[sql-server] Get list of databases from SQL Server

How can I get the list of available databases on a SQL Server instance? I'm planning to make a list of them in a combo box in VB.NET.

SELECT [name] 
FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases 
WHERE dbid > 4 

Works on our SQL Server 2008

You can find all database names with this:-

 select name from sys.sysdatabases

SELECT [name] 
FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases 
WHERE dbid > 4 and [name] <> 'ReportServer' and [name] <> 'ReportServerTempDB'

This will work for both condition, Whether reporting is enabled or not

I use the following SQL Server Management Objects code to get a list of databases that aren't system databases and aren't snapshots.

using Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo;

public static string[] GetDatabaseNames( string serverName )
{
   var server = new Server( serverName );
   return ( from Database database in server.Databases 
            where !database.IsSystemObject && !database.IsDatabaseSnapshot
            select database.Name 
          ).ToArray();
}

In SQL Server 7, dbid 1 thru 4 are the system dbs.

To exclude system databases:

SELECT [name]
FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases
WHERE dbid > 6

Edited : 2:36 PM 2/5/2013

Updated with accurate database_id, It should be greater than 4, to skip listing system databases which are having database id between 1 and 4.

SELECT * 
FROM sys.databases d
WHERE d.database_id > 4

Since you are using .NET you can use the SQL Server Management Objects

Dim server As New Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server("localhost")
For Each db As Database In server.Databases
    Console.WriteLine(db.Name)
Next

If you want to omit system databases and ReportServer tables (if installed)

select DATABASE_NAME = db_name(s_mf.database_id)
from sys.master_files s_mf
where
    s_mf.state = 0 -- ONLINE
    and has_dbaccess(db_name(s_mf.database_id)) = 1
    and db_name(s_mf.database_id) NOT IN ('master', 'tempdb', 'model', 'msdb')
    and db_name(s_mf.database_id) not like 'ReportServer%'
group by s_mf.database_id
order by 1;

This works on SQL Server 2008/2012/2014. Most of query comes from "sp_databases" system stored procedure. I only removed unneeded column and added where conditions.

To exclude system databases :

SELECT name FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases where sid <>0x01

Don't Get confused, Use the below simple query to get all the databases,

select * from sys.databases

If u need only the User defined databases;

select * from sys.databases WHERE name NOT IN ('master', 'tempdb', 'model', 'msdb'); 

Some of the System database names are (resource,distribution,reportservice,reportservicetempdb) just insert it into the query. If u have the above db's in your machine as default.

In SQL Server 2008 R2 this works:

select name 
from master.sys.databases 
where owner_sid > 1;

And list only databases created by user(s).

perhaps I'm a dodo!

show databases; worked for me.

in light of the ambiguity as to the number of non-user databases, you should probably add:

WHERE name NOT IN ('master', 'tempdb', 'model', 'msdb');

and add the names of the reporting services databases

Not sure if this will omit the Report server databases since I am not running one, but from what I have seen, I can omit system user owned databases with this SQL:

    SELECT  db.[name] as dbname 
    FROM [master].[sys].[databases] db
    LEFT OUTER JOIN  [master].[sys].[sysusers] su on su.sid = db.owner_sid
    WHERE su.sid is null
    order by db.[name]