How to use sqlcmd to create a database

Question

I have a .sql script and I want to build a database from it. How to do it in sqlcmd? I know it's like:

CREATE DATABASE dbName
GO

But how to specify the .sql script and location to build the database?

This is off-topic. You are asking how to use `sqlcmd`, not a programming question. — Oded, Jan 01 '12 at 14:32
@Oded Questions about 'software tools commonly used by programmers' are on topic — Xavier Poinas, Jan 01 '12 at 17:02

Andriy M · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-19T05:59:22.207

19

Use @Jeremiah Peschka's answer to supply the sqlcmd utility with the script to execute.

As for the location for the newly created database, it can be specified as part of the CREATE DATABASE command:

CREATE DATABASE dbName
ON (
  NAME = dbName_dat,
  FILENAME = 'D:\path\to\dbName.mdf'
)
LOG ON (
  NAME = dbName_log,
  FILENAME = 'D:\path\to\dbName.ldf'
)

As you can see from the linked article, you can specify other properties as well, like initial size, maximum size etc.

edited Apr 19 '18 at 05:59

answered Jan 01 '12 at 16:56

Andriy M

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Hey @AER, thank you for [your contribution](https://stackoverflow.com/review/suggested-edits/19480583). I've decided to reject it as irrelevant because the question was clearly about running a script stored in a file rather than typing and executing the command(s) in a terminal session. When a script is meant to be run as a single batch, ending it with a `GO` is optional (perhaps you already know that). – Andriy M Apr 19 '18 at 05:59

score 17 · Answer 2 · edited Aug 02 '12 at 20:42

17

This is very simple. Just enter following command to run sqlcmd:
sqlcmd -U sa -P password
Then enter:

CREATE DATABASE MYDB
GO

This will create the db. Then enter "quit" to exit.

edited Aug 02 '12 at 20:42

Bart

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answered Jul 24 '12 at 14:26

Badar

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score 13 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 07 '19 at 22:33

13

without a file:

sqlcmd -Q "CREATE DATABASE HelloWorld"

answered Dec 07 '19 at 22:33

Chad Grant

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score 11 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 01 '12 at 14:32

11

sqlcmd -i C:\path\to\file.sql

More options can be found in SQL Server books online.

answered Jan 01 '12 at 14:32

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 02 '12 at 12:16

0

use this: sqlcmd -i "c:\my scripts\my script.sql"

see sqlcmd description at MS for other options

answered Jan 02 '12 at 12:16

Laszlo T

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How to use sqlcmd to create a database

5 Answers5

Linked