SQL script to "copy" a database

Question

I want to write a SQL script that will copy a database on the same server. I could do a backup/restore, but I think it might be faster to just "copy" somehow. Does anyone know if this is possible? Is there a way to write a script that will just detach, copy the file on the HD, and then reattach both copies?

Answer 1

@Tony the Lion: Hi - I experienced some problems using your script, so I came up with a hybrid of your script and this post: link

USE master;
GO
-- the original database (use 'SET @DB = NULL' to disable backup)
DECLARE @SourceDatabaseName varchar(200)
DECLARE @SourceDatabaseLogicalName varchar(200)
DECLARE @SourceDatabaseLogicalNameForLog varchar(200)
DECLARE @query varchar(2000)
DECLARE @DataFile varchar(2000)
DECLARE @LogFile varchar(2000)
DECLARE @BackupFile varchar(2000)
DECLARE @TargetDatabaseName varchar(200)
DECLARE @TargetDatbaseFolder varchar(2000)

-- ****************************************************************

SET @SourceDatabaseName = '[Source.DB]'                 -- Name of the source database
SET @SourceDatabaseLogicalName = 'Source_DB'                -- Logical name of the DB ( check DB properties / Files tab )
SET @SourceDatabaseLogicalNameForLog = 'Source_DB_log'  -- Logical name of the DB ( check DB properties / Files tab )
SET @BackupFile = 'C:\Temp\backup.dat'                                  -- FileName of the backup file
SET @TargetDatabaseName = 'TargetDBName'                        -- Name of the target database
SET @TargetDatbaseFolder = 'C:\Temp\'

-- ****************************************************************

SET @DataFile = @TargetDatbaseFolder + @TargetDatabaseName + '.mdf';
SET @LogFile = @TargetDatbaseFolder + @TargetDatabaseName + '.ldf';

-- Backup the @SourceDatabase to @BackupFile location
IF @SourceDatabaseName IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
SET @query = 'BACKUP DATABASE ' + @SourceDatabaseName + ' TO DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile,'''')
PRINT 'Executing query : ' + @query;
EXEC (@query)
END
PRINT 'OK!';

-- Drop @TargetDatabaseName if exists
IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM sysdatabases WHERE name = @TargetDatabaseName)
BEGIN
SET @query = 'DROP DATABASE ' + @TargetDatabaseName
PRINT 'Executing query : ' + @query;
EXEC (@query)
END
PRINT 'OK!'

-- Restore database from @BackupFile into @DataFile and @LogFile
SET @query = 'RESTORE DATABASE ' + @TargetDatabaseName + ' FROM DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile,'''') 
SET @query = @query + ' WITH MOVE ' + QUOTENAME(@SourceDatabaseLogicalName,'''') + ' TO ' + QUOTENAME(@DataFile ,'''')
SET @query = @query + ' , MOVE ' + QUOTENAME(@SourceDatabaseLogicalNameForLog,'''') + ' TO ' + QUOTENAME(@LogFile,'''')
PRINT 'Executing query : ' + @query
EXEC (@query)
PRINT 'OK!'

Answer 2

CREATE DATABASE mydatabase_copy AS COPY OF mydatabase;

This will work on an AZURE Database, and will achieve the same end result. Two attached databases - the original and the copied one.

Answer 3

Source for the script that copies a database.

USE master;

DECLARE
    @SourceDatabaseName AS SYSNAME = '<SourceDB>', 
    @TargetDatabaseName AS SYSNAME = '<TargetDB>'



-- ============================================
-- Define path where backup will be saved
-- ============================================
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.databases WHERE name = @SourceDatabaseName)
    RAISERROR ('Variable @SourceDatabaseName is not set correctly !', 20, 1) WITH LOG       

DECLARE @SourceBackupFilePath varchar(2000)
SELECT @SourceBackupFilePath = BMF.physical_device_name
FROM
    msdb.dbo.backupset B
    JOIN msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily BMF ON B.media_set_id = BMF.media_set_id
WHERE B.database_name = @SourceDatabaseName
ORDER BY B.backup_finish_date DESC

