula column down for as many table name entries there are and this will create the commands to grant SELECTs on the tables for the user specified.

If you can’t download the file above you can recreate it.

In an empty Excel sheet write the following into the cells as directed.

A1: Login
B1: Database
C1: Schema
D1: Table
E1: SQL Command

In E2 paste the following formula:

=”GRANT SELECT ON [“&B2&”].[“&C2&”].[“&D2&”] TO [“&A2&”];”

 

How to remove Logins and Users from SQL Server en masse

The script below will create SQL code to drop every user and login from a SQL Server instance. Not very useful unless you’re trying to give someone, possibly yourself, a very bad day. Don’t worry though the script does not execute the code, to reiterate it only generates it. However given the potential for you using the output of the script incorrectly this post comes with a disclaimer (Link to disclaimer).

To make the script a little more useful you can populate a temp table called #TheseUsersOnly in the script with the specific login/user names you want to remove.

This will limit the code outputted to only the logins and users specified.

Go to the /*INSERT LOGINS HERE*/ section to populate the temp table with hard coded login/user names.

Be sure to thoroughly review the code outputted before executing it.

If you encounter this error message “The database principal owns a schema in the database, and cannot be dropped“, see this post (Link).

SET NOCOUNT ON;

/*DECLARE VARIABLES*/
DECLARE @Database TABLE (DbName SYSNAME);
DECLARE @DbName AS SYSNAME;
DECLARE @sqlCommand AS VARCHAR(MAX);
DECLARE @UserName AS VARCHAR(128);
DECLARE @i AS INT;
DECLARE @z AS INT;
DECLARE @j AS INT;
DECLARE @y AS INT;

/*DROP EXISTING TEMP TABLES*/
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#ErrorTable') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #ErrorTable
END;

IF OBJECT_ID(N'tempdb..#User') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #User
END;

IF OBJECT_ID(N'tempdb..#UserOrdered') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #UserOrdered
END;

IF OBJECT_ID(N'tempdb..#TheseUsersOnly') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #TheseUsersOnly
END;

IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#Return') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #Return
END;

/*CREATE TEMP TABLES*/
/*THE ERROR TABLE WILL STORE THE DYNAMIC SQL THAT DID NOT WORK*/
CREATE TABLE [#ErrorTable] ([SqlCommand] VARCHAR(MAX)) ON [PRIMARY];

CREATE TABLE #User (
	Id INT NOT NULL IDENTITY(1, 1) PRIMARY KEY
	,DbName SYSNAME NULL
	,UserName SYSNAME NULL
	);

CREATE TABLE #UserOrdered (
	Id INT NOT NULL IDENTITY(1, 1) PRIMARY KEY
	,DbName SYSNAME NULL
	,UserName SYSNAME NULL
	);

CREATE TABLE #TheseUsersOnly (UserName SYSNAME NULL);

CREATE TABLE [#Return] ([SqlCommand] VARCHAR(MAX)) ON [PRIMARY];

/*INSERT LOGINS HERE*/
/*
/*Single Login*/
INSERT INTO #TheseUsersOnly (UserName)
SELECT 'Test_Login';
*/
/*
/*Multiple Logins*/
INSERT INTO #TheseUsersOnly (UserName)
VALUES (Test_Login_1)
,(Test_Login_2)
,(Test_Login_3)
*/
SET @DbName = '';

/*GENERATE LIST TABLE OF DATABASE NAMES*/
INSERT INTO @Database (DbName)
SELECT NAME
FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases
WHERE NAME <> 'tempdb'
ORDER BY NAME ASC;

/*GENERATE LIST OF USERS FOR EACH DATABASE*/
WHILE @DbName IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	SET @DbName = (
			SELECT MIN(DbName)
			FROM @Database
			WHERE DbName > @DbName
			)
	SET @sqlCommand = '
INSERT INTO #User (
DbName
,UserName
)
SELECT ' + '''' + @DbName + '''' + ' AS DbName 
,princ.name AS UserName
FROM ' + QUOTENAME(@DbName) + '.sys.database_principals AS princ
WHERE princ.name IS NOT NULL
';

	/*OPTION TO LIMIT USERS TO ONLY THE USERS SPECIFIED*/
	IF EXISTS (
			SELECT *
			FROM #TheseUsersOnly
			)
	BEGIN
		SET @sqlCommand = @sqlCommand + 'AND princ.Name IN (SELECT UserName FROM #TheseUsersOnly);'
	END
	ELSE
	BEGIN
		SET @sqlCommand = @sqlCommand + ';'
	END

	/*ERROR HANDLING*/
	BEGIN TRY
		EXEC (@sqlCommand)
	END TRY

	BEGIN CATCH
		INSERT INTO #ErrorTable
		SELECT (@sqlCommand)
	END CATCH
END;

/*REORDER USER TABLE BY NAME ALPHABETICALLY ASCENDING*/
INSERT INTO #UserOrdered (
	DbName
	,UserName
	)
SELECT DbName
	,UserName
FROM #User
ORDER BY UserName ASC
	,DbName ASC;

/*SET LOOP VARIABLES*/
SET @y = 0;
SET @i = 1;
SET @z = (
		SELECT COUNT(*)
		FROM #UserOrdered
		);

