[sql] Get all dates between two dates in SQL Server

How to get all the dates between two dates?

I have a variable @MAXDATE which is storing the maximum date from the table. Now I want to get the all dates between @Maxdate and GETDATE() and want to store these dates in a cursor.

So far I have done as follows:

;with GetDates As  
(  
    select DATEADD(day,1,@maxDate) as TheDate
    UNION ALL  
    select DATEADD(day,1, TheDate) from GetDates  
    where TheDate < GETDATE()  
)  

This is working perfectly but when I am trying to store these values in a cursor

SET @DateCurSor = CURSOR FOR
                SELECT TheDate
                FROM GetDates

Compilation Error

Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'SET'.

How to solve this?

create procedure [dbo].[p_display_dates](@startdate datetime,@enddate datetime)
as
begin
    declare @mxdate datetime
    declare @indate datetime
    create table #daterange (dater datetime)
    insert into #daterange values (@startdate)
    set @mxdate = (select MAX(dater) from #daterange)
    while @mxdate < @enddate
        begin
            set @indate = dateadd(day,1,@mxdate)
            insert into #daterange values (@indate)
            set @mxdate = (select MAX(dater) from #daterange)
        end
    select * from #daterange
end

This is the method that I would use.

DECLARE 
    @DateFrom DATETIME = GETDATE(),
    @DateTo DATETIME = DATEADD(HOUR, -1, GETDATE() + 2); -- Add 2 days and minus one hour


-- Dates spaced a day apart 

WITH MyDates (MyDate)
AS (
    SELECT @DateFrom
    UNION ALL
    SELECT DATEADD(DAY, 1, MyDate)
    FROM MyDates
    WHERE MyDate < @DateTo
   )

SELECT 
    MyDates.MyDate
    , CONVERT(DATE, MyDates.MyDate) AS [MyDate in DATE format]
FROM 
    MyDates;

Here is a similar example, but this time the dates are spaced one hour apart to further aid understanding of how the query works:

-- Alternative example with dates spaced an hour apart

WITH MyDates (MyDate)
AS (SELECT @DateFrom
    UNION ALL
    SELECT DATEADD(HOUR, 1, MyDate)
    FROM MyDates
    WHERE MyDate < @DateTo
   )

SELECT 
    MyDates.MyDate
FROM 
    MyDates;

As you can see, the query is fast, accurate and versatile.

You can use SQL Server recursive CTE

DECLARE 
    @MinDate DATE = '2020-01-01',
    @MaxDate DATE = '2020-02-01';

WITH Dates(day) AS 
(
    SELECT CAST(@MinDate as Date) as day
    UNION ALL
    SELECT CAST(DATEADD(day, 1, day) as Date) as day
    FROM Dates
    WHERE CAST(DATEADD(day, 1, day) as Date) < @MaxDate
)
SELECT* FROM dates;

Just saying...here is a more simple approach to this:

declare @sdate date = '2017-06-25'
    , @edate date = '2017-07-24';

with dates_CTE (date) as (
    select @sdate 
    Union ALL
    select DATEADD(day, 1, date)
    from dates_CTE
    where date < @edate
)
select *
from dates_CTE;

Easily create a Table Value Function that will return a table with all dates. Input dates as string You can customize the date in the the format you like '01/01/2017' or '01-01-2017' in string formats (103,126 ...)

Try this

CREATE FUNCTION [dbo].[DateRange_To_Table] ( @minDate_Str NVARCHAR(30), @maxDate_Str NVARCHAR(30))

RETURNS  @Result TABLE(DateString NVARCHAR(30) NOT NULL, DateNameString NVARCHAR(30) NOT NULL)

AS

begin

    DECLARE @minDate DATETIME, @maxDate DATETIME
    SET @minDate = CONVERT(Datetime, @minDate_Str,103)
    SET @maxDate = CONVERT(Datetime, @maxDate_Str,103)


    INSERT INTO @Result(DateString, DateNameString )
    SELECT CONVERT(NVARCHAR(10),@minDate,103), CONVERT(NVARCHAR(30),DATENAME(dw,@minDate))



