Working with xp_cmdshell

xp_cmdshell executes Operating system command through SQL.
Syntax:
EXEC xp_cmdshell {'command_string'} [, no_output]

command_string:
        type here operating system commands.

no_output:
        if no_output is specified, it will not return values. By default it returns 0(Success) or 1(Failure).

How to enable xp_cmdshell:

EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options',1

GO

RECONFIGURE

GO

EXEC sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell', 1

GO

RECONFIGURE

GO

Example:

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'ver'

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'ipconfig'

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'vol'

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'dir'

Now lets play more with it.

--create a textfile and write some content into it

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo hello, this is a text msg >h:\test.txt'

--now read it

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'type h:\test.txt'

--make a newdirectory

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'md h:\to'

--copy this textfile 'test.txt' to another location

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'copy h:\test.txt h:\to\copied.txt'

--now see newlycreated directory and check presense of your copied file

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'dir h:\to'

--now read againfrom copied location for verification

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'type h:\to\copied.txt'

--rename this file

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'ren h:\to\copied.txt renamed.txt'

--delete this file

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'del h:\to\renamed.txt'

--and removedirectory too

EXEC xp_cmdshell 'rd h:\to\'