title: "sp_prepare (Transact SQL) | Microsoft Docs" ms.custom: "" ms.date: "02/28/2018" ms.prod: sql ms.prod_service: "database-engine, sql-data-warehouse, pdw" ms.component: "system-stored-procedures" ms.reviewer: "" ms.suite: "sql" ms.technology: system-objects ms.tgt_pltfrm: "" ms.topic: "language-reference" f1_keywords:
- "sp_cursor_prepare_TSQL"
- "sp_cursor_prepare" dev_langs:
- "TSQL" helpviewer_keywords:
- "sp_prepare" ms.assetid: f328c9eb-8211-4863-bafa-347e1bf7bb3f caps.latest.revision: 9 author: edmacauley ms.author: edmaca manager: craigg monikerRange: ">=aps-pdw-2016||=azure-sqldw-latest||>=sql-server-2016||=sqlallproducts-allversions||>=sql-server-linux-2017"
[!INCLUDEtsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-asdw-pdw-md]
Prepares a parameterized [!INCLUDEtsql] statement and returns a statement handle for execution. sp_prepare is invoked by specifying ID = 11 in a tabular data stream (TDS) packet.
Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions
sp_prepare handle OUTPUT, params, stmt, options
handle
Is a SQL Server-generated prepared handle identifier. handle is a required parameter with an int return value.
params
Identifies parameterized statements. The params definition of variables is substituted for parameter markers in the statement. params is a required parameter that calls for an ntext, nchar, or nvarchar input value. Input a NULL value if the statement is not parameterized.
stmt
Defines the cursor result set. The stmt parameter is required and calls for an ntext, nchar, or nvarchar input value.
options
An optional parameter that returns a description of the cursor result set columns. options requires the following int input value:
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| 0x0001 | RETURN_METADATA |
The following example prepares and executes a simple statement.
Declare @P1 int;
Exec sp_prepare @P1 output,
N'@P1 nvarchar(128), @P2 nvarchar(100)',
N'SELECT database_id, name FROM sys.databases WHERE name=@P1 AND state_desc = @P2';
Exec sp_execute @P1, N'tempdb', N'ONLINE';
EXEC sp_unprepare @P1;