[sql] Copy Data from a table in one Database to another separate database

Basically I have a two databases on SQL Server 2005.

I want to take the table data from one database and copy it to another database's table.

I tried this:

SELECT * INTO dbo.DB1.TempTable FROM dbo.DB2.TempTable

This didn't work.

I don't want to use a restore to avoid data loss...

Any ideas?

This works successfully.

INSERT INTO DestinationDB.dbo.DestinationTable (col1,col1)
 SELECT Src-col1,Src-col2 FROM SourceDB.dbo.SourceTable

Hard to say without any idea what you mean by "it didn't work." There are a whole lot of things that can go wrong and any advice we give in troubleshooting one of those paths may lead you further and further from finding a solution, which may be really simple.

Here's a something I would look for though,

Identity Insert must be on on the table you are importing into if that table contains an identity field and you are manually supplying it. Identity Insert can also only be enabled for 1 table at a time in a database, so you must remember to enable it for the table, then disable it immediately after you are done importing.

Also, try listing out all your fields

INSERT INTO db1.user.MyTable (Col1, Col2, Col3)
SELECT Col1, COl2, Col3 FROM db2.user.MyTable

INSERT INTO DB1.dbo.TempTable
SELECT * FROM DB2.dbo.TempTable

If we use this query it will return Primary key error.... So better to choose which columns need to be moved, like

INSERT INTO db1.dbo.TempTable // (List of columns here)
SELECT (Same list of columns here)
FROM db2.dbo.TempTable

SELECT * INTO requires that the destination table not exist.

Try this.

INSERT INTO db1.dbo.TempTable
 (List of columns here)
SELECT (Same list of columns here)
FROM db2.dbo.TempTable

Try this

INSERT INTO dbo.DB1.TempTable
    (COLUMNS)
    SELECT COLUMNS_IN_SAME_ORDER FROM dbo.DB2.TempTable

This will only fail if an item in dbo.DB2.TempTable is in already in dbo.DB1.TempTable.

Don't forget to insert SET IDENTITY_INSERT MobileApplication1 ON to the top, else you will get an error. This is for SQL Server

SET IDENTITY_INSERT MOB.MobileApplication1 ON
INSERT INTO [SERVER1].DB.MOB.MobileApplication1 m
      (m.MobileApplicationDetailId,
       m.MobilePlatformId)
SELECT ma.MobileApplicationId,
       ma.MobilePlatformId 
FROM [SERVER2].DB.MOB.MobileApplication2 ma

Im prefer this one.

INSERT INTO 'DB_NAME' 
(SELECT * from 'DB_NAME@DB_LINK')
MINUS 
(SELECT * FROM 'DB_NAME');

Which means will insert whatsoever that not included on DB_NAME but included at DB_NAME@DB_LINK. Hope this help.

We can three part naming like database_name..object_name

The below query will create the table into our database(with out constraints)

SELECT * 
INTO DestinationDB..MyDestinationTable 
FROM SourceDB..MySourceTable 

Alternatively you could:

INSERT INTO DestinationDB..MyDestinationTable 
SELECT * FROM SourceDB..MySourceTable

If your destination table exists and is empty.

It's db1.dbo.TempTable and db2.dbo.TempTable

The four-part naming scheme goes:

ServerName.DatabaseName.Schema.Object