How do you run a SQL Server query from PowerShell? - powershell

Question

Is there a way to execute an arbitrary query on a SQL Server using Powershell on my local machine?

Answer 1

For others who need to do this with just stock .NET and PowerShell (no additional SQL tools installed) here is the function that I use:
function Invoke-SQL {
param(
[string] $dataSource = ".\SQLEXPRESS",
[string] $database = "MasterData",
[string] $sqlCommand = $(throw "Please specify a query.")
)
$connectionString = "Data Source=$dataSource; " +
"Integrated Security=SSPI; " +
"Initial Catalog=$database"
$connection = new-object system.data.SqlClient.SQLConnection($connectionString)
$command = new-object system.data.sqlclient.sqlcommand($sqlCommand,$connection)
$connection.Open()
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.sqlclient.sqlDataAdapter $command
$dataset = New-Object System.Data.DataSet
$adapter.Fill($dataSet) | Out-Null
$connection.Close()
$dataSet.Tables
}
I have been using this so long I don't know who wrote which parts. This was distilled from others' examples, but simplified to be clear and just what is needed without extra dependencies or features.
I use and share this often enough that I have turned this into a script module on GitHub so that you can now go to your modules directory and execute git clone https://github.com/ChrisMagnuson/InvokeSQL and from that point forward invoke-sql will automatically be loaded when you go to use it (assuming your using PowerShell v3 or later).

Answer 2

You can use the Invoke-Sqlcmd cmdlet
Invoke-Sqlcmd -Query "SELECT GETDATE() AS TimeOfQuery;" -ServerInstance "MyComputer\MyInstance"
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc281720.aspx

Answer 3

This function will return the results of a query as an array of powershell objects so you can use them in filters and access columns easily:
function sql($sqlText, $database = "master", $server = ".")
{
$connection = new-object System.Data.SqlClient.SQLConnection("Data Source=$server;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=$database");
$cmd = new-object System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand($sqlText, $connection);
$connection.Open();
$reader = $cmd.ExecuteReader()
$results = #()
while ($reader.Read())
{
$row = #{}
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $reader.FieldCount; $i++)
{
$row[$reader.GetName($i)] = $reader.GetValue($i)
}
$results += new-object psobject -property $row
}
$connection.Close();
$results
}

Answer 4

Here's an example I found on this blog.
$cn2 = new-object system.data.SqlClient.SQLConnection("Data Source=machine1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=master");
$cmd = new-object system.data.sqlclient.sqlcommand("dbcc freeproccache", $cn2);
$cn2.Open();
if ($cmd.ExecuteNonQuery() -ne -1)
{
echo "Failed";
}
$cn2.Close();
Presumably you could substitute a different TSQL statement where it says dbcc freeproccache.

Answer 5

If you want to do it on your local machine instead of in the context of SQL server then I would use the following. It is what we use at my company.
$ServerName = "_ServerName_"
$DatabaseName = "_DatabaseName_"
$Query = "SELECT * FROM Table WHERE Column = ''"
#Timeout parameters
$QueryTimeout = 120
$ConnectionTimeout = 30
#Action of connecting to the Database and executing the query and returning results if there were any.
$conn=New-Object System.Data.SqlClient.SQLConnection
$ConnectionString = "Server={0};Database={1};Integrated Security=True;Connect Timeout={2}" -f $ServerName,$DatabaseName,$ConnectionTimeout
$conn.ConnectionString=$ConnectionString
$conn.Open()
$cmd=New-Object system.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand($Query,$conn)
$cmd.CommandTimeout=$QueryTimeout
$ds=New-Object system.Data.DataSet
$da=New-Object system.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter($cmd)
[void]$da.fill($ds)
$conn.Close()
$ds.Tables
Just fill in the $ServerName, $DatabaseName and the $Query variables and you should be good to go.
I am not sure how we originally found this out, but there is something very similar here.

Answer 6

There isn't a built-in "PowerShell" way of running a SQL query. If you have the SQL Server tools installed, you'll get an Invoke-SqlCmd cmdlet.
Because PowerShell is built on .NET, you can use the ADO.NET API to run your queries.

Answer 7

Invoke-Sqlcmd -Query "sp_who" -ServerInstance . -QueryTimeout 3

Answer 8

To avoid SQL Injection with varchar parameters you could use
function sqlExecuteRead($connectionString, $sqlCommand, $pars) {
$connection = new-object system.data.SqlClient.SQLConnection($connectionString)
$connection.Open()
$command = new-object system.data.sqlclient.sqlcommand($sqlCommand, $connection)
if ($pars -and $pars.Keys) {
foreach($key in $pars.keys) {
# avoid injection in varchar parameters
$par = $command.Parameters.Add("#$key", [system.data.SqlDbType]::VarChar, 512);
$par.Value = $pars[$key];
}
}
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.sqlclient.sqlDataAdapter $command
$dataset = New-Object System.Data.DataSet
$adapter.Fill($dataset) | Out-Null
$connection.Close()
return $dataset.tables[0].rows
}
$connectionString = "connectionstringHere"
$sql = "select top 10 Message, TimeStamp, Level from dbo.log " +
"where Message = #MSG and Level like #LEVEL"
$pars = #{
MSG = 'this is a test from powershell'
LEVEL = 'aaa%'
};
sqlExecuteRead $connectionString $sql $pars

Answer 9

You can even format string and pass parameters as you want.
case "ADDSQLSERVERUSER":
//0 = coprorateName;
//1 = user password
//2 = servername
command = #"$sqlQuery = Use JazzUWS_'{0}'
Create login UWSUser_'{0}' with password='{1}';
Create user UWSUser_'{0}' for login UWSUser_'{0}';
Grant Execute to UWSUser_'{0}';
Use ReportSvrUWS_'{0}'
Create user UWSUser_'{0}' for login UWSUser_'{0}';
Grant Execute to UWSUser_'{0}';
Invoke-Sqlcmd -Query $sqlQuery -ServerInstance '{2}'";
break;
C# Code for remote execution(you can organize your way)
string script = PowershellDictionary.GetPowershellCommand("ADDSQLSERVERUSER");
script = String.Format(script, this.CorporateName, password, this.SQLServerName)
PowerShellExecution.RunScriptRemote(_credentials.Server, _credentials.Username, _credentials.Password, new List<string> { script });

Answer 10

You could use the best SQL Server module around: DBATOOLS. You would also benefit from running a query to multiple sql instances.
Install-Module dbatools -Scope CurrentUser
$sql = 'SQL1','SQL1\INSTANCE1','SQL2'
$query = "SELECT 'This query would run on all SQL instances'"
Invoke-DbaQuery -SqlInstance $sqlinstances -Query $query -AppendServerInstance