sqlcmd - Use with scripting variables

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance Azure Synapse Analytics Analytics Platform System (PDW) SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Variables that are used in scripts are called scripting variables. Scripting variables enable one script to be used in multiple scenarios. For example, if you want to run one script against multiple servers, instead of modifying the script for each server, you can use a scripting variable for the server name. By changing the server name supplied to the scripting variable, the same script can be executed on different servers.

Scripting variables can be defined explicitly by using the setvar command, or implicitly by using the sqlcmd -v option.

This article also includes examples defining environmental variables at the Cmd.exe command prompt by using SET.

Set scripting variables with the setvar command

The setvar command is used to define scripting variables. Variables that are defined by using the setvar command are stored internally. Scripting variables shouldn't be confused with environment variables that are defined at the command prompt by using SET. If a script references a variable that isn't an environment variable or isn't defined by using setvar, an error message is returned and the execution of the script stops. For more information, see the -b option in sqlcmd.

Variable precedence (low to high)

If more than one type of variable has the same name, the variable with the highest precedence is used.

1. System level environmental variables
2. User level environmental variables
3. Command shell (SET X=Y) set at command prompt before starting sqlcmd
4. sqlcmd -v X=Y
5. :Setvar X Y

Implicitly setting scripting variables

When you start sqlcmd with an option that has a related sqlcmd variable, the sqlcmd variable is set implicitly to the value that is specified by using the option. In the following example, sqlcmd is started with the -l option. This implicitly sets the SQLLOGINTIMEOUT variable.

sqlcmd -l 60

You can also use the -v option to set a scripting variable that exists in a script. In the following script (the file name is testscript.sql), ColumnName is a scripting variable.

USE AdventureWorks2022;

SELECT x.$(ColumnName)
FROM Person.Person x
WHERE x.BusinessEntityID < 5;

You can then specify the name of the column that you want returned by using the -v option:

sqlcmd -v ColumnName ="FirstName" -i c:\testscript.sql

To return a different column by using the same script, change the value of the ColumnName scripting variable.

sqlcmd -v ColumnName ="LastName" -i c:\testscript.sql

Guidelines for scripting variable names and values

Consider the following guidelines when you name scripting variables:

• Variable names must not contain white space characters or quotation marks.

• Variable names must not have the same form as a variable expression, such as $(var).

• Scripting variables are case-insensitive

  Note

  If no value is assigned to a sqlcmd environment variable, the variable is removed. Using :setvar VarName without a value clears the variable.

Consider the following guidelines when you specify values for scripting variables:

• Variable values that are defined by using setvar or the -v option must be enclosed by quotation marks if the string value contains spaces.
• If quotation marks are part of the variable value, they must be escaped. For example: :setvar MyVar "spac""e".

Guidelines for cmd.exe SET variable values and names

Variables that are defined by using SET are part of the cmd.exe environment and can be referenced by sqlcmd. Consider the following guidelines:

• Variable names must not contain white space characters or quotation marks.
• Variable values may contain spaces or quotation marks.

sqlcmd scripting variables

Variables that are defined by sqlcmd are known as scripting variables. The following table lists sqlcmd scripting variables.

¹ SQLCMDUSER, SQLCMDPASSWORD and SQLCMDSERVER are set when :Connect is used.

² R indicates the value can only be set one time during program initialization.

³ R/W indicates that the value can be reset by using the setvar command and subsequent commands use the new value.

Examples

A. Use the setvar command in a script

Many sqlcmd options can be controlled in a script by using the setvar command. In the following example, the script test.sql is created in which the SQLCMDLOGINTIMEOUT variable is set to 60 seconds and another scripting variable, server, is set to testserver. The following code is in test.sql.

:setvar SQLCMDLOGINTIMEOUT 60
:setvar server "testserver"
:connect $(server) -l $(SQLCMDLOGINTIMEOUT)

USE AdventureWorks2022;

SELECT FirstName, LastName
FROM Person.Person;

The script is then called by using sqlcmd:

sqlcmd -i c:\test.sql

B. Use the setvar command interactively

The following example shows how to set a scripting variable interactively by using the setvar command.

sqlcmd
:setvar MYDATABASE AdventureWorks2022
USE $(MYDATABASE);
GO

Here's the result set.

