Export SQL Server table to csv file with headers using bcp

Ref: http://pastebin.com/x8Kk4Dn9
Ref: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1355876/export-table-to-file-with-column-headers-column-names-using-the-bcp-utility-an/9754485#9754485


I use a method that outputs one file for the column headers read from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS and then appends a second file with the table data, both of which are generated using BCP.

Here is the batch file that creates TableData.csv, just replace the environment variables at the top.

Note that if you need to supply credentials, replace the -T option with -U my_username -P my_password

set BCP_EXPORT_SERVER=put_my_server_name_here
set BCP_EXPORT_DB=put_my_db_name_here
set BCP_EXPORT_TABLE=put_my_table_name_here

BCP "DECLARE @colnames VARCHAR(max);SELECT @colnames = COALESCE(@colnames + ',', '') + column_name from %BCP_EXPORT_DB%.INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS where TABLE_NAME='%BCP_EXPORT_TABLE%'; select @colnames;" queryout HeadersOnly.csv -c -T -S%BCP_EXPORT_SERVER%

BCP %BCP_EXPORT_DB%.dbo.%BCP_EXPORT_TABLE% out TableDataWithoutHeaders.csv -c -t, -T -S%BCP_EXPORT_SERVER%

set BCP_EXPORT_SERVER=
set BCP_EXPORT_DB=
set BCP_EXPORT_TABLE=

copy /b HeadersOnly.csv+TableDataWithoutHeaders.csv TableData.csv

del HeadersOnly.csv
del TableDataWithoutHeaders.csv

This method has the advantage of always having the column names in sync with the table by using INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS. The downside is it's a bit messy and creates temporary files. Microsoft should really fix the bcp utility to support this.

It uses the row concatenation trick from Concatenate many rows into a single text string? combined with ideas from http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/sqlgetstarted/thread/812b8eec-5b77-42a2-bd23-965558ece5b9/