SET @SourceBackupFilePath = REPLACE(@SourceBackupFilePath, '.bak', '_clone.bak')



-- ============================================
-- Backup source database
-- ============================================
DECLARE @Sql NVARCHAR(MAX) 
SET @Sql = 'BACKUP DATABASE @SourceDatabaseName TO DISK = ''@SourceBackupFilePath'''
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@SourceDatabaseName', @SourceDatabaseName)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@SourceBackupFilePath', @SourceBackupFilePath)
SELECT 'Performing backup...', @Sql as ExecutedSql
EXEC (@Sql)



-- ============================================
-- Automatically compose database files (.mdf and .ldf) paths
-- ============================================
DECLARE
          @LogicalDataFileName as NVARCHAR(MAX)
        , @LogicalLogFileName as NVARCHAR(MAX)
        , @TargetDataFilePath as NVARCHAR(MAX)
        , @TargetLogFilePath as NVARCHAR(MAX)

SELECT
    @LogicalDataFileName = name,
    @TargetDataFilePath = SUBSTRING(physical_name,1,LEN(physical_name)-CHARINDEX('\',REVERSE(physical_name))) + '\' + @TargetDatabaseName + '.mdf'
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE
    database_id = DB_ID(@SourceDatabaseName)        
    AND type = 0            -- datafile file

SELECT
    @LogicalLogFileName = name,
    @TargetLogFilePath = SUBSTRING(physical_name,1,LEN(physical_name)-CHARINDEX('\',REVERSE(physical_name))) + '\' + @TargetDatabaseName + '.ldf'
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE
    database_id = DB_ID(@SourceDatabaseName)        
    AND type = 1            -- log file     



-- ============================================
-- Restore target database
-- ============================================
IF EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.databases WHERE name = @TargetDatabaseName)
    RAISERROR ('A database with the same name already exists!', 20, 1) WITH LOG        

SET @Sql = 'RESTORE DATABASE @TargetDatabaseName
FROM DISK = ''@SourceBackupFilePath'' 
WITH MOVE ''@LogicalDataFileName'' TO ''@TargetDataFilePath'',
MOVE ''@LogicalLogFileName'' TO ''@TargetLogFilePath''' 
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@TargetDatabaseName', @TargetDatabaseName)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@SourceBackupFilePath', @SourceBackupFilePath)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@LogicalDataFileName', @LogicalDataFileName)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@TargetDataFilePath', @TargetDataFilePath)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@LogicalLogFileName', @LogicalLogFileName)
SET @Sql = REPLACE(@Sql, '@TargetLogFilePath', @TargetLogFilePath)
SELECT 'Restoring...', @Sql as ExecutedSql
EXEC (@Sql)

Answer 4

Try this:

USE master
GO
-- the original database (use 'SET @DB = NULL' to disable backup)
DECLARE @DB varchar(200)
SET @DB = 'PcTopp'
-- the backup filename
DECLARE @BackupFile varchar(2000)
SET @BackupFile = 'c:\pctopp\sqlserver\backup.dat'
-- the new database name
DECLARE @TestDB varchar(200)
SET @TestDB = 'TestDB'
-- the new database files without .mdf/.ldf
DECLARE @RestoreFile varchar(2000)
SET @RestoreFile = 'c:\pctopp\sqlserver\backup'
-- ****************************************************************
-- no change below this line
-- ****************************************************************

