Microsoft KB Archive/248915

= How to show expanding hierarchies by using SQL Server =

Article ID: 248915

Article Last Modified on 12/20/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2000 64-bit Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition

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This article was previously published under Q248915



IN THIS TASK

 * SUMMARY
 * REFERENCES



SUMMARY
Databases frequently store hierarchical information. For more details about hierarchical information, see the "Expanding Hierarchies" topic in Microsoft SQL Server Books Online. The "Expanding Hierarchies" topic has a detailed Transact-SQL procedure that expands an encoded hierarchy to any arbitrary depth.

NOTE: The SQL Books Online procedure declares @level, which is a reserved word in SQL Server 6.5 and SQL Server 7.0. Level is no longer a reserved word in SQL Server 2000 and in SQL Server 2005. The following code is a corrected version of this procedure in which @lvl is substituted for the reserved word so that it works on all versions. The procedure is enhanced to include the CREATE TABLE statement, CREATE INDEX samples, and INSERT statements that are required to demonstrate the example.

Following is the updated code sample: CREATE TABLE hierarchy (parent VARCHAR(20) NOT NULL,        child VARCHAR(20), CONSTRAINT UIX_parentchild         UNIQUE NONCLUSTERED (parent,child) ) CREATE CLUSTERED INDEX CIX_parent ON hierarchy(parent) GO INSERT hierarchy VALUES('World','Europe') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('World','North America') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('Europe','France') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('France','Paris') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('North America','United States') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('North America','Canada') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('United States','New York') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('United States','Washington') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('New York','New York City') INSERT hierarchy VALUES('Washington','Redmond') GO

CREATE PROCEDURE expand (@current char(20)) as --This is a non-recursive preorder traversal. SET NOCOUNT ON DECLARE @lvl int, @line char(20)

CREATE TABLE #stack (item char(20), lvl int)  --Create a tempory stack. INSERT INTO #stack VALUES (@current, 1)   --Insert current node to the stack. SELECT @lvl = 1 WHILE @lvl > 0                 --From the top level going down. BEGIN IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM #stack WHERE lvl = @lvl) BEGIN SELECT @current = item --Find the first node that matches current node's name. FROM #stack WHERE lvl = @lvl

SELECT @line = space(@lvl - 1) + @current  --@lvl - 1 s spaces before the node name. PRINT @line                --Print it.

DELETE FROM #stack WHERE lvl = @lvl AND item = @current --Remove the current node from the stack.

INSERT #stack      --Insert the childnodes of the current node into the stack. SELECT child, @lvl + 1 FROM hierarchy WHERE parent = @current

IF @@ROWCOUNT > 0       --If the previous statement added one or more nodes, go down for its first child. SELECT @lvl = @lvl + 1 --If no nodes are added, check its brother nodes. END ELSE SELECT @lvl = @lvl - 1     --Back to the level immediately above. END                        --While

GO EXEC expand 'World'

The result is World North America United States Washington Redmond New York New York City Canada Europe France Paris

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