Execute a procedure with a list of array in sql server 2008

Question

HI all,
I have a procedure which has a list of values passed as an array . How can i execute my procedure with array list? how to implement this?Please help me.
Thanks in advance
Deepa

Answer 1

Hi Deepa,
basically Microsoft SQL Server does not support arrays as data types for procedures. What you can do is creating a type which represents a table definition. This type can than be used in a procedure as the following demo will show:
The first script creates the environment which will be used for the execution
-- 1. create the table as a type in the database
CREATE TYPE OrderItems AS TABLE
ItemId int PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
GO
-- 2. demo table for demonstration of results
CREATE TABLE dbo.CustomerOrders
Id int NOT NULL IDENTITY (1, 1) PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED,
CustomerId int NOT NULL,
ItemId int
GO
-- 3. Insert a few records in demo table
INSERT INTO dbo.CustomerOrders
(CustomerId, ItemId)
VALUES
(1, 1),
(2, 1),
(3, 3),
(1, 3);
GO
-- 4. Create the procedure which accepts the table variable
CREATE PROC dbo.OrderedItemsList
@Orders AS OrderItems READONLY
AS
SET NOCOUNT ON;
SELECT o.*
FROM dbo.CustomerOrders AS O INNER JOIN @Orders AS T_O
ON (o.ItemId = T_O.ItemId);
SET NOCOUNT OFF;
GO
The above script creates the table data type and a demo table with a few demo data. The procedure will accept the table data type as parameter. Keep in mind that table variable parameters have to be READONLY as parameter for procedures!
The second script demonstrates the usage of the above scenario
When the environment has been created the usage is a very simple one as you can see from the next script...
-- 1. Fill the variable table with item ids
DECLARE @o AS OrderItems;
INSERT INTO @o (ItemId)
VALUES
(1), (3);
-- 2. Get the list of customers who bought these items
EXEC dbo.OrderedItemsList @Orders = @o;
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