/*LOOP TO GENERATE SQL CODE*/
WHILE @i <= @z
BEGIN
	SELECT @DbName = DbName
		,@UserName = UserName
	FROM #UserOrdered
	WHERE Id = @i

	IF @y = 0
		SET @j = 1;

	BEGIN
		SET @y = (
				SELECT COUNT(UserName)
				FROM #UserOrdered
				WHERE UserName = @UserName
				)
	END

	SET @sqlCommand = 'USE [' + @DbName + '];
IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM ' + QUOTENAME(@DbName) + '.sys.database_principals WHERE name = N' + '''' + @UserName + '''' + ')
BEGIN DROP USER [' + @UserName + '] END;
';

	/*ERROR HANDLING*/
	BEGIN TRY
		INSERT INTO #Return
		SELECT (@sqlCommand)
	END TRY

	BEGIN CATCH
		INSERT INTO #ErrorTable
		SELECT (@sqlCommand)
	END CATCH

	IF @j = @y
	BEGIN
		IF EXISTS (
				SELECT NAME
				FROM master.sys.server_principals
				WHERE NAME = @UserName
				)
		BEGIN
			INSERT INTO #Return (SqlCommand)
			SELECT 'USE [master];
IF EXISTS (SELECT NAME
FROM master.sys.server_principals
WHERE NAME = ' + '''' + @UserName + '''' + '
) BEGIN
DROP LOGIN [' + @UserName + '] END;'
		END

		SET @y = 0;
	END

	SET @i = @i + 1;
	SET @j = @j + 1;
END

/*RESULTS*/
SELECT SqlCommand
FROM #ErrorTable;

SELECT SqlCommand
FROM #Return;

/*HOUSEKEEPING*/
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#ErrorTable') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #ErrorTable
END;

IF OBJECT_ID(N'tempdb..#User') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #User
END;

IF OBJECT_ID(N'tempdb..#UserOrdered') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #UserOrdered
END;

IF OBJECT_ID(N'tempdb..#TheseUsersOnly') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #TheseUsersOnly
END;

IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#Return') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	DROP TABLE #Return
END;

 

How to disable all enabled jobs in SQL Server with T-Sql where the job name contains specific keyword text

Running the below script will output the T-Sql required to disable all enabled jobs on the SQL Server instance where the job name contains a specific keyword. Just copy the outputted text and paste into a new SSMS window and execute to disable the jobs.

For example, if you change the text value ‘PLACEHOLDER’, for the variable @KeyWord, to ‘Backup’ then any job which has ‘Backup’ in its name will have T-Sql generated to disable it. You could change the PRINT to EXEC but I wouldn’t recommend it.

DECLARE @KeyWord AS VARCHAR(256)

SET @KeyWord = 'PLACEHOLDER'
SET NOCOUNT ON

DECLARE @Job TABLE (JobName SYSNAME)
DECLARE @JobName AS SYSNAME
DECLARE @Sql AS VARCHAR(MAX)

SET @JobName = ''

INSERT INTO @Job (JobName)
SELECT j.NAME
FROM msdb.dbo.sysjobs AS j
WHERE j.[enabled] = 1
	AND j.NAME LIKE '%' + @KeyWord + '%' 
ORDER BY j.NAME ASC

WHILE @JobName IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	SET @JobName = (
			SELECT MIN(JobName)
			FROM @Job
			WHERE JobName > @JobName
			)
	SET @Sql = '
EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_update_job @job_name = ' + '''' + @JobName + '''' + '
	,@enabled = 0; 
'

	PRINT @Sql
END
report cartoon

How to keep an SSRS Report on one page

Using visual studio left click just under design to focus on the report.

Image showing where to click

Now the report properties window should be visible in the bottom right of the screen.

Set the interactive height to 0 as shown below.

Properties windowYou will get the following warning sign below. Limiting the report to one page, by setting the interactive height to zero, means everything needs to be loaded all at once. This will create lag when a user loads the report and interacts with it.

warning message stating can cause performance issuesIf you are basically using SSRS as a means for end users to pull a data dump via excel, heed this warning. If you just have a few aggregated tables and you want them all on the same page you should be fine.

How to run multiple SQL scripts automatically in order.

If you’ve been working towards a new deployment to a live database chances are you have written several scripts (possibly dozens) that have been developed/tested against the the development server.

Now the time has come to put the update live. Which would require executing each script against the live database.

This task can be automated by using a very handy batch script to run against the directory the files are saved in.

Caveat: This process does not take into account error handling or rollbacks, it’s just a simple example people can build on.

In order for this to work the files must have been named in a manner that the necessary order of execution corresponds to ascii sort order, i.e. 001_CreateTable.sql, 002_PopulateTable etc. This is standard practice for sql file naming conventions.

Simply create a .BAT file with the following command:
(Swap servername and databaseName for your required server and database names, TIP: SELECT @@servername can provide you with the full server name.)

for %%G in (*.sql) do sqlcmd /S servername /d databaseName -E -i"%%G"
pause

Place this .BAT file in the directory from which you want the .SQL files to be executed, double click the .BAT file and the command will loop and execute every SQL script in the folder.