How to drop all tables from a database in sql server 2005 in a statement except one table

Question

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.

Answer 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).

Answer 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...

Answer 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