TableProApp · datlechin · Jul 21, 2026 · Jul 21, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Copy as INSERT, UPDATE, JSON, CSV, or Markdown now includes only the columns you selected when you select specific cells. It used to include every column in the row. Copy as UPDATE still keys its WHERE clause on the primary key. (#1929)
 - Windows Authentication (Kerberos) to SQL Server now works on macOS. The bundled SQL Server driver was built without Kerberos support, so every Windows-auth connect failed as if the credentials were wrong. (#1918)
 - MySQL and MariaDB queries no longer fail after about a minute when a longer query timeout is set. The client read timeout now follows the configured query timeout, so a long query or stored procedure runs for the full time you allow. (#1921)
 - A dropped MySQL or MariaDB connection no longer silently re-runs a statement that changes data, so a lost connection can no longer run an insert, update, or stored procedure twice. (#1921)

diff --git a/TablePro/Core/Utilities/SQL/SQLRowToStatementConverter.swift b/TablePro/Core/Utilities/SQL/SQLRowToStatementConverter.swift
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ internal struct SQLRowToStatementConverter {
     internal let columns: [String]
     internal let primaryKeyColumn: String?
     internal let databaseType: DatabaseType
+    private let settableColumns: Set<String>?
     private let quoteIdentifierFn: (String) -> String
     private let escapeStringFn: (String) -> String
 
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ internal struct SQLRowToStatementConverter {
         columns: [String],
         primaryKeyColumn: String?,
         databaseType: DatabaseType,
+        settableColumns: [String]? = nil,
         dialect: SQLDialectDescriptor? = nil,
         quoteIdentifier: ((String) -> String)? = nil,
         escapeStringLiteral: ((String) -> String)? = nil
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ internal struct SQLRowToStatementConverter {
         self.columns = columns
         self.primaryKeyColumn = primaryKeyColumn
         self.databaseType = databaseType
+        self.settableColumns = settableColumns.map(Set.init)
 
         if let quoteIdentifier, let escapeStringLiteral {
             self.quoteIdentifierFn = quoteIdentifier
@@ -67,12 +70,17 @@ internal struct SQLRowToStatementConverter {
     internal func generateUpdates(rows: [[PluginCellValue]]) -> String {
         let capped = rows.prefix(Self.maxRows)
 
-        return capped.map { row in
+        return capped.compactMap { row in
             buildUpdateStatement(row: row)
         }.joined(separator: "\n")
     }
 
-    private func buildUpdateStatement(row: [PluginCellValue]) -> String {
+    private func isSettable(_ column: String) -> Bool {
+        guard let settableColumns else { return true }
+        return settableColumns.contains(column)
+    }
+
+    private func buildUpdateStatement(row: [PluginCellValue]) -> String? {
         let quotedTable = quoteColumn(tableName)
 
         let setClause: String
@@ -84,21 +92,24 @@ internal struct SQLRowToStatementConverter {
             let pkValue = row[pkIndex]
 
             let setClauses = columns.enumerated().compactMap { index, col -> String? in
-                guard col != pkColumn else { return nil }
+                guard col != pkColumn, isSettable(col) else { return nil }
                 let value = row.indices.contains(index) ? row[index] : .null
                 return "\(quoteColumn(col)) = \(formatValue(value))"
             }
+            guard !setClauses.isEmpty else { return nil }
             setClause = setClauses.joined(separator: ", ")
             if pkValue.isNull {
                 whereClause = "\(quoteColumn(pkColumn)) IS NULL"
             } else {
                 whereClause = "\(quoteColumn(pkColumn)) = \(formatValue(pkValue))"
             }
         } else {
-            let allClauses = columns.enumerated().map { index, col -> String in
+            let allClauses = columns.enumerated().compactMap { index, col -> String? in
+                guard isSettable(col) else { return nil }
                 let value = row.indices.contains(index) ? row[index] : .null
                 return "\(quoteColumn(col)) = \(formatValue(value))"
             }
+            guard !allClauses.isEmpty else { return nil }
             setClause = allClauses.joined(separator: ", ")
 
