Print Column Names for Synonym for Table in Another Database

Question

I am utilizing one database A. How do I print out the columns names for synonym for table in another database B?

create table DatabaseB.dbo.Customer
(
     CustomerId int primary key,
     CustomerName varchar(100),
     ZipCode varchar(9)
)

Answer if table was in Current Database A:

declare @ColumnList varchar(max) = 
(select STUFF((
SELECT ', 
    '    
+ QUOTENAME(c.name) 
FROM sys.columns c 
where c.object_id = object_id('Customer')
FOR XML PATH(''), TYPE).value('.','nvarchar(max)'),1,2,''))

print @ColumnList

How to Print columns for table if in Database B?

use Database A;
go;

create synonym dbo.Customer for DatabaseB.dbo.Customer



declare @ColumnList varchar(max) = 
(select STUFF((
SELECT ', 
    '    
+ QUOTENAME(c.name) 
FROM sys.columns c 
where c.object_id = object_id('dbo.Customer')
FOR XML PATH(''), TYPE).value('.','nvarchar(max)'),1,2,''))

print @ColumnList

I want have it use synonym in current database, (which already points to other database B). Purpose: To find columns for Customer, without specifying Database B

Answer 1

I provided a similar answer here which utilizes sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set. Here is an example of how you can achieve your goal.

--demo setup
SET NOCOUNT ON
USE [master]
GO
--Create two sample databases
DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS [DB1]
DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS [DB2]
CREATE DATABASE [DB1]
CREATE DATABASE [DB2]
GO

--Connect to [DB2]
USE [DB2]
GO
--Create and load a table
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[CUSTOMER](
    [CustomerID] [int] NOT NULL,
    [FirstName] [varchar](20) NOT NULL,
    [LastName] [varchar](20) NOT NULL,
    [Email] [varchar](30) NOT NULL,
    [PhoneNo] [int] NOT NULL,
    [StreetAddress] [varchar](40) NULL,
    [City] [varchar](20) NULL,
    [OrderID] [int] NOT NULL
)
GO

--Connect to [DB1] and create a synonyn that points to a table in [DB2]
USE [DB1]
GO
CREATE SYNONYM DB2_CUSTOMER FOR [DB2].dbo.CUSTOMER
GO

--The solution
--Use sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set to retrieve the metadata for the synonym
DECLARE @cols NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';

SELECT @cols += N',' + NAME + ' ' + system_type_name
FROM sys.dm_exec_describe_first_result_set(N'SELECT * FROM DB2_CUSTOMER', NULL, 1);

SET @cols = STUFF(@cols, 1, 1, N'');
SET @cols = replace(@cols,',',',' + char(10))
print @cols

---

Results:

CustomerID int,
FirstName varchar(20),
LastName varchar(20),
Email varchar(30),
PhoneNo int,
StreetAddress varchar(40),
City varchar(20),
OrderID int