Using a cursor with dynamic SQL in a stored procedure

I have a dynamic SQL statement I've created in a stored procedure. I need to iterate over the results using a cursor. I'm having a hard time figuring out the right syntax. Here's what I'm doing.

SELECT @SQLStatement = 'SELECT userId FROM users'

DECLARE @UserId

DECLARE users_cursor CURSOR FOR
EXECUTE @SQLStatment --Fails here. Doesn't like this

OPEN users_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM users_cursor
INTO @UserId

WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN

EXEC asp_DoSomethingStoredProc @UserId

END
CLOSE users_cursor
DEALLOCATE users_cursor

What's the right way to do this?

Solution 1:

A cursor will only accept a select statement, so if the SQL really needs to be dynamic make the declare cursor part of the statement you are executing. For the below to work your server will have to be using global cursors.

Declare @UserID varchar(100)
declare @sqlstatement nvarchar(4000)
--move declare cursor into sql to be executed
set @sqlstatement = 'Declare  users_cursor CURSOR FOR SELECT userId FROM users'

exec sp_executesql @sqlstatement


OPEN users_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM users_cursor
INTO @UserId

WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
Print @UserID
EXEC asp_DoSomethingStoredProc @UserId

FETCH NEXT FROM users_cursor --have to fetch again within loop
INTO @UserId

END
CLOSE users_cursor
DEALLOCATE users_cursor

If you need to avoid using the global cursors, you could also insert the results of your dynamic SQL into a temporary table, and then use that table to populate your cursor.

Declare @UserID varchar(100)
create table #users (UserID varchar(100))

declare @sqlstatement nvarchar(4000)
set @sqlstatement = 'Insert into #users (userID) SELECT userId FROM users'
exec(@sqlstatement)

declare users_cursor cursor for Select UserId from #Users
OPEN users_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM users_cursor
INTO @UserId

WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN

EXEC asp_DoSomethingStoredProc @UserId

FETCH NEXT FROM users_cursor
INTO @UserId

END
CLOSE users_cursor
DEALLOCATE users_cursor

drop table #users

Solution 2:

This code is a very good example for a dynamic column with a cursor, since you cannot use '+' in @STATEMENT:

ALTER PROCEDURE dbo.spTEST
AS
    SET NOCOUNT ON
    DECLARE @query NVARCHAR(4000) = N'' --DATA FILTER
    DECLARE @inputList NVARCHAR(4000) = ''
    DECLARE @field sysname = '' --COLUMN NAME
    DECLARE @my_cur CURSOR
    EXECUTE SP_EXECUTESQL
        N'SET @my_cur = CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR
            SELECT
                CASE @field
                    WHEN ''fn'' then fn
                    WHEN ''n_family_name'' then n_family_name
                END
            FROM
                dbo.vCard
            WHERE
                CASE @field
                    WHEN ''fn'' then fn
                    WHEN ''n_family_name'' then n_family_name
                END
                LIKE ''%''+@query+''%'';
            OPEN @my_cur;',
        N'@field sysname, @query NVARCHAR(4000), @my_cur CURSOR OUTPUT',
        @field = @field,
        @query = @query,
        @my_cur = @my_cur OUTPUT
    FETCH NEXT FROM @my_cur INTO @inputList
    WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
    BEGIN
        PRINT @inputList
        FETCH NEXT FROM @my_cur INTO @inputList
    END
    RETURN

Solution 3:

Working with a non-relational database (IDMS anyone?) over an ODBC connection qualifies as one of those times where cursors and dynamic SQL seems the only route.

select * from a where a=1 and b in (1,2)

takes 45 minutes to respond while re-written to use keysets without the in clause will run in under 1 second:

select * from a where (a=1 and b=1)
union all
select * from a where (a=1 and b=2)

If the in statement for column B contains 1145 rows, using a cursor to create indidivudal statements and execute them as dynamic SQL is far faster than using the in clause. Silly hey?

And yes, there's no time in a relational database that cursor's should be used. I just can't believe I've come across an instance where a cursor loop is several magnitudes quicker.