Tag Archives: sql server management studio

How to get MS SQL Server job history using a stored procedure

April 20, 2017Database Administrator, dba, Development, Reporting, sql, SQL Server, SSRS, T-SQL, tsqlbypass, bypass sql server management studio, example, from, GET, guide, history, How To, howto, Job, lesson, sample, SP, SQL Server, sql server management studio, ssms, stored procedure, tutorialTidbytez 1

In a previous article (see article) I provided simple queries to return the server’s job history. It’s only natural that when you find yourself running the same script over and over again eventually you’ll get around to turning it into a stored procedure.

Well today was the day.

You can use the script below to create the Stored Procedure usp_GetJobHistory.

To deploy the SP to your instance you’ll need to replace the text PLACEHOLDER with the name of the database you’ll be deploying to. Ideally you should have a utility or administration database rather than deploying to Master.

The SP has 5 parameters.

Parameter	Datatype	Options	Definition
@DaysToPull	INT	Any Number	How many days of history you want working back from today
@Status	VARCHAR	One of the following: All’, ‘Succeeded’, ‘Failed’, ‘Retried’, ‘Cancelled’, NULL	Will limited the rows returned based on the status of the entry
@SortOrder	VARCHAR	ASC or DESC	The occurrence order i.e. oldest to newest
@JobName	VARCHAR	Any Text	Used in a LIKE operator to find jobs containing that text
@ReturnSql	BIT	0, 1 or NULL	Returns the SQL you can modify or run to return the history

Example command:

Create the SQL code to return the job history for jobs containing the work backup that failed in the past day sorted by newest to oldest.

EXEC dbo.GetJobHistory @DaysToPull = 1
,@SortOrder = ‘DESC’
,@Status = ‘Failed’
,@JobName = ‘Backup’
,@ReturnSql = 1

Tip: you could use this to create a SSRS report that could be published daily to notify stakeholders of any job failures.

-- REPLACE PLACEHOLDER
USE [PLACEHOLDER];
GO

IF OBJECT_ID('[usp_GetJobHistory]') IS NULL
	EXEC ('CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.[usp_GetJobHistory] AS SELECT 1')
GO

ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[usp_GetJobHistory] @DaysToPull INT
	,@Status VARCHAR(9) = NULL
	,@SortOrder VARCHAR(4) = NULL
	,@JobName VARCHAR(256) = NULL
	,@ReturnSql BIT = NULL
AS
BEGIN
	-- =============================================
	-- Author:      Bloggins
	-- Create date: 20170420
	-- Description: <Query to retrieve job history bypassing SSMS inbuilt viewer>
	-- Website: https://techtidbytes.wordpress.com/
	-- =============================================
	SET NOCOUNT ON

	BEGIN TRY
		-- Variable Declarations 
		DECLARE @PreviousDate DATETIME
		DECLARE @Year VARCHAR(4)
		DECLARE @Month VARCHAR(2)
		DECLARE @MonthPre VARCHAR(2)
		DECLARE @Day VARCHAR(2)
		DECLARE @DayPre VARCHAR(2)
		DECLARE @FinalDate INT
		DECLARE @StatusClause AS VARCHAR(255)
		DECLARE @Sql AS VARCHAR(MAX)

		IF @SortOrder IS NULL
			OR (
				@SortOrder <> 'ASC'
				AND @SortOrder <> 'DESC'
				)
		BEGIN
			SET @SortOrder = 'ASC'
		END

		IF @Status = 'All'
			OR @Status IS NULL
			OR (
				@Status <> 'All'
				AND @Status <> 'Failed'
				AND @Status <> 'Succeeded'
				AND @Status <> 'Retried'
				AND @Status <> 'Cancelled'
				)
		BEGIN
			SET @StatusClause = '0, 1, 2, 3'
		END
		ELSE IF @Status = 'Failed'
		BEGIN
			SET @StatusClause = '0'
		END
		ELSE IF @Status = 'Succeeded'
		BEGIN
			SET @StatusClause = '1'
		END
		ELSE IF @Status = 'Retried'
		BEGIN
			SET @StatusClause = '2'
		END
		ELSE IF @Status = 'Cancelled'
		BEGIN
			SET @StatusClause = '3'
		END