             let whereParts = columns.enumerated().map { index, col -> String in

diff --git a/TablePro/Views/Results/DataGridView+RowActions.swift b/TablePro/Views/Results/DataGridView+RowActions.swift
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ extension TableViewCoordinator {
     func copyRowsAsInsert(at indices: Set<Int>) {
         guard let tableName, let databaseType else { return }
         let tableRows = tableRowsProvider()
-        let projection = visibleColumnProjection
+        let projection = selectedColumnProjection()
         let driver = resolveDriver()
         do {
             let converter = try SQLRowToStatementConverter(
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ extension TableViewCoordinator {
     func copyRowsAsUpdate(at indices: Set<Int>) {
         guard let tableName, let databaseType else { return }
         let tableRows = tableRowsProvider()
+        let settableColumns = selectionController.isEmpty
+            ? nil
+            : selectedColumnProjection().columns(tableRows.columns)
         let pkIndex = primaryKeyColumn.flatMap { tableRows.columns.firstIndex(of: $0) }
         let projection = visibleColumnProjection.including(pkIndex)
         let driver = resolveDriver()
@@ -152,6 +155,7 @@ extension TableViewCoordinator {
                 columns: projection.columns(tableRows.columns),
                 primaryKeyColumn: primaryKeyColumn,
                 databaseType: databaseType,
+                settableColumns: settableColumns,
                 quoteIdentifier: driver?.quoteIdentifier,
                 escapeStringLiteral: driver?.escapeStringLiteral
             )
@@ -164,7 +168,7 @@ extension TableViewCoordinator {
     }
 
     func copyRowsAsJson(at indices: Set<Int>) {
-        let projection = visibleColumnProjection
+        let projection = selectedColumnProjection()
         let rows = indices.sorted().compactMap { displayRow(at: $0).map { projection.values(Array($0.values)) } }
         guard !rows.isEmpty else { return }
         let tableRows = tableRowsProvider()
@@ -176,7 +180,7 @@ extension TableViewCoordinator {
     }
 
     func copyRowsAsCsv(at indices: Set<Int>, includeHeaders: Bool) {
-        let projection = visibleColumnProjection
+        let projection = selectedColumnProjection()
         let rows = indices.sorted().compactMap { displayRow(at: $0).map { projection.values(Array($0.values)) } }
         guard !rows.isEmpty else { return }
         let tableRows = tableRowsProvider()
@@ -188,7 +192,7 @@ extension TableViewCoordinator {
     }
 
     func copyRowsAsMarkdown(at indices: Set<Int>) {
-        let projection = visibleColumnProjection
+        let projection = selectedColumnProjection()
         let rows = indices.sorted().compactMap { displayRow(at: $0).map { projection.values(Array($0.values)) } }
         guard !rows.isEmpty else { return }
         let tableRows = tableRowsProvider()
@@ -253,6 +257,17 @@ extension TableViewCoordinator {
         VisibleColumnProjection(indices: visibleColumnDataIndices())
     }
 
+    private func selectedColumnProjection() -> VisibleColumnProjection {
+        guard !selectionController.isEmpty else { return visibleColumnProjection }
+        let selectedColumns = selectionController.selection.affectedColumns
+        guard !selectedColumns.isEmpty else { return visibleColumnProjection }
+        guard let visible = visibleColumnDataIndices() else {
+            return VisibleColumnProjection(indices: selectedColumns.sorted())
+        }
+        let ordered = visible.filter { selectedColumns.contains($0) }
+        return ordered.isEmpty ? visibleColumnProjection : VisibleColumnProjection(indices: ordered)
+    }
+
     private func resolveDriver() -> (any DatabaseDriver)? {
         guard let connectionId else { return nil }
         return DatabaseManager.shared.driver(for: connectionId)

diff --git a/TableProTests/Core/Utilities/SQLRowToStatementConverterTests.swift b/TableProTests/Core/Utilities/SQLRowToStatementConverterTests.swift
@@ -207,6 +207,48 @@ struct SQLRowToStatementConverterTests {
         #expect(result == "UPDATE `users` SET `name` = 'Alice', `email` = 'alice@example.com' WHERE `name` = 'Alice' AND `email` = 'alice@example.com';")
     }
 