DECLARE @query varchar(2000)
DECLARE @DataFile varchar(2000)
SET @DataFile = @RestoreFile + '.mdf'
DECLARE @LogFile varchar(2000)
SET @LogFile = @RestoreFile + '.ldf'
IF @DB IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
SET @query = 'BACKUP DATABASE ' + @DB + ' TO DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile, '''')
EXEC (@query)
END
-- RESTORE FILELISTONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\temp\backup.dat'
-- RESTORE HEADERONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\temp\backup.dat'
-- RESTORE LABELONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\temp\backup.dat'
-- RESTORE VERIFYONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\temp\backup.dat'
IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM sysdatabases WHERE name = @TestDB)
BEGIN
SET @query = 'DROP DATABASE ' + @TestDB
EXEC (@query)
END
RESTORE HEADERONLY FROM DISK = @BackupFile
DECLARE @File int
SET @File = @@ROWCOUNT
DECLARE @Data varchar(500)
DECLARE @Log varchar(500)
SET @query = 'RESTORE FILELISTONLY FROM DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile , '''')
CREATE TABLE #restoretemp
(
LogicalName varchar(500),
PhysicalName varchar(500),
type varchar(10),
FilegroupName varchar(200),
size int,
maxsize bigint
)
INSERT #restoretemp EXEC (@query)
SELECT @Data = LogicalName FROM #restoretemp WHERE type = 'D'
SELECT @Log = LogicalName FROM #restoretemp WHERE type = 'L'
PRINT @Data
PRINT @Log
TRUNCATE TABLE #restoretemp
DROP TABLE #restoretemp
IF @File > 0
BEGIN
SET @query = 'RESTORE DATABASE ' + @TestDB + ' FROM DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile, '''') +
' WITH MOVE ' + QUOTENAME(@Data, '''') + ' TO ' + QUOTENAME(@DataFile, '''') + ', MOVE ' +
QUOTENAME(@Log, '''') + ' TO ' + QUOTENAME(@LogFile, '''') + ', FILE = ' + CONVERT(varchar, @File)
EXEC (@query)
END
GO

Got it from here

Answer 5

Here is a version of the code Tony posted which works in SQL Server 2005

USE master
GO
-- the original database (use 'SET @DB = NULL' to disable backup)
DECLARE @DB varchar(200)
SET @DB = 'GMSSDB'
-- the backup filename
DECLARE @BackupFile varchar(2000)
SET @BackupFile = 'c:\temp\backup.dat'
-- the new database name
DECLARE @TestDB varchar(200)
SET @TestDB = 'GMSSDBArchive'
-- the new database files without .mdf/.ldf
DECLARE @RestoreFile varchar(2000)
SET @RestoreFile = 'c:\temp\backup'
-- ****************************************************************
-- no change below this line
-- ****************************************************************

DECLARE @query varchar(2000)
DECLARE @DataFile varchar(2000)
SET @DataFile = @RestoreFile + '.mdf'
DECLARE @LogFile varchar(2000)
SET @LogFile = @RestoreFile + '.ldf'
IF @DB IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
SET @query = 'BACKUP DATABASE ' + @DB + ' TO DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile, '''')
EXEC (@query)
END
-- RESTORE FILELISTONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\temp\backup.dat'
-- RESTORE HEADERONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\temp\backup.dat'
-- RESTORE LABELONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\temp\backup.dat'
-- RESTORE VERIFYONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\temp\backup.dat'
IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM sysdatabases WHERE name = @TestDB)
BEGIN
SET @query = 'DROP DATABASE ' + @TestDB
EXEC (@query)
END

