Import the SQL Server error log into a table

CREATE PROC sp_import_errorlog
(
    @log_name sysname,
    @log_number Int = 0,
    @overwrite bit = 0
)
As

Purpose:    To import the SQL Server Error Log into a table, so that it can be queried

Tested On:  SQL Server 2000

Limitation:     With Error messages spanning more than one line only the first line Is included In the table

Example 1:  To import the current Error Log To table myerrorlog
        EXEC sp_import_errorlog 'myerrorlog'

Example 2:  To import the current Error Log To table myerrorlog, And overwrite the table
        'myerrorlog' if it already exists
        EXEC sp_import_errorlog 'myerrorlog', @overwrite = 1

Example 3:  To import the previous Error Log To table myerrorlog
        EXEC sp_import_errorlog 'myerrorlog', 1

Example 4:  To import the Second previous Error Log To table myerrorlog
        EXEC sp_import_errorlog 'myerrorlog', 2


BEGIN
    Set NOCOUNT On
  
    Declare @sql varchar(500) --Holds To SQL needed To create columns from Error Log

    If (Select OBJECT_ID(@log_name,'U')) IS NOT NULL
        BEGIN
            If @overwrite = 0
                BEGIN
                    RAISERROR('Table already exists. Specify another name or pass 1 to @overwrite parameter',18,1)
                    RETURN -1
                End
            Else
                BEGIN
                    EXEC('DROP TABLE ' + @log_name)
                End
        End

  
    --Temp table To hold the output of sp_readerrorlog
    CREATE TABLE #errlog
    (
        err varchar(1000),
        controw tinyint
    )

    --Populating the temp table using sp_readerrorlog
    INSERT #errlog
    EXEC sp_readerrorlog @log_number

    --This will remove the header from the errolog
    Set ROWCOUNT 4
    DELETE #errlog
    Set ROWCOUNT 0

  
    Set @sql =  'SELECT
                CONVERT(DATETIME,Left(err,23)) [Date],
                SUBSTRING(err,24,10) [spid],
                Right(err,Len(err) - 33) [Message],
                controw
            INTO ' + QUOTENAME(@log_name) +
            ' FROM #errlog ' +
            'WHERE controw = 0'
  
    --Creates the table With the columns Date, spid, message And controw
    EXEC (@sql)
  
    --Dropping the temporary table
    DROP TABLE #errlog
  
    Set NOCOUNT OFF
Print 'Error log successfully imported to table: ' + @log_name
End