Modifying SQL Server Synonyms

One task that often needs to be done when migrating a database to production for the first time is to modify the synonyms to point to whatever database is in production. There is no “alter synonym” command. The only way to change a synonym is to drop and create it.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of issues with doing this. The first is that the permissions disappear with a drop and create. If you are using the built-in groups (db_datareader/db_datawriter) or have granted permissions on the entire schema, this may not be a problem. However, if you have permissions as granular as the synonym, these permissions will have to be recreated.

The second issue is that the dependencies are lost. So, no longer is there knowledge within SQL Server that a procedure, view, or function relies on these synonyms.

This script below will not address the second issue. However, it will address the first – and provide a quick way of changing the database of a synonym. This script will build and execute the DROP, CREATE, and re-apply the permissions to the synonyms after switching them to a different database. The full object location could be changed with this script – just modify the REPLACE function.

DECLARE
    @DropSynonym NVARCHAR(4000),
    @CreateSynonym NVARCHAR(4000),
    @Permissions NVARCHAR(4000)

SELECT
    @DropSynonym = '',
    @CreateSynonym = '',
    @Permissions = ''

SELECT
    @DropSynonym = @DropSynonym + 'DROP SYNONYM '
    + QUOTENAME(SCHEMA_NAME(SCHEMA_ID)) + '.' + QUOTENAME(NAME) + ';
',
    @CreateSynonym = @CreateSynonym + 'CREATE SYNONYM '
    + QUOTENAME(SCHEMA_NAME(SCHEMA_ID)) + '.' + QUOTENAME(NAME) + ' FOR '
    + REPLACE(base_object_name, '[OldDB]', '[NewDB]') + ';
'
FROM
    sys.synonyms ;
WITH    PermQuery
          AS (SELECT
                CASE WHEN perm.state <> 'W' THEN perm.state_desc
                     ELSE 'GRANT'
                END COLLATE database_default AS PermissionState,
                perm.permission_name COLLATE database_default AS Permission,
                SCHEMA_NAME(obj.schema_id) AS SchemaName,
                obj.name AS ObjectName,
                CASE WHEN cl.column_id IS NULL THEN SPACE(0)
                     ELSE '(' + QUOTENAME(cl.name) + ')'
                END AS ColumnName,
                CASE WHEN perm.state <> 'W' THEN 'N'
                     ELSE 'Y'
                END AS WithOption,
                usr.name AS UserName
              FROM
                sys.synonyms AS s
                INNER JOIN sys.all_objects AS obj
                    ON s.object_id = obj.object_id
                INNER JOIN sys.database_permissions AS perm
                    ON perm.major_id = obj.[object_id]
                INNER JOIN sys.database_principals AS usr
                    ON perm.grantee_principal_id = usr.principal_id
                LEFT JOIN sys.columns AS cl
                    ON cl.column_id = perm.minor_id
                       AND cl.[object_id] = perm.major_id)
    SELECT
        @Permissions = @Permissions + PermissionState + ' ' + Permission
        + ' ON ' + QUOTENAME(SchemaName) + '.' + QUOTENAME(ObjectName) + ' '
        + ColumnName + ' TO ' + UserName
        + CASE WithOption
            WHEN 'Y' THEN ' WITH GRANT OPTION'
            ELSE ''
          END + ';
'
    FROM
        PermQuery

PRINT @DropSynonym
EXEC(@DropSynonym)

PRINT @CreateSynonym
EXEC(@CreateSynonym)

PRINT @Permissions
EXEC (@Permissions)