+    @Test("UPDATE restricts SET to settable columns and keys WHERE on the primary key")
+    func updateSettableColumnsRestrictsSetClause() throws {
+        let converter = try SQLRowToStatementConverter(
+            tableName: "users",
+            columns: ["id", "name", "email"],
+            primaryKeyColumn: "id",
+            databaseType: .mysql,
+            settableColumns: ["email"],
+            dialect: Self.mysqlDialect
+        )
+        let result = converter.generateUpdates(rows: [["1", "Alice", "alice@example.com"]])
+        #expect(result == "UPDATE `users` SET `email` = 'alice@example.com' WHERE `id` = '1';")
+    }
+
+    @Test("UPDATE without a primary key keeps the full row in WHERE while restricting SET")
+    func updateSettableColumnsNoPrimaryKeyKeepsFullRowWhere() throws {
+        let converter = try SQLRowToStatementConverter(
+            tableName: "users",
+            columns: ["id", "name", "email"],
+            primaryKeyColumn: nil,
+            databaseType: .mysql,
+            settableColumns: ["email"],
+            dialect: Self.mysqlDialect
+        )
+        let result = converter.generateUpdates(rows: [["1", "Alice", "alice@example.com"]])
+        #expect(result == "UPDATE `users` SET `email` = 'alice@example.com' WHERE `id` = '1' AND `name` = 'Alice' AND `email` = 'alice@example.com';")
+    }
+
+    @Test("UPDATE emits no statement when only the primary key is settable")
+    func updateSettableColumnsPrimaryKeyOnlyEmitsNothing() throws {
+        let converter = try SQLRowToStatementConverter(
+            tableName: "users",
+            columns: ["id", "name", "email"],
+            primaryKeyColumn: "id",
+            databaseType: .mysql,
+            settableColumns: ["id"],
+            dialect: Self.mysqlDialect
+        )
+        let result = converter.generateUpdates(rows: [["1", "Alice", "alice@example.com"]])
+        #expect(result == "")
+    }
+
     // MARK: - Edge Cases
 
     @Test("Empty rows input returns empty string")

diff --git a/TableProTests/Views/Results/DataGridRowViewCopyTests.swift b/TableProTests/Views/Results/DataGridRowViewCopyTests.swift
@@ -375,8 +375,8 @@ struct DataGridRowViewCopyTests {
         withExtendedLifetime(coordinator) {}
     }
 
-    @Test("Copy as JSON covers every row of a column selection")
-    func copyAsJsonUsesColumnSelection() {
+    @Test("Copy as JSON includes only the selected column")
+    func copyAsJsonScopesToSelectedColumn() {
         withClipboard { clipboard in
             let coordinator = makeCoordinator(
                 rows: [[.text("1"), .text("Alice")], [.text("2"), .text("Bob")]],
@@ -389,8 +389,140 @@ struct DataGridRowViewCopyTests {
 
             _ = rowView.perform(NSSelectorFromString("copyAsJson"))
 
