spooling database osql command error

You need to change this: database_name to the name of your database.

Here is an example using the AdventureWorks database:

osql -E -Q "DECLARE @dbname char(64) SET @dbname = 'AdventureWorks' BACKUP DATABASE @dbname TO DISK = 'C:\temp\testdump.bak' WITH SKIP"

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I used database_name here just for illustrative purposes. the actual command did contain the database name pgs_core:
osql -E -Q "DECLARE @dbname char(64) SET @dbname = 'pgs_core' BACKUP DATABASE @dbname TO DISK = 'C:\temp\testdump.txt' WITH SKIP"

Msg 207, Level 16, State 1, Server SPGHOST Line 1 Invalid column name 'pgs_core'
 sorry for the confusion.

It my experience, the error you received generally occurs when you use, for example, double quotes instead of single quotes. Can you open a command prompt and try this:

C:\SET DBNAME=pgs_core [PRESS ENTER]
C:\OSQL -SSPGHOST -E -dMASTER -Q "BACKUP DATABASE %DBNAME% TO DISK = 'C:\temp\testdump.bak' WITH SKIP"

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I tried your command, output as follows:

Processed 560 pages for database 'pgs_core', file 'tsfp' on file 1.
Processed 1 pages for database 'pgs_core', file 'tsfp_log' on file 1.
BACKUP DATABASE successfully processed 561 pages in 0.446 seconds (10.30
MB/sec).

I can't really explain why, but I think there is either a syntax error in your command or it was failing with the "txt" extension because of size. But the message you got indicates that the backup was successful. If you go to the C:\TEMP directory of the SPGHOST server, you should see a file called testdump.bak. This is the back file.

i dont know what is going on here. i reissued the command and got the following output:
C:\>osql -E -Q "DECLARE @dbname char(64) SET @dbname = 'pgs_core' BACKUP DATABAS
E @dbname TO DISK = 'C:\temp\testdump.txt' WITH SKIP"

Processed 560 pages for database 'pgs_core
', file 'tsfp' on file 1.
Processed 1 pages for database 'pgs_core
', file 'tsfp_log' on file 1.
BACKUP DATABASE successfully processed 561 pages in 0.284 seconds (16.182
MB/sec).

yes, the testdump.bak file is there as well as the testdump.txt file ahsay support said to try and create. i have submitted that file to their tech support along with my results. i should mention sql is running on vista home premium and these commands seemed to work when i ran the command prompt as the administrator.

Ah.... That may have been the issue. I think with Vista you have to run OSQL commands in a command prompt that is running as the administrator.

Thank you for your help. I do not know if you are familiar with Ahsay backup software, but the errors I am getting are here:
[2010/04/09 08:50:14] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Incorrect syntax near '\.'.
[2010/04/09 08:50:24] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Incorrect syntax near '\.'.
[2010/04/09 08:50:24] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Incorrect syntax near '\.'.
[2010/04/09 08:50:24] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Unclosed quotation mark after the character string ' '.
[2010/04/09 08:50:24] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Unclosed quotation mark after the character string ' '.
[2010/04/09 08:50:24] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Unclosed quotation mark after the character string ' '.
[2010/04/09 08:50:24] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Statement(s) could not be prepared.
[2010/04/09 08:50:24] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Statement(s) could not be prepared.
[2010/04/09 08:50:24] [erro] [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Statement(s) could not be prepared.

I have sent this log file to Ahsay for their assistance. If you can possibly shed any light on it, I'm all ears, if not. we can close this and I will accept the solution.

I have accepted the solution. I will wait for Ahsay to reply before I proceed any further. Thank you again for the help.