The document discusses SQL command line tools for SQL Server, highlighting the standard tool sqlcmd and the advanced free tool sqls*plus, which aims to provide enhanced functionality akin to Oracle's sql*plus. It outlines various features missing in existing SQL Server command line tools and proposes functionalities that could benefit database administrators and developers, such as advanced formatting options and improved interaction. The document emphasizes the advantages of using command line tools for batch processing and automation in high-load environments.

1. Optimal command line tool
for SQL Server
SQLS*Plus
http://www.sqlsplus.com

2. Command line tools available
for SQL Server
SQLCMD – standard SQL Server command
line tool
SQLS*Plus – free advanced SQL Server
command line tool (www.sqlsplus.com)
OSQL – will be deprecated past SQL Server
2012
ISQL – deprecated as of SQL Server 2005

3. Why command line tools?
Batch processing of SQL commands
Automation of DBA, monitoring and
reporting tasks
Require less resources and operate under
very high server load when GUI tools stop
working or causing issues
Interactive command execution

4. What is missing?
Looking at Oracle SQL*Plus as a model
we see that standard SQL Server
command line tools lack functionality
that enables command line tool to be
a useful instrument to DBAs and
database developers
SQLS*Plus for SQL Server is what
SQL*Plus is for Oracle

5. Would this functionality benefit SQL Server command line tool?
SET pagesize <N>
SET linesize <N>
“set markup html
on|off” command to
output selected data in
HTML format
“set output csv”
command to output
selected data in CSV
format
“set vout on” command
to output data in
vertical format, where
each column is printed
on its own line. Vertical
output format is helpful
when outputting data
from a tables with
many columns
&<variable name> and
&&< <variable name> Use substitution
variable – both as
command line
parameter and from
scripts

6. Would this functionality benefit SQL Server command line tool?
!!command –
interactive, rerun
command again
BTITLE - Places and
formats a specified
title at the bottom
of each report
page, or lists the
current BTITLE
definition
“cat <table_name>
-a” – select data
from a table
“col <name> format
<format>” - format
selected column
(like Oracle does)
“DEF[INE]
[variable]|[variable
= text]” – define
script variable
DEPS [NAME] –
show Object
dependencies and
references
DESCRIBE - Describe
a table or stored
procedure

7. Would this functionality benefit SQL Server command line tool?
EXEC Execute TSQL
procedure
FIND - Find a
line in T-SQL
procedure
source
GREP
<pattern
table [extra
clause]> Show rows
that match
pattern
HEAD - Show
first rows of
table
HISTORY Show history
items
matching
pattern (or
all)
HOST Execute host
OS command
Id – show
current user
and login id

8. Would this functionality benefit SQL Server command line tool?
LIST - List last SQL
statement
LS - List all objects
matching pattern
PAUSE - SET
PAUSE <TEXT> |
SET PAUSE
[ON|OFF] Enables to control
scrolling of
terminal when
executing reports
PRINTVAR - Print
bind variables
PURGE <table
where ...> Delete data from
(large) table in
chunks
RECOMPILE –
recompile objects
REFS - Display
referential
integrity
dependencies

9. Would this functionality benefit SQL Server command line tool?
RERUN
<history_number> Run command by
history number
SET COLSEP - Set
column separator
character for
reports
SET FEEDBACK
<on|off|N> Display number of
records returned by
a query when a
query selects at
least n records
SET HEADING - Set
heading value
SET HEADSEP - Set
heading separator
SET linesize <size> Set output line size
SET MARK[UP]
HTML [ON | OFF] Set output to HTML

10. Would this functionality benefit SQL Server command line tool?
SET output <csv |
default> - Set
output to CSV
(commas
separated values)
or to default
output.
SET pagesize
<size> Set output
page size
SET termout
on|off Controls
the display of
output
SET VERIFY Print
ampersand
replacing
SET vout on|off
Set vertical
output mode
SHOW
DB|DATABASE
Show current
database
SHOW
DBS|DATABASES
Show available
databases

11. Would this functionality benefit SQL Server command line tool?
SHOW
TABLES|TAB Show
database
tables
SHOW ERRORS
- Show server
error log
SHOW
PARAMETER
<pattern> Show
database
parameters
SHOW USER Show the
current
username
SPOOL spool
<file_name> Write report
output to file
START | @ Execute sql
script
STARTREL |
@@ - Execute
sql script
relative /
nested to a
running script

12. Would this functionality benefit SQL Server command line tool?
TTITLE - Places and formats a specified
title at the top of each report page.
TSQL - Display T-SQL procedure code
VARIABLE - declare a bind variable

13. SQLS*Plus is a free tool*
Download SQLS*Plus at
www.sqlsplus.com
*Free for personal and commercial use on a single database instance