tablediff utility
Applies to: 
SQL Server
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL Managed Instance
Azure Synapse Analytics
Analytics Platform System (PDW)
The tablediff utility is used to compare the data in two tables for non-convergence, and is useful for troubleshooting nonconvergence in a replication topology. This utility can be used from the command prompt or in a batch file to perform the following tasks:
A row by row comparison between a source table in an instance of SQL Server acting as a replication Publisher, and the destination table at one or more instances of SQL Server acting as replication Subscribers.
Perform a fast comparison by only comparing row counts and schema.
Perform column-level comparisons.
Generate a Transact-SQL script to fix discrepancies at the destination server to bring the source and destination tables into convergence.
Log results to an output file or into a table in the destination database.
Note
The tablediff utility is part of the the SQL Server Replication tools. In SQL Server 2022 (16.x), tablediff.exe can be found at its default location of C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\160\COM, once the replication feature has been installed.
Syntax
tablediff
[ -? ] |
{
-sourceserver source_server_name [ \instance_name ]
-sourcedatabase source_database
-sourcetable source_table_name
[ -sourceschema source_schema_name ]
[ -sourcepassword source_password ]
[ -sourceuser source_login ]
[ -sourcelocked ]
-destinationserver destination_server_name [ \instance_name ]
-destinationdatabase subscription_database
-destinationtable destination_table
[ -destinationschema destination_schema_name ]
[ -destinationpassword destination_password ]
[ -destinationuser destination_login ]
[ -destinationlocked ]
[ -b large_object_bytes ]
[ -bf number_of_statements ]
[ -c ]
[ -dt ]
[ -et table_name ]
[ -f [ file_name ] ]
[ -o output_file_name ]
[ -q ]
[ -rc number_of_retries ]
[ -ri retry_interval ]
[ -strict ]
[ -t connection_timeouts ]
}
Arguments
[ -? ]
Returns the list of supported parameters.
-sourceserver source_server_name[ \instance_name ]
Specifies the name of the source server. Specify source_server_name for the default instance of SQL Server. Specify source_server_name\instance_name for a named instance of SQL Server.
-sourcedatabase source_database
Specifies the name of the source database.
-sourcetable source_table_name
Specifies the name of the source table being checked.
-sourceschema source_schema_name
The schema owner of the source table. By default, the table owner is assumed to be dbo.
-sourcepassword source_password
Specifies the password for the login used to connect to the source server using SQL Server Authentication.
Important
When possible, supply security credentials at runtime. If you must store credentials in a script file, you should secure the file to prevent unauthorized access.
-sourceuser source_login
Specifies the login used to connect to the source server using SQL Server Authentication. If source_login isn't supplied, then Windows Authentication is used when connecting to the source server. When possible, use Windows authentication.
-sourcelocked
The source table is locked during the comparison using the TABLOCK and HOLDLOCK table hints.
-destinationserver destination_server_name[\instance_name]
Specifies the name of the destination server. Specify destination_server_name for the default instance of SQL Server. Specify destination_server_name\instance_name for a named instance of SQL Server.
-destinationdatabase subscription_database
Specifies the name of the destination database.
-destinationtable destination_table
Specifies the name of the destination table.
-destinationschema destination_schema_name
The schema owner of the destination table. By default, the table owner is assumed to be dbo.
-destinationpassword destination_password
Specifies the password for the login used to connect to the destination server using SQL Server Authentication.
Important
When possible, supply security credentials at runtime. If you must store credentials in a script file, you should secure the file to prevent unauthorized access.
-destinationuser destination_login
Specifies the login used to connect to the destination server using SQL Server Authentication. If destination_login isn't supplied, then Windows Authentication is used when connecting to the server. When possible, use Windows authentication.
-destinationlocked
The destination table is locked during the comparison using the TABLOCK and HOLDLOCK table hints.
-b large_object_bytes
Specifies the number of bytes to compare for large object data type columns, which include text, ntext, image, varchar(max), nvarchar(max) and varbinary(max). large_object_bytes defaults to the size of the column. Any data greater than large_object_bytes isn't compared.
-bf number_of_statements
Specifies the number of Transact-SQL statements to write to the current Transact-SQL script file when the -f option is used. When the number of Transact-SQL statements exceeds number_of_statements, a new Transact-SQL script file is created.
-c
Compare column-level differences.
-dt
Drop the result table specified by table_name, if the table already exists.
-et table_name
Specifies the name of the result table to create. If this table already exists, -DT must be used, or the operation fails.
-f [ file_name ]
Generates a Transact-SQL script to bring the table at the destination server into convergence with the table at the source server. You can optionally specify a name and path for the generated Transact-SQL script file. If file_name isn't specified, the Transact-SQL script file is generated in the directory where the utility runs.
-o output_file_name
Specifies the full name and path of the output file.
-q
Perform a fast comparison by only comparing row counts and schema.
-rc number_of_retries
Number of times that the utility retries a failed operation.
-ri retry_interval
Interval, in seconds, to wait between retries.
-strict
Source and destination schema are strictly compared.
-t connection_timeouts
Sets the connection timeout period, in seconds, for connections to the source server and destination server.
Return value
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
0 |
Success |
1 |
Critical error |
2 |
Table differences |
Remarks
The tablediff utility can't be used with non- SQL Server servers.
Tables with sql_variant data type columns aren't supported.
By default, the tablediff utility supports the following data type mappings between source and destination columns.
| Source data type | Destination data type |
|---|---|
| tinyint | smallint, int, or bigint |
| smallint | int or bigint |
| int | bigint |
| timestamp | varbinary |
| varchar(max) | text |
| nvarchar(max) | ntext |
| varbinary(max) | image |
| text | varchar(max) |
| ntext | nvarchar(max) |
| image | varbinary(max) |
Use the -strict option to disallow these mappings and perform a strict validation.
The source table in the comparison must contain at least one primary key, identity, or ROWGUID column. When you use the -strict option, the destination table must also have a primary key, identity, or ROWGUID column.
The Transact-SQL script generated to bring the destination table into convergence doesn't include the following data types:
- varchar(max)
- nvarchar(max)
- varbinary(max)
- timestamp
- xml
- text
- ntext
- image
Permissions
To compare tables, you need SELECT ALL permissions on the table objects being compared.
To use the -et option, you must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role, or at least have CREATE TABLE permission in the subscription database and ALTER permission on the destination owner schema at the destination server.
To use the -dt option, you must be a member of the db_owner fixed database role, or at least have ALTER permission on the destination owner schema at the destination server.
To use the -o or -f options, you must have write permissions to the specified file directory location.