Better way to export data from one database to another (SQLSever)

Question

I'm importing a big flat file (about 400.000 rows and 255+ columns) into SQL Server Management Studio through the import wizard.

To get the right variables I use Suggest types, but I have found that I need to search through all the rows to get the right variable types. It takes a very long time. Is there a way to avoid this or do it faster?

Furthermore, my real goal is to transfer data from one sql server database to another on another computer. I do this by exporting it as a flat file. But maybe this is stupid since I lose the information about the correct format?

Thanks!

Answer 1

According to Copy one database to another database:

There are several ways to do this, below are two options:

Option 1

• Right click on the database you want to copy

• Choose 'Tasks' > 'Generate scripts'

• 'Select specific database objects'

• Check 'Tables'

• Mark 'Save to new query window'

• Click 'Advanced'

• Set 'Types of data to script' to 'Schema and data'

• Next, Next

You can now run the generated query on the new database.

Option 2

• Right click on the database you want to copy

• 'Tasks' > 'Export Data'

• Next, Next

• Choose the database to copy the tables to

• Mark 'Copy data from one or more tables or views'

• Choose the tables you want to copy

• Finish

Answer 2

Backup your database and restores it on the other server (the tager server must be equal or higher version) or simply copy the database files to other server and attached it (when copying database files, you must ensures that either you have detached the database or stop the sql server service).