SQL Tips - Copy text or image into or out of SQL Server

In this article, I want to show, how you can copy a single text or image value into or out of SQL Server by using the textcopy.exe utility. You can find this utility in the directory containing the standard SQL Server EXE files (C:\Mssql\Binn for SQL Server 6.5, by default and C:\Mssql7\Binn for SQL Server 7.0, by default).

Textcopy.exe utility is not described in SQL Server Books Online, but you can get its description by typing textcopy /? from the command prompt. This is the description:

Copies a single text or image value into or out of SQL Server. The value is a specified text or image 'column' of a single row (specified by the "where clause") of the specified 'table'. If the direction is IN (/I) then the data from the specified 'file' is copied into SQL Server, replacing the existing text or image value. If the direction is OUT (/O) then the text or image value is copied from SQL Server into the specified 'file', replacing any existing file. TEXTCOPY [/S [sqlserver]] [/U [login]] [/P [password]] [/D [database]] [/T table] [/C column] [/W"where clause"] [/F file] [{/I | /O}] [/K chunksize] [/Z] [/?] /S sqlserver The SQL Server to connect to. If 'sqlserver' is not specified, the local SQL Server is used. /U login The login to connect with. If 'login' is not specified, a trusted connection will be used. /P password The password for 'login'. If 'password' is not specified, a NULL password will be used. /D database The database that contains the table with the text or image data. If 'database' is not specified, the default database of 'login' is used. /T table The table that contains the text or image value. /C column The text or image column of 'table'. /W "where clause" A complete where clause (including the WHERE keyword) that specifies a single row of 'table'. /F file The file name. /I Copy text or image value into SQL Server from 'file'. /O Copy text or image value out of SQL Server into 'file'. /K chunksize Size of the data transfer buffer in bytes. Minimum value is 1024 bytes, default value is 4096 bytes. /Z Display debug information while running. /? Display this usage information and exit. You will be prompted for any required options you did not specify.

You can use the following stored procedure to simplify the using of textcopy.exe utility:

CREATE PROCEDURE sp_textcopy ( @srvname varchar (30), @login varchar (30), @password varchar (30), @dbname varchar (30), @tbname varchar (30), @colname varchar (30), @filename varchar (30), @whereclause varchar (40), @direction char(1)) AS DECLARE @exec_str varchar (255) SELECT @exec_str = 'textcopy /S ' + @srvname + ' /U ' + @login + ' /P ' + @password + ' /D ' + @dbname + ' /T ' + @tbname + ' /C ' + @colname + ' /W "' + @whereclause + '" /F ' + @filename + ' /' + @direction EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @exec_str

This is the example to copy image into SQL Server database pubs, table pub_info, column name logo from picture.bmp file where pub_id='0736':

sp_textcopy @srvname = 'ServerName', @login = 'Login', @password = 'Password', @dbname = 'pubs', @tbname = 'pub_info', @colname = 'logo', @filename = 'c:\picture.bmp', @whereclause = " WHERE pub_id='0736' ", @direction = 'I'

By the way, you should insert something into text/image column before copy text/image into it. I mean, this value should not be null. You should write (for example):

INSERT INTO [dbo].[images] VALUES ('1', 0x0, null)

instead of:

INSERT INTO [dbo].[images] VALUES ('1', null, null)

Otherwise, you will get the following error message:

ERROR: Text or image pointer and timestamp retrieval failed.