		SET @PreviousDate = DATEADD(dd, - @DaysToPull, GETDATE())
		SET @Year = DATEPART(yyyy, @PreviousDate)

		SELECT @MonthPre = CONVERT(VARCHAR(2), DATEPART(mm, @PreviousDate))

		SELECT @Month = RIGHT(CONVERT(VARCHAR, (@MonthPre + 1000000000)), 2)

		SELECT @DayPre = CONVERT(VARCHAR(2), DATEPART(dd, @PreviousDate))

		SELECT @Day = RIGHT(CONVERT(VARCHAR, (@DayPre + 1000000000)), 2)

		SET @FinalDate = CAST(@Year + @Month + @Day AS INT)
		/*RunDuration FORMAT (DD:HH:MM:SS)*/
		SET @Sql = '
SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY h.instance_id ' + @SortOrder + ' ) AS Row
	,h.Server AS ServerName
	,s.database_name AS DbName
	,j.name AS JobName
	,s.step_name AS StepName
	,h.step_id AS StepId
	,CASE 
		WHEN h.run_status = 0
			THEN ''Failed''
		WHEN h.run_status = 1
			THEN ''Succeeded''
		WHEN h.run_status = 2
			THEN ''Retried''
		WHEN h.run_status = 3
			THEN ''Cancelled''
		END AS RunStatus
	,MSDB.DBO.AGENT_DATETIME(h.run_date, h.run_time) AS RunTime
	,STUFF(STUFF(STUFF(RIGHT(REPLICATE(''0'', 8) + CAST(h.run_duration AS VARCHAR(8)), 8), 3, 0, '':''), 6, 0, '':''), 9, 0, '':'') AS RunDuration
	,h.sql_severity AS SqlSeverity
	,h.message AS MessageReturned
FROM msdb.dbo.sysjobhistory h
INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.sysjobs j ON h.job_id = j.job_id
INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.sysjobsteps s ON j.job_id = s.job_id
	AND h.step_id = s.step_id
WHERE h.run_status IN (' + @StatusClause + ')
	AND h.run_date > ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(255), @FinalDate)

		IF @JobName IS NOT NULL
		BEGIN
			SET @Sql = @Sql + '
AND j.name LIKE ' + '''' + '%' + @JobName + '%' + '''' + ''
		END

		SET @Sql = @Sql + '
ORDER BY h.instance_id ' + @SortOrder

		IF @ReturnSql = 1
		BEGIN
			PRINT (@Sql)
		END
		ELSE
		BEGIN
			EXEC (@Sql)
		END
	END TRY

	BEGIN CATCH
		PRINT 'error!'

		DECLARE @error_number AS INTEGER
		DECLARE @error_message AS VARCHAR(400)

		SET @error_number = error_number()
		SET @error_message = left(error_message(), 400)

		PRINT 'error_message: ' + @error_message
	END CATCH
END

How to write text to a file with SQL Server

August 25, 2015SQL Serverfile, How create text file in directory sql server, How To, how to write text to a file from SQL Server, How write text to file SSMS, howto, lesson, sp_OACreate, sp_OAMethod, sql server management studio, ssms, stored procedure, text, to, tutorial, write, Write text to File in SQL Server Management StudioTidbytez

The following is a tutorial on creating a stored procedure that will allow you to create a file in any directory and insert text into this newly created file.

In order for this to work you will need to authorise the running of system stored procedures with Object Linking and Embedding functionality (See OLE).

Authorisation is needed as the stored procedure we will create rely on the system SPs sp_OACreate and sp_OAMethod.

sp_OACreate: Creates an instance of an OLE object.

sp_OAMethod: Calls a method of an OLE object.

NOTE: By default, SQL Server blocks access to OLE Automation stored procedures by turning the components off as part of the security configuration for the server.

Run the script below to grant authorisation.

--AUTHORIZE SYSTEM STORED PROCEDURES
sp_configure 'show advanced options'
	,1;
GO

RECONFIGURE;
GO

sp_configure 'Ole Automation Procedures'
	,1;
GO

RECONFIGURE;
GO

--AUTHORIZED

Next we will create the stored procedure WriteToFile. Substitute the DatabaseName with the database you will be using.

