INF: Deleting Text from SQL Stored Procedures and Triggers

ID Number: Q67713

1.10 1.11 4.20

OS/2

Summary:

In SQL Server, it is not possible to encrypt the text of a stored

procedure so that someone else cannot do an sp_helptext() call to see

the text of the stored procedure. However, the text of the stored

procedure can be deleted.

Once a stored procedure has been created, SQL Server never needs to

look at that text again; it is only saved for your reference. The

following steps can be used to delete the text of a stored procedure:

1. Be sure the flag is set to allow updates to the system tables.

[Use the sp_configure() function or the Config menu in SAF.]

2. Use the database that the stored procedure was created in.

3. Execute the following query:

UPDATE syscomments

SET text = ""

WHERE id = ( SELECT id from sysobjects

WHERE name = "<procedure name>" )

4. Reset the flag to allow updates to system tables (if desired).

If the sp_helptext() function is now called on the stored procedure,

no text will be displayed.

Note: The above steps can also be used for deleting the text of

triggers.

Additional reference words: 1.10 1.11 4.20 procedure text sp_helptext