How to Check for and Create SQL Server 2008 Tables if They Don't Exist?

Determining Table Existence and Creation in SQL Server 2008

In SQL Server 2008, a common requirement is the ability to verify whether a table exists within a database and, if not, create it on the fly. This is particularly useful in data manipulation routines or scenarios involving dynamic table creation.

Verifying Table Existence

To check if a table exists in a database, utilize the following syntax:

IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[TableName]') AND type in (N'U'))

Here, we query the sys.objects system table to determine if an object with the specified name and type (in this case, a table) exists in the dbo schema. If the query returns no rows, the table does not exist.

Creating a Table if It Doesn't Exist

To create a table if it does not exist, use the CREATE TABLE statement. For example:

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[TableName](
    ....
    ....
    ....
)

Combining the Checks

You can combine the table existence check and creation into one statement using a conditional statement as follows:

IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[TableName]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
    CREATE TABLE [dbo].[TableName](
        ....
        ....
        ....
    ) 
END

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