Run Transact-SQL Script Files Using sqlcmd

You can use sqlcmd to run a Transact-SQL script file. A Transact-SQL script file is a text file that can contain a combination of Transact-SQL statements, sqlcmd commands, and scripting variables.

To create a simple Transact-SQL script file by using Notepad, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Notepad.

2. Copy and paste the following Transact-SQL code into Notepad:

   USE AdventureWorks2012;  
   GO  
   SELECT p.FirstName + ' ' + p.LastName AS 'Employee Name',  
   a.AddressLine1, a.AddressLine2 , a.City, a.PostalCode   
   FROM Person.Person AS p   
      INNER JOIN HumanResources.Employee AS e   
           ON p.BusinessEntityID = e.BusinessEntityID  
       INNER JOIN Person.BusinessEntityAddress bea   
           ON bea.BusinessEntityID = e.BusinessEntityID  
       INNER JOIN Person.Address AS a   
           ON a.AddressID = bea.AddressID;  
   GO  
   

3. Save the file as myScript.sql in the C drive.

To run the script file

1. Open a command prompt window.

2. In the Command Prompt window, type: sqlcmd -S myServer\instanceName -i C:\myScript.sql

3. Press ENTER.

A list of Adventure Works employee names and addresses is written to the command prompt window.

To save this output to a text file

1. Open a command prompt window.

2. In the Command Prompt window, type: sqlcmd -S myServer\instanceName -i C:\myScript.sql -o C:\EmpAdds.txt

3. Press ENTER.

No output is returned in the Command Prompt window. Instead, the output is sent to the EmpAdds.txt file. You can verify this output by opening the EmpAdds.txt file.

See Also

Start the sqlcmd Utility
sqlcmd Utility