Changed database context to 'AdventureWorks2022'
1>

C. Use command prompt environment variables within sqlcmd

In the following example, four environment variables are set and then called from sqlcmd.

SET tablename=Person.Person
SET col1=FirstName
SET col2=LastName
SET title=Ms.
sqlcmd -d AdventureWorks2022
1> SELECT TOP 5 $(col1) + ' ' + $(col2) AS Name
2> FROM $(tablename)
3> WHERE Title ='$(title)'
4> GO

D. Use user-level environment variables within sqlcmd

In the following example, the user-level environmental variable %Temp% is set at the command prompt and passed to the sqlcmd input file. To obtain the user-level environment variable, in Control Panel, double-click System. Select the Advance tab, and then select Environment Variables.

The following code is in the input file C:\testscript.txt:

:OUT $(MyTempDirectory)
USE AdventureWorks2022;

SELECT FirstName
FROM AdventureWorks2022.Person.Person
WHERE BusinessEntityID < 5;

This following code is entered at the command prompt:

SET MyTempDirectory=%Temp%\output.txt
sqlcmd -i C:\testscript.txt

The following result is sent to the output file C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Temp\output.txt.

Changed database context to 'AdventureWorks2022'.
FirstName
--------------------------------------------------
Gustavo
Catherine
Kim
Humberto

(4 rows affected)

E. Use a startup script

A sqlcmd startup script is executed when sqlcmd is started. The following example sets the environment variable SQLCMDINI. This is the contents of init.sql.

SET NOCOUNT ON
GO

DECLARE @nt_username nvarchar(128)
SET @nt_username = (SELECT rtrim(convert(nvarchar(128), nt_username))
FROM sys.dm_exec_sessions WHERE spid = @@SPID)
SELECT  @nt_username + ' is connected to ' +
rtrim(CONVERT(nvarchar(20), SERVERPROPERTY('servername'))) +
' (' +`
rtrim(CONVERT(nvarchar(20), SERVERPROPERTY('productversion'))) +
')'
:setvar SQLCMDMAXFIXEDTYPEWIDTH 100
SET NOCOUNT OFF
GO

:setvar SQLCMDMAXFIXEDTYPEWIDTH

This calls the init.sql file when sqlcmd is started.

SET sqlcmdini=c:\init.sql
sqlcmd

This is the output.

1> <user> is connected to <server> (9.00.2047.00)

F. Variable expansion

The following example shows working with data in the form of a sqlcmd variable.

USE AdventureWorks2022;
GO
CREATE TABLE AdventureWorks2022.dbo.VariableTest (Col1 NVARCHAR(50));
GO

Insert one row into Col1 of dbo.VariableTest that contains the value $(tablename).

INSERT INTO AdventureWorks2022.dbo.VariableTest (Col1)
VALUES ('$(tablename)');
GO

At the sqlcmd prompt, when no variable is set equal to $(tablename), the following statements return the row and also return the message "'tablename' scripting variable not defined." By default, the sqlcmd flag -b isn't set. If -b is set, sqlcmd will terminate after the "variable not defined" error.

sqlcmd
1> SELECT Col1 FROM dbo.VariableTest WHERE Col1 = '$(tablename)';
2> GO
3> SELECT Col1 FROM dbo.VariableTest WHERE Col1 = N'$(tablename)';
4> GO

Here's the result set.

1> Col1
2> ------------------
3> $(tablename)
4>
5> (1 rows affected)

Given the variable MyVar is set to $(tablename).

6> :setvar MyVar $(tablename)

These statements return the row and also return the message "'tablename' scripting variable not defined."

6> SELECT Col1 FROM dbo.VariableTest WHERE Col1 = '$(tablename)';
7> GO

1> SELECT Col1 FROM dbo.VariableTest WHERE Col1 = N'$(tablename)';
2> GO

These statements return the row.

1> SELECT Col1 FROM dbo.VariableTest WHERE Col1 = '$(MyVar)';
2> GO

1> SELECT Col1 FROM dbo.VariableTest WHERE Col1 = N'$(MyVar)';
2> GO

Next steps

• Use the sqlcmd Utility
• sqlcmd utility
• Command Prompt Utility Reference (Database Engine)