-            #expect(clipboard.text?.contains("Alice") == true)
-            #expect(clipboard.text?.contains("Bob") == true)
+            #expect(clipboard.text?.contains("\"c0\"") == true)
+            #expect(clipboard.text?.contains("Alice") != true)
+            #expect(clipboard.text?.contains("Bob") != true)
+        }
+    }
+
+    private func makeCellSelectedCoordinator() -> TableViewCoordinator {
+        let coordinator = makeCoordinator(
+            rows: [[.text("1"), .text("Alice"), .text("NYC"), .text("x")]],
+            columnTypes: [
+                .integer(rawType: "INT"), .text(rawType: "TEXT"),
+                .text(rawType: "TEXT"), .text(rawType: "TEXT")
+            ]
+        )
+        coordinator.tableName = "users"
+        coordinator.databaseType = .mysql
+        coordinator.selectionController.update(
+            GridSelection(
+                rectangles: [
+                    GridRect(cell: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 2)),
+                    GridRect(cell: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 3))
+                ],
+                activeCell: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 3),
+                anchor: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 2)
+            )
+        )
+        return coordinator
+    }
+
+    @Test("Copy as INSERT includes only the selected columns")
+    func copyAsInsertScopesToSelectedColumns() {
+        withClipboard { clipboard in
+            let coordinator = makeCellSelectedCoordinator()
+            let rowView = DataGridRowView()
+            rowView.coordinator = coordinator
+            rowView.rowIndex = 0
+
+            _ = rowView.perform(NSSelectorFromString("copyAsInsert"))
+
+            #expect(clipboard.text == "INSERT INTO `users` (`c2`, `c3`) VALUES ('NYC', 'x');")
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test("Copy as UPDATE sets only selected columns and keys WHERE on the primary key")
+    func copyAsUpdateScopesSetToSelectedColumns() {
+        withClipboard { clipboard in
+            let coordinator = makeCellSelectedCoordinator()
+            coordinator.primaryKeyColumns = ["c0"]
+            let rowView = DataGridRowView()
+            rowView.coordinator = coordinator
+            rowView.rowIndex = 0
+
+            _ = rowView.perform(NSSelectorFromString("copyAsUpdate"))
+
+            #expect(clipboard.text == "UPDATE `users` SET `c2` = 'NYC', `c3` = 'x' WHERE `c0` = '1';")
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test("Copy as UPDATE without a primary key keeps the full row in WHERE")
+    func copyAsUpdateNoPrimaryKeyKeysWhereOnFullRow() {
+        withClipboard { clipboard in
+            let coordinator = makeCoordinator(
+                rows: [[.text("1"), .text("Alice"), .text("NYC")]],
+                columnTypes: [.integer(rawType: "INT"), .text(rawType: "TEXT"), .text(rawType: "TEXT")]
+            )
+            coordinator.tableName = "users"
+            coordinator.databaseType = .mysql
+            coordinator.selectionController.update(
+                GridSelection(
+                    rectangles: [GridRect(cell: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 2))],
+                    activeCell: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 2),
+                    anchor: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 2)
+                )
+            )
+            let rowView = DataGridRowView()
+            rowView.coordinator = coordinator
+            rowView.rowIndex = 0
+
+            _ = rowView.perform(NSSelectorFromString("copyAsUpdate"))
+
+            #expect(clipboard.text == "UPDATE `users` SET `c2` = 'NYC' WHERE `c0` = '1' AND `c1` = 'Alice' AND `c2` = 'NYC';")
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test("Copy as INSERT flattens a discontiguous selection to the column-union rectangle")
+    func copyAsInsertFlattensDiscontiguousSelection() {
+        withClipboard { clipboard in
+            let coordinator = makeCoordinator(
+                rows: [
+                    [.text("1"), .text("Alice"), .text("NYC")],
+                    [.text("2"), .text("Bob"), .text("LA")]
+                ],
+                columnTypes: [.integer(rawType: "INT"), .text(rawType: "TEXT"), .text(rawType: "TEXT")]
+            )
+            coordinator.tableName = "users"
+            coordinator.databaseType = .mysql
+            coordinator.selectionController.update(
+                GridSelection(
+                    rectangles: [
+                        GridRect(cell: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 2)),
+                        GridRect(cell: GridCoord(row: 1, column: 0))
+                    ],
+                    activeCell: GridCoord(row: 1, column: 0),
+                    anchor: GridCoord(row: 0, column: 2)
+                )
+            )
+            let rowView = DataGridRowView()
+            rowView.coordinator = coordinator
+            rowView.rowIndex = 0
+
+            _ = rowView.perform(NSSelectorFromString("copyAsInsert"))
+
+            let text = clipboard.text ?? ""
+            #expect(text.contains("INSERT INTO `users` (`c0`, `c2`) VALUES ('1', 'NYC');"))
+            #expect(text.contains("INSERT INTO `users` (`c0`, `c2`) VALUES ('2', 'LA');"))
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test("Copy as CSV includes only the selected column")
+    func copyAsCsvScopesToSelectedColumn() {
+        withClipboard { clipboard in
+            let coordinator = makeCoordinator(
+                rows: [[.text("1"), .text("Alice")], [.text("2"), .text("Bob")]],
+                columnTypes: [.integer(rawType: "INT"), .text(rawType: "TEXT")]
+            )
+            coordinator.selectionController.selectEntireColumn(0, totalRows: 2)
+            let rowView = DataGridRowView()
+            rowView.coordinator = coordinator
+            rowView.rowIndex = 0
+
+            _ = rowView.perform(NSSelectorFromString("copyAsCsv"))
+
+            #expect(clipboard.text?.contains("Alice") != true)
+            #expect(clipboard.text?.contains("Bob") != true)
         }
     }
 

diff --git a/docs/features/data-grid.mdx b/docs/features/data-grid.mdx
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ Right-click a row and choose **Copy as** for more formats:
 | IN Clause | `('a', 'b', 'c')` for `WHERE col IN (...)` |
 | INSERT / UPDATE | SQL statements per row (SQL databases) |
 
-Copies follow the grid as shown: hidden columns are left out and columns keep their current order. **Copy as UPDATE** always includes the primary key. Right-click a header and choose **Copy Column Values** to copy a whole column, one value per line.
+Copies follow the grid as shown: hidden columns are left out and columns keep their current order. When you select specific cells, **Copy as** (JSON, CSV, Markdown, INSERT, and UPDATE) includes only the columns you selected; select whole rows to include every column. **Copy as UPDATE** still keys its WHERE clause on the primary key, even when the primary key cell is not part of the selection. Right-click a header and choose **Copy Column Values** to copy a whole column, one value per line.
 
 ## Pagination and Limits