462

I have a stored procedure that returns rows:

CREATE PROCEDURE MyProc
AS
BEGIN
    SELECT * FROM MyTable
END

My actual procedure is a little more complicated, which is why a stored procedure is necessary.

Is it possible to select the output by calling this procedure?

Something like:

SELECT * FROM (EXEC MyProc) AS TEMP

I need to use SELECT TOP X, ROW_NUMBER, and an additional WHERE clause to page my data, and I don't really want to pass these values as parameters.

8
  • 1
    Is there a particular reason why you don't want to pass the values as parameters? To do it the way you are suggesting is a bit inefficent - you would be selecting more data than you need, and then not using it all. Commented Sep 29, 2009 at 13:13
  • 2
    Take a look at here: sommarskog.se/share_data.html Commented May 9, 2012 at 10:51
  • 2
    If anyone wants to insert the sp output into a TABLE variable have a lot of columns in your sp, press Ctrl+T to output the result as text, and copy the first column line and remove extra whitespaces from there and you'll get your column names easily. To go back to Grid output press Ctrl+D Commented Aug 30, 2020 at 12:12
  • 24
    Beware all ye who enter here: There are only about three answers provided below atm: 1. use a function (accepted answer), 2. use a table variable or temp table and INSERT the EXEC iff your sproc isn't too complicated, 3. cheat and use OPENQUERY. But each answer is repeated an amazing number of times, many with a downright startling number of upvotes. You've been warned. 🙈 Commented Jul 14, 2021 at 18:56
  • 1
    @ruffin naturally I found out the truth of which you speak the hard way before finally finding your comment. Commented May 23, 2023 at 12:11

15 Answers 15

310

You can

  1. create a table variable to hold the result set from the stored proc and then
  2. insert the output of the stored proc into the table variable, and then
  3. use the table variable exactly as you would any other table...

... sql ....

Declare @T Table ([column definitions here])
Insert @T Exec storedProcname params 
Select * from @T Where ...
Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

The problem with INSERT #T or INSERT @T is that an INSERT EXEC statement cannot be nested. If the stored procedure already has an INSERT EXEC in it, this won't work.
This probably the most portable solution, being closest to basic SQL. It also helps to maintain strong column type definitions. Should have more upvotes than those above.
The table variables looks more useful here than temporary tables in terms of sp recompile. So I agree, this answer should have more upvotes.
190

You can use a User-defined function or a view instead of a procedure.

A procedure can return multiple result sets, each with its own schema. It's not suitable for using in a SELECT statement.

6 Comments

Additionally, if after converting to a UDF you find you need the stored procedure semantics you can always wrap the UDF with a procedure.
what if, we need to send parameters to mulple stored procedures and combine them into one one big stored procedure? Can view, take parameters, like stored procedures does
@mrN Views don't take parameters, but UDFs do.
Hello, I really need to do this without converting the sp to a view or function, is it possible?
While your answer is a true statement it doesn't answer the question.... "SELECT FROM stored procedure" Which sure it's not ideal, but it is what it is... @Aamir's answer is the correct answer. Either that or the question needs to be changed... which seems a bit ridiculous to me.
|
101

You either want a Table-Valued function or insert your EXEC into a temporary table:

INSERT INTO #tab EXEC MyProc

1 Comment

The problem with INSERT #T or INSERT @T is that an INSERT EXEC statement cannot be nested. If the stored procedure already has an INSERT EXEC in it, this won't work.
77

You need to declare a table type which contains the same number of columns your store procedure is returning. Data types of the columns in the table type and the columns returned by the procedures should be same

declare @MyTableType as table
(
FIRSTCOLUMN int
,.....
)  

Then you need to insert the result of your stored procedure in your table type you just defined

Insert into @MyTableType 
EXEC [dbo].[MyStoredProcedure]

In the end just select from your table type

Select * from @MyTableType

4 Comments

That is the best solution for me, because you don't need to specify the server name, connection strings or have to configure any linked servers in order to make it work - which are things I don't want to do to just to get some data back. Thank you! Awsome answer!
When stored procedure is too dificult - this method not workin, for example, when stored procedure use two temp-tables.
It works only inside stored procedure. In query console (as a separate query) it causes an error: "An INSERT EXEC statement cannot be nested.".
This is same answer as mine above... except (admittedly, picking at nits here) , that this is not creating a new table type, it is declaring a new table variable
60

You must read about OPENROWSET and OPENQUERY

SELECT  * 
INTO    #tmp FROM    
OPENQUERY(YOURSERVERNAME, 'EXEC MyProc @parameters')

3 Comments

How to get YOURSERVERNAME dynamically? You can't expect to have to know always. Won't this break every other Tuesday? So If I've got 100 servers all with different names...
also what if my database is not configured to allow this?
Try @@servername to get it dynamically
39

It is not necessary use a temporary table.

This is my solution

SELECT  *  FROM    
OPENQUERY(YOURSERVERNAME, 'EXEC MyProc @parameters')
WHERE somefield = anyvalue

7 Comments

This needs you to add your server as a linked server to itself, but it works like a charm! thanks!
Some great caveats on this: stackoverflow.com/questions/2374741/…
Hmm ... I am getting the error "Error 7411: Server 'YourServerName' is not configured for DATA ACCESS." What do I need to change?
Have you add your server as a linked server? YourServerName is the name of your server. You have to change YourServerName with your real server name.
@Matt: sp_serveroption 'MYSERVER', 'DATA ACCESS', TRUE;
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30

You can copy output from sp to temporaty table.