    WHILE @maxDate > @minDate
    BEGIN
        SET @minDate = (SELECT DATEADD(dd,1,@minDate))
        INSERT INTO @Result(DateString, DateNameString )
        SELECT CONVERT(NVARCHAR(10),@minDate,103), CONVERT(NVARCHAR(30),DATENAME(dw,@minDate))
    END




    return

end   

To execute the function do this:

SELECT * FROM dbo.DateRange_To_Table ('01/01/2017','31/01/2017')

The output will be

01/01/2017  Sunday
02/01/2017  Monday
03/01/2017  Tuesday
04/01/2017  Wednesday
05/01/2017  Thursday
06/01/2017  Friday
07/01/2017  Saturday
08/01/2017  Sunday
09/01/2017  Monday
10/01/2017  Tuesday
11/01/2017  Wednesday
12/01/2017  Thursday
13/01/2017  Friday
14/01/2017  Saturday
15/01/2017  Sunday
16/01/2017  Monday
17/01/2017  Tuesday
18/01/2017  Wednesday
19/01/2017  Thursday
20/01/2017  Friday
21/01/2017  Saturday
22/01/2017  Sunday
23/01/2017  Monday
24/01/2017  Tuesday
25/01/2017  Wednesday
26/01/2017  Thursday
27/01/2017  Friday
28/01/2017  Saturday
29/01/2017  Sunday
30/01/2017  Monday
31/01/2017  Tuesday

I listed dates of 2 Weeks later. You can use variable @period OR function datediff(dd, @date_start, @date_end)

declare @period INT, @date_start datetime, @date_end datetime, @i int;

set @period = 14
set @date_start = convert(date,DATEADD(D, -@period, curent_timestamp))
set @date_end = convert(date,current_timestamp)
set @i = 1

create table #datesList(dts datetime)
insert into #datesList values (@date_start)
while @i <= @period
    Begin
        insert into #datesList values (dateadd(d,@i,@date_start))
        set @i = @i + 1
    end
select cast(dts as DATE) from #datesList
Drop Table #datesList

This can be considered as bit tricky way as in my situation, I can't use a CTE table, so decided to join with sys.all_objects and then created row numbers and added that to start date till it reached the end date.

See the code below where I generated all dates in Jul 2018. Replace hard coded dates with your own variables (tested in SQL Server 2016):

select top (datediff(dd, '2018-06-30', '2018-07-31')) ROW_NUMBER() 
over(order by a.name) as SiNo, 
Dateadd(dd, ROW_NUMBER() over(order by a.name) , '2018-06-30') as Dt from sys.all_objects a

DECLARE @FirstDate DATE = '2018-01-01'
DECLARE @LastDate Date = '2018-12-31'
DECLARE @tbl TABLE(ID INT IDENTITY(1,1) PRIMARY KEY,CurrDate date)
INSERT @tbl VALUES( @FirstDate)
WHILE @FirstDate < @LastDate
BEGIN
SET @FirstDate = DATEADD( day,1, @FirstDate)
INSERT @tbl VALUES( @FirstDate)
END
INSERT @tbl VALUES( @LastDate) 

SELECT * FROM @tbl

You can use this script to find dates between two dates. Reference taken from this Article:

DECLARE @StartDateTime DATETIME
DECLARE @EndDateTime DATETIME

SET @StartDateTime = '2015-01-01'
SET @EndDateTime = '2015-01-12';

WITH DateRange(DateData) AS 
(
    SELECT @StartDateTime as Date
    UNION ALL
    SELECT DATEADD(d,1,DateData)
    FROM DateRange 
    WHERE DateData < @EndDateTime
)
SELECT DateData
FROM DateRange
OPTION (MAXRECURSION 0)
GO

You can try this:

    SET LANGUAGE SPANISH

DECLARE @startDate DATE = GETDATE() -- Your start date
DECLARE @endDate DATE = DATEADD(MONTH, 16, GETDATE()) -- Your end date
DECLARE @years INT = YEAR(@endDate) - YEAR(@startDate)

CREATE TABLE #TMP_YEARS (
    [year] INT
)

