How to drop all tables from a database in sql server 2005 in a statement except one table
Solution 1
If the tables aren't very big I'd probably just select them all in the "Object Explorer Details" window in SSMS then hit delete.
For a programmatic solution you could use
EXEC sys.sp_MSforeachtable
N'IF OBJECT_ID(''?'') <> OBJECT_ID(''dbo.YourTableToKeep'')
DROP TABLE ?
'
Both methods might need repeated runs in order to delete all tables involved in FK relationships (a table cannot be deleted if another table has an FK referencing it).
Solution 2
You can use sql to create all drops staments that you needs. For example the next sql query
USE [MyDatabase];
GO
SELECT
replace(
replace('DROP TABLE [{Schema}].[{TableName}];'
,'{Schema}',TABLE_SCHEMA)
,'{TableName}',TABLE_NAME)
FROM
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE
TABLE_NAME NOT IN ('TableNameOne','TableNameTwo')
and get the result executing the query.
Copy first column of the query and paste it in a new query window.
It's easy to see, that you get a list of drop staments for all tables except 'TableNameOne' and 'TableNameTwo',...
Im think that is very simple...
Solution 3
/* Drop all Foreign Key constraints */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @constraint VARCHAR(254)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY' ORDER BY TABLE_NAME)
WHILE @name is not null
BEGIN
SELECT @constraint = (SELECT TOP 1 CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY' AND TABLE_NAME = @name ORDER BY CONSTRAINT_NAME)
WHILE @constraint IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +'] DROP CONSTRAINT [' + RTRIM(@constraint) +']'
EXEC (@SQL)
PRINT 'Dropped FK Constraint: ' + @constraint + ' on ' + @name
SELECT @constraint = (SELECT TOP 1 CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY' AND CONSTRAINT_NAME <> @constraint AND TABLE_NAME = @name ORDER BY CONSTRAINT_NAME)
END
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY' ORDER BY TABLE_NAME)
END
GO
/* Drop all Primary Key constraints */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @constraint VARCHAR(254)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'PRIMARY KEY' ORDER BY TABLE_NAME)
WHILE @name IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
SELECT @constraint = (SELECT TOP 1 CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'PRIMARY KEY' AND TABLE_NAME = @name ORDER BY CONSTRAINT_NAME)
WHILE @constraint is not null
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +'] DROP CONSTRAINT [' + RTRIM(@constraint)+']'
EXEC (@SQL)
PRINT 'Dropped PK Constraint: ' + @constraint + ' on ' + @name
SELECT @constraint = (SELECT TOP 1 CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'PRIMARY KEY' AND CONSTRAINT_NAME <> @constraint AND TABLE_NAME = @name ORDER BY CONSTRAINT_NAME)
END
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'PRIMARY KEY' ORDER BY TABLE_NAME)
END
GO
/* Drop all tables */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'U' AND category = 0 ORDER BY [name])
WHILE @name IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
SELECT @SQL = 'DROP TABLE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +']'
EXEC (@SQL)
PRINT 'Dropped Table: ' + @name
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'U' AND category = 0 AND [name] > @name ORDER BY [name])
END
GO
Manish
Updated on June 27, 2022Comments
-
Manish almost 2 years
I am using sql-server 2005. Initially, for learning purpose I created many tables now I want to drop all those tables except one which is currently I am working on. Is there any code or query with which I can drop all tables from my that database except that one useful table. One way I think is to copy that table into new database using
SELECT INTO...
clause and drop that database but don't know is this a good way to solve this problem. -
Dan Tanner about 12 yearsTo elaborate a little on the UI solution: F7 is the Object Explorer Details keyboard shortcut. You can't multi-select objects in the object explorer tree view, but you can select the Tables node in the tree view and hit F7 to show the Object Explorer Details.
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ben about 10 yearsthis serves it! Thanks