--CREATE STORED PROCEDURE
/*
CHANGE:
DATABASE NAME: DatabaseName 
 */
USE "DatabaseName";
GO

SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO

IF OBJECT_ID('[dbo].[WriteToFile]', 'P') IS NOT NULL
	DROP PROCEDURE [WriteToFile];
GO

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[WriteToFile] @File VARCHAR(255)
	,@Text VARCHAR(MAX)
	WITH EXECUTE AS CALLER
AS
BEGIN
	DECLARE @OLE INT
	DECLARE @FileID INT

	EXECUTE sp_OACreate 'Scripting.FileSystemObject'
		,@OLE OUT

	EXECUTE sp_OAMethod @OLE
		,'OpenTextFile'
		,@FileID OUT
		,@File
		,8
		,1

	EXECUTE sp_OAMethod @FileID
		,'WriteLine'
		,NULL
		,@Text

	EXECUTE sp_OADestroy @FileID

	EXECUTE sp_OADestroy @OLE
END;

Below is an example using the WriteToFile stored procedure.

--WRITE TO FILE EXAMPLE
/*
CHANGE:
DATABASE NAME: DatabaseName 
 */
USE "DatabaseName";
GO

DECLARE @Path VARCHAR(255)
DECLARE @Txt VARCHAR(MAX)

--NOTE: THE LOG FILE WILL BE CREATED IF IT DOES NOT ALREADY EXIST
SET @PATH = 'C:\temp\WriteToFileExampleLog.txt'
SET @Txt = 'Hello World'

EXEC [DatabaseName].[dbo].[WriteToFile] @Path
	,@Txt;

Using the same stored procedure here’s an example writing a table to the file using concatenation and a loop. This process works by taking the table row by row and writing the concatenated value to the file. There are easier ways to achieve this however, i.e. utilising the export functionality built into SSMS and saving this as a package to be run as a job.

--STORED PROCEDURE CREATED
--WRITE TABLE TO FILE EXAMPLE
DECLARE @Path VARCHAR(255)
DECLARE @Txt VARCHAR(MAX)
DECLARE @loopId AS INT
DECLARE @maxId AS INT
DECLARE @TempCustomer TABLE (
	ID_column INT IDENTITY PRIMARY KEY
	,FirstName NVARCHAR(100)
	);

--NOTE: THE LOG FILE WILL BE CREATED IF IT DOES NOT ALREADY EXIST
SET @PATH = 'C:\temp\WriteToFileExampleLog.txt'

INSERT INTO @tempCustomer (FirstName)
VALUES ('Paul')
	,('Jim')
	,('John')

SET @loopId = 1
SET @maxId = (
		SELECT MAX(ID_column)
		FROM @TempCustomer
		)

WHILE @loopId <= @maxId
BEGIN
	SELECT @Txt = CONVERT(VARCHAR(10), ID_column) + ', ' + FirstName
	FROM @TempCustomer
	WHERE ID_column = @loopId

	PRINT @Txt

	EXEC [TEST_DB].[dbo].[WriteToFile] @Path
		,@Txt;

	SET @loopId = @loopId + 1
END

How to enable and disable xp_cmdshell

August 17, 2015Database Administrator, dba, sql, SQL Server, T-SQLcmd, cmdshell, disable, enable, guide, How To, how to disable xp_cmdshell, how to enable xp_cmdshell, howto, lesson, risk, security, shell, sql server management studio, ssms, tsql, tutorial, uncategorised, why disable, xp cmdshell, xp_cmdshellTidbytez 1

xp_cmdshell is an extended stored procedure provided by Microsoft and stored in the master database. This procedure allows you to issue operating system commands directly to the Windows command shell via T-SQL code.

By default, the xp_cmdshell option is disabled on new installations. Along with other unwanted behavior malicious users can elevate their privileges with the use of xp_cmdshell. For this reason it is generally recommend to leave xp_cmdshell disabled. It can be enabled by using the Policy-Based Management or by running the sp_configure system stored procedure as shown in the following code example:

Use Master
GO

EXEC master.dbo.sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE
GO

EXEC master.dbo.sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell', 1
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE
GO

To disable xp_cmdshell use the following code example. Note: The following example also sets show advanced options server configuration option to 0. It is best practice to leave this option in the default state of 0 to stop the enabling of features.

Use Master
GO

EXEC master.dbo.sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell', 0
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE
GO

EXEC master.dbo.sp_configure 'show advanced options', 0
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE
GO

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