IF EXISTS(SELECT name FROM sysobjects WHERE name = 'RecurringTime')
    BEGIN
        PRINT ''
        PRINT 'Found RecurringTime table.'
        IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
                           WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'RecurringTime'
                                   AND
                                 COLUMN_NAME = 'Department')
            BEGIN
                PRINT '  It has a Department column.'
                PRINT '  Checking for rows with no department.'

                DECLARE @t_ID       INT
                DECLARE time_cursor CURSOR FOR
                    SELECT TimeID
                        FROM RecurringTime
                        WHERE Department IS NULL

                -- Use the cursor to "get" the ID from the "errant" rows
                OPEN time_cursor

                -- now loop through these rows and update the department
                WHILE 1=1
                BEGIN
                    FETCH NEXT FROM time_cursor
                        INTO @t_ID
                    IF @@FETCH_STATUS <> 0
                        BREAK

                    PRINT '    Updating row with ID: ' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(9), @t_ID)
                    UPDATE RecurringTime
                        SET Department = 'All Departments'
                        WHERE TimeID = @t_ID
                END
                CLOSE time_cursor
                DEALLOCATE time_cursor
            END
        ELSE
            BEGIN
                PRINT '  No ''Department'' column in this table.'
            END
    END
ELSE
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'Did not find a RecurringTime table.'
    END
PRINT 'Exiting.'

quote:

---

Originally posted by pootle_flump

What do you mean "errors"? When? What is the message? Where is this code? If it is a proc then you could be getting Deferred Name Resolution errors, but we need more details.

---

IF EXISTS(SELECT name FROM sysobjects WHERE name = 'RecurringTime')
    BEGIN
        PRINT ''
        PRINT 'Found RecurringTime table.'
        IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
                           WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'RecurringTime'
                                   AND
                                 COLUMN_NAME = 'Department')
            BEGIN
                PRINT '  It has a Department column.'

		EXEC	('
				UPDATE	dbo.RecurringTime
				SET	Department = ''All Departments''
				WHERE	Department IS NULL
			')

            END
       	ELSE
            BEGIN
                PRINT '  No ''Department'' column in this table.'
            END
    END
ELSE
    BEGIN
        PRINT 'Did not find a RecurringTime table.'
    END
PRINT 'Exiting.'

quote:

---

Originally posted by pootle_flump

Glad it worked and glad you see why eliminating cursors is a good thing.

---

quote:

---

So how come you don't know the columns in your table at run time?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by shaggy

You can also eliminate dynamic execution of update statement.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by blueboy

And by dynamic I assume you mean the use of EXEC

---