CREATE TABLE #GetVersionValues
(
    [Index] int,
    [Name]  sysname,
    Internal_value  int,
    Character_Value sysname
)
INSERT #GetVersionValues EXEC master.dbo.xp_msver 'WindowsVersion'
SELECT * FROM #GetVersionValues
drop TABLE #GetVersionValues

Comments

8

Try converting your procedure in to an Inline Function which returns a table as follows:

CREATE FUNCTION MyProc()
RETURNS TABLE AS
RETURN (SELECT * FROM MyTable)

And then you can call it as

SELECT * FROM MyProc()

You also have the option of passing parameters to the function as follows:

CREATE FUNCTION FuncName (@para1 para1_type, @para2 para2_type , ... ) 

And call it

SELECT * FROM FuncName ( @para1 , @para2 )

Comments

8

If 'DATA ACCESS' false,

EXEC sp_serveroption 'SQLSERVERNAME', 'DATA ACCESS', TRUE

after,

SELECT  *  FROM OPENQUERY(SQLSERVERNAME, 'EXEC DBNAME..MyProc @parameters')

it works.

Comments

8

Use OPENQUERY, and before execute set SET FMTONLY OFF; SET NOCOUNT ON;

Try this sample code:

SELECT top(1)*
FROM
OPENQUERY( [Server], 'SET FMTONLY OFF; SET NOCOUNT ON; EXECUTE  [database].[dbo].[storedprocedure]  value,value ')

If you get the error 'Server is not configured for DATA ACCESS', use this:

EXEC sp_serveroption 'YourServer', 'DATA ACCESS', TRUE

Comments

6

You can cheat a little with OPENROWSET :

SELECT ...fieldlist...
FROM OPENROWSET('SQLNCLI', 'connection string', 'name of sp')
WHERE ...

This would still run the entire SP every time, of course.

1 Comment

SQL Server blocked access to STATEMENT 'OpenRowset/OpenDatasource' of component 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries' because this component is turned off as part of the security configuration for this server. A system administrator can enable the use of 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries' by using sp_configure. For more information about enabling 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries', search for 'Ad Hoc Distributed Queries' in SQL Server Books Online.
4

For the sake of simplicity and to make it re-runnable, I have used a system StoredProcedure "sp_readerrorlog" to get data:

-----USING Table Variable
DECLARE @tblVar TABLE (
   LogDate DATETIME,
   ProcessInfo NVARCHAR(MAX),
   [Text] NVARCHAR(MAX)
)
INSERT INTO @tblVar Exec sp_readerrorlog
SELECT LogDate as DateOccured, ProcessInfo as pInfo, [Text] as Message FROM @tblVar



-----(OR): Using Temp Table
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#temp') IS NOT NULL  DROP TABLE #temp;
CREATE TABLE #temp (
   LogDate DATETIME,
   ProcessInfo NVARCHAR(55),
   Text NVARCHAR(MAX)
)
INSERT INTO #temp EXEC sp_readerrorlog
SELECT * FROM #temp

Comments

2

It sounds like you might just need to use a view. A view allows a query to be represented as a table so it, the view, can be queried.

Comments

1

If your server is called SERVERX for example, this is how I did it...

EXEC sp_serveroption 'SERVERX', 'DATA ACCESS', TRUE;
DECLARE @CMD VARCHAR(1000);
DECLARE @StudentID CHAR(10);
SET @StudentID = 'STUDENT01';
SET @CMD = 'SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY([SERVERX], ''SET FMTONLY OFF; SET NOCOUNT ON; EXECUTE MYDATABASE.dbo.MYSTOREDPROC ' + @StudentID + ''') WHERE SOMEFIELD = SOMEVALUE';
EXEC (@CMD);

To check this worked, I commented out the EXEC() command line and replaced it with SELECT @CMD to review the command before trying to execute it! That was to make sure all the correct number of single-quotes were in the right place. :-)

I hope that helps someone.

Comments

1

I find this usefull. Real example.

declare @tempv1 table (Number int, AccountType varchar(255), DisplayName varchar(255), Kind int, UsagePageBreak int, PrimoPrev money, PrevPeriod money, UltimoPrev money, Primo money, Debit money, Credit money, Period money, Ultimo money, ToCurrentDate money, IndexUltimoPct money, IndexPeriodPct money, UltimoPrevOK int, UltimoOK int)
declare @tempv2 table (Number int, AccountType varchar(255), DisplayName varchar(255), Kind int, UsagePageBreak int, PrimoPrev money, PrevPeriod money, UltimoPrev money, Primo money, Debit money, Credit money, Period money, Ultimo money, ToCurrentDate money, IndexUltimoPct money, IndexPeriodPct money, UltimoPrevOK int, UltimoOK int)


insert into @tempv1

exec  sp_reports_Accounting_BalanceV2 
@fromaccount=1010,
@toaccount=1010,
@fromfinancialdate = '2021-01-01 00:00:00 +01:00', 
@tofinancialdate = '2021-12-31 00:00:00+01:00', 
@includezero=0,@ouids=NULL,@currentOrganizationalUnitId=1,@currentuserid=1,@includenotbooked=0


insert into @tempv2

exec sp_reports_Accounting_BalanceV3
@fromaccount=1010,
@toaccount=1010,
@fromfinancialdate = '2021-01-01 00:00:00 +01:00', 
@tofinancialdate = '2021-12-31 00:00:00+01:00', 
@includezero=0,@ouids=NULL,@currentOrganizationalUnitId=1,@currentuserid=1,@includenotbooked=0


select * from @tempv1 except select * from @tempv2
union all
select * from @tempv2 except select * from @tempv1

Comments

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