CREATE TABLE #headeronly
(
BackupName nvarchar(128) null,
BackupDescription nvarchar(255) null,
BackupType smallint,
ExpirationDate datetime  null,
Compressed bit,
Position smallint,
DeviceType tinyint,
UserName nvarchar(128),
ServerName nvarchar(128),
DatabaseName nvarchar(128),
DatabaseVersion int,
DatabaseCreationDate datetime,
BackupSize numeric(20,0),
FirstLSN numeric(25,0),
LastLSN numeric(25,0),
CheckpointLSN numeric(25,0),
DatabaseBackupLSN numeric(25,0),
BackupStartDate datetime,
BackupFinishDate datetime,
SortOrder smallint,
CodePage smallint,
UnicodeLocaleId int,
UnicodeComparisonStyle int,
CompatibilityLevel tinyint,
SoftwareVendorId int,
SoftwareVersionMajor int,
SoftwareVersionMinor int,
SoftwareVersionBuild int,
MachineName nvarchar(128),
Flags int,
BindingID uniqueidentifier,
RecoveryForkID uniqueidentifier,
Collation nvarchar(128),
FamilyGUID uniqueidentifier,
HasBulkLoggedData bit,
IsSnapshot bit,
IsReadOnly bit,
IsSingleUser bit,
HasBackupChecksums bit,
IsDamaged bit,
BeginsLogChain bit,
HasIncompleteMetaData bit,
IsForceOffline bit,
IsCopyOnly bit,
FirstRecoveryForkID uniqueidentifier,
ForkPointLSN numeric(25,0) NULL,
RecoveryModel nvarchar(60),
DifferentialBaseLSN numeric(25,0) NULL,
DifferentialBaseGUID uniqueidentifier,
BackupTypeDescription nvarchar(60),
BackupSetGUID uniqueidentifier NULL
)
--RESTORE HEADERONLY FROM DISK = @BackupFile
SET @query = 'RESTORE HEADERONLY FROM DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile, '''')
INSERT #headeronly exec(@query)


DECLARE @File int
select @File = count(1) from #headeronly
print CONVERT(varchar, @File)
DROP TABLE #headeronly


DECLARE @Data varchar(500)
DECLARE @Log varchar(500)
SET @query = 'RESTORE FILELISTONLY FROM DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile , '''')

--RESTORE FILELISTONLY FROM DISK = 'c:\temp\backup.dat'

CREATE TABLE #restoretemp
(
LogicalName nvarchar(128),
PhysicalName nvarchar(260),
type char(1),
FilegroupName nvarchar(128),
size numeric(20,0),
maxsize numeric(20,0),
FileID bigint,
CreateLSN numeric(25,0),
DropLSN numeric(25,0 )NULL,
UniqueID uniqueidentifier,
ReadOnlyLSN numeric(25,0) NULL,
ReadWriteLSN numeric(25,0) NULL,
BackupSizeInBytes bigint,
SourceBlockSize int,
FileGroupID int,
LogGroupGUID uniqueidentifier NULL,
DifferentialBaseLSN numeric(25,0) NULL,
DifferentialBaseGUID uniqueidentifier,
IsReadOnly bit,

IsPresent bit

)
--select * from EXEC (@query)
INSERT #restoretemp EXEC (@query)
SELECT @Data = LogicalName FROM #restoretemp WHERE type = 'D'
SELECT @Log = LogicalName FROM #restoretemp WHERE type = 'L'
PRINT @Data
PRINT @Log
TRUNCATE TABLE #restoretemp
DROP TABLE #restoretemp
print CONVERT(varchar, @File)
IF @File > 0
BEGIN

SET @query = 'RESTORE DATABASE ' + @TestDB + ' FROM DISK = ' + QUOTENAME(@BackupFile, '''') +
' WITH MOVE ' + QUOTENAME(@Data, '''') + ' TO ' + QUOTENAME(@DataFile, '''') + ', MOVE ' +
QUOTENAME(@Log, '''') + ' TO ' + QUOTENAME(@LogFile, '''') + ', FILE = ' + CONVERT(varchar, @File)
print 'starting restore'
EXEC (@query)
print 'finished restore'
END
GO

Answer 6

Is there a way to write a script that will just detach, copy the file on the HD, and then reattach both copies?

Yes. For detaching and attaching you can use sp_detach_db and sp_attach_db. For copying the files, you can use xp_cmdshell and xcopy.

Still, I think the backup-and-restore approach is easier, since it does not require you to copy the files.

Answer 7

I'm not sure, but I think you are looking for this:

BACKUP DATABASE MyDB TO DISK='D:\MyDB.bak'