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SQL to ASCII Table Converter

Transform SQL database dumps into beautifully formatted ASCII tables with customizable borders and alignment for documentation and terminal output

SQL Input

Convert SQL to other formats

SQL to ActionScriptSQL to AsciiDocSQL to ASPSQL to AvroSQL to BBCodeSQL to CSVSQL to DAXSQL to Excel

ASCII Table Output

Convert other formats to ASCII

CSV to ASCIIExcel to ASCIIHTML to ASCIIJSON to ASCIILaTeX to ASCIIMarkdown to ASCIIMediaWiki to ASCIIMySQL to ASCII

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About SQL to ASCII Table Converter

Convert SQL database dumps (CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements) to beautifully formatted ASCII tables with customizable borders and alignment. Perfect for documentation, terminal output, README files, and text-based interfaces.

Key Features

  • Multiple Border Styles: Single line, double line, rounded, and simple borders
  • Text Alignment: Left, center, or right alignment for all cells
  • Header Support: Optional header row with separator
  • Auto-sizing: Automatically calculates optimal column widths
  • Unicode Support: Beautiful box-drawing characters
  • Smart Parsing: Extracts column names and data from SQL dumps
  • File Download: Save as .txt file

How to Use

  1. Input SQL Data: Paste your SQL CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements or upload a .sql file
  2. Choose Border Style: Select from single, double, rounded, or simple borders
  3. Set Alignment: Choose left, center, or right alignment
  4. Configure Header: Toggle header row display
  5. Copy or Download: Use the Copy or Download button to save your ASCII table

Border Styles

Single Line (┌─┐):

  • Clean and professional appearance
  • Uses Unicode box-drawing characters
  • Perfect for modern terminals and documentation

Double Line (╔═╗):

  • Bold and prominent borders
  • Great for emphasis and headers
  • Professional look for reports

Rounded (╭─╮):

  • Soft, friendly appearance
  • Modern design aesthetic
  • Works well in UI mockups

Simple (+---):

  • ASCII-only characters
  • Maximum compatibility
  • Works in any text environment

Example Conversion

SQL Input:

CREATE TABLE products (
  id INT,
  name VARCHAR(100),
  price DECIMAL(10,2),
  category VARCHAR(50)
);

INSERT INTO products VALUES (1, 'Laptop', 999.99, 'Electronics');
INSERT INTO products VALUES (2, 'Mouse', 24.99, 'Accessories');

ASCII Output (Single Line, Left Aligned):

┌────┬─────────┬────────┬─────────────┐
│id  │name     │price   │category     │
├────┼─────────┼────────┼─────────────┤
│1   │Laptop   │999.99  │Electronics  │
├────┼─────────┼────────┼─────────────┤
│2   │Mouse    │24.99   │Accessories  │
└────┴─────────┴────────┴─────────────┘

ASCII Output (Double Line, Center Aligned):

╔════╦═════════╦════════╦═════════════╗
║ id ║  name   ║ price  ║  category   ║
╠════╬═════════╬════════╬═════════════╣
║ 1  ║ Laptop  ║ 999.99 ║ Electronics ║
╠════╬═════════╬════════╬═════════════╣
║ 2  ║  Mouse  ║ 24.99  ║ Accessories ║
╚════╩═════════╩════════╩═════════════╝

Common Use Cases

  • Documentation: Include formatted tables in README files and technical docs
  • Terminal Output: Display database results in command-line tools
  • Code Comments: Add visual table representations in code
  • Reports: Create text-based reports with formatted data
  • Email: Send formatted tables in plain text emails
  • Logging: Format log output with structured data
  • ASCII Art: Create decorative text-based tables

Alignment Options

Left Alignment:

  • Default alignment for text
  • Easy to read for most content
  • Best for names and descriptions

Center Alignment:

  • Balanced visual appearance
  • Good for headers and short values
  • Creates symmetrical tables

Right Alignment:

  • Perfect for numeric values
  • Aligns decimal points naturally
  • Professional look for financial data

Supported SQL Syntax

  • CREATE TABLE: Extracts column names for table headers
  • INSERT INTO: Parses data values from INSERT statements
  • Data Types: Handles all SQL data types (VARCHAR, INT, DECIMAL, etc.)
  • Quoted Strings: Handles single and double quotes with proper escaping

Technical Details

  • Unicode Box Drawing: Uses Unicode characters (U+2500 to U+257F)
  • Automatic Width Calculation: Determines optimal column widths
  • Padding: Adds appropriate spacing for readability
  • Monospace Font: Designed for monospace font display

Privacy & Security

All conversions happen locally in your browser. Your SQL data is never uploaded to any server, ensuring complete privacy and security.

FAQ

  • Why does the table look misaligned in my editor? ASCII tables require a monospace font. If your editor uses a proportional font, switch to a monospace font to see perfect alignment.
  • Can I copy these tables into Markdown or reStructuredText? Yes. Most renderers will display the ASCII art as-is inside fenced code blocks or preformatted sections.
  • What happens with very long text values? Long values increase the column width, which can make the table wide. You may want to truncate or shorten certain columns before conversion.
  • Are Unicode borders safe everywhere? Modern terminals and editors support Unicode box-drawing characters. If you need maximum compatibility, use the simple border style with plain ASCII characters.
  • Does this tool evaluate or run my SQL? No. It only parses the text of CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements to build the table; nothing is executed against a database.