-- Get all posible years between the start and end date
WHILE @years >= 0
BEGIN
    INSERT INTO #TMP_YEARS
    ([year])
    SELECT YEAR(@startDate) + @years

    SET @years = @years - 1
END

;WITH [days]([day]) AS -- Posible days at a month
(
    SELECT 1 UNION ALL SELECT 2 UNION ALL SELECT 3 UNION ALL SELECT 4 UNION ALL SELECT 5 UNION ALL SELECT 6 UNION ALL SELECT 7 UNION ALL SELECT 8 UNION ALL SELECT 9 UNION ALL -- days lower than 10
    SELECT 10 UNION ALL SELECT 11 UNION ALL SELECT 12 UNION ALL SELECT 13 UNION ALL SELECT 14 UNION ALL SELECT 15 UNION ALL SELECT 16 UNION ALL SELECT 17 UNION ALL SELECT 18 UNION ALL SELECT 19 UNION ALL -- days lower than 20
    SELECT 20 UNION ALL SELECT 21 UNION ALL SELECT 22 UNION ALL SELECT 23 UNION ALL SELECT 24 UNION ALL SELECT 25 UNION ALL SELECT 26 UNION ALL SELECT 27 UNION ALL SELECT 28 UNION ALL SELECT 29 UNION ALL -- days lower than 30
    SELECT 30 UNION ALL SELECT 31 -- days higher 30
),
[months]([month]) AS -- All months at a year
(
    SELECT 1 UNION ALL SELECT 2 UNION ALL SELECT 3 UNION ALL SELECT 4 UNION ALL SELECT 5 UNION ALL SELECT 6 UNION ALL SELECT 7 UNION ALL SELECT 8 UNION ALL SELECT 9 UNION ALL SELECT 10 UNION ALL SELECT 11 UNION ALL SELECT 12
)
SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR, a.[year]) + '-' + REPLICATE('0', 2 - LEN(CONVERT(VARCHAR, n.[month]))) + CONVERT(VARCHAR, n.[month]) + '-' + REPLICATE('0', 2 - LEN(CONVERT(VARCHAR, d.[day]))) + CONVERT(VARCHAR, d.[day]) as [date]
  FROM #TMP_YEARS a
 CROSS JOIN [months] n -- Join all years with all months
 INNER JOIN [days] d on DAY(EOMONTH(CONVERT(VARCHAR, a.[year]) + '-' + REPLICATE('0', 2 - LEN(CONVERT(VARCHAR, n.[month]))) + CONVERT(VARCHAR, n.[month]) + '-' + CONVERT(VARCHAR, DAY(EOMONTH(CAST(CONVERT(VARCHAR, a.[year]) + '-' + CONVERT(varchar, n.[month]) + '-15' AS DATE)))))) >= d.[day] AND -- The number of the day can't be higher than the last day of the current month and the current year
                      CONVERT(VARCHAR, a.[year]) + '-' + REPLICATE('0', 2 - LEN(CONVERT(VARCHAR, n.[month]))) + CONVERT(VARCHAR, n.[month]) + '-' + REPLICATE('0', 2 - LEN(CONVERT(VARCHAR, d.[day]))) + CONVERT(VARCHAR, d.[day]) <= ISNULL(@endDate, GETDATE()) AND -- The current date can't be higher than the end date
                      CONVERT(VARCHAR, a.[year]) + '-' + REPLICATE('0', 2 - LEN(CONVERT(VARCHAR, n.[month]))) + CONVERT(VARCHAR, n.[month]) + '-' + REPLICATE('0', 2 - LEN(CONVERT(VARCHAR, d.[day]))) + CONVERT(VARCHAR, d.[day]) >= ISNULL(@startDate, GETDATE()) -- The current date should be higher than the start date
 ORDER BY a.[year] ASC, n.[month] ASC, d.[day] ASC

The output will be something like this, you can format the date as you like:

2019-01-24
2019-01-25
2019-01-26
2019-01-27
2019-01-28
2019-01-29
2019-01-30
2019-01-31
2019-02-01
2019-02-02
2019-02-03
2019-02-04
2019-02-05
2019-02-06
2019-02-07
2019-02-08
2019-02-09
...