T-SQL

T-SQL Tuesday #83: We're still dealing with the same problems

October 4, 20162 min read

What is T-SQL Tuesday? T-SQL Tuesday is a monthly blog party hosted by a different blogger each month. This blog party was started by Adam Machanic (blog). You can take part by posting your own participating post that fits the topic of the month and follows …

Databases

Will a SELECT . . . INTO use short-circuit evaluation for a COALESCE?

August 2, 20162 min read

Question I'm building a stored proc that can take in two separate values that each can be used to identify a single record. One of these values may be null. My logic is as follows: if IN_ORDER_ID is not NULL, save it to V_ORDER_ID. If it is NULL, then …

T-SQL

Databases

T-SQL Tuesday #79 - COMPRESS()ing LOB data

June 14, 20167 min read

A practical look at SQL Server’s COMPRESS() function and its use with large object data.

Databases

Add-Equals operator

May 24, 20162 min read

Shortcuts & tips from an Impatient DBA This series of short posts will demonstrate some lesser-known features, keyboard shortcuts, and other tips that make my day as a DBA more productive. None of these are groundbreaking super-secret features–they are the …

Databases

T-SQL Tuesday #78– sys.dm_db_file_space_usage

May 10, 20163 min read

<img class=“alignright wp-image-532 size-full” src="/wp-content/uploads/TSQL2SDAY-300x300.png" width=“300” height=“300” / alt=“T-SQL Tuesday logo; links to the event video."> It’s T-SQL Tuesday, the blog party that SQL Server expert Adam Machanic (blog) …

Databases

How to shrink a database in 4 easy steps

April 28, 20165 min read

Shrinking a SQL Server database is usually the wrong fix; learn when the rare exceptions may apply.

Databases

CONVERT() to float using scientific notation

April 20, 20164 min read

Someone posted to #sqlhelp on Twitter, asking the following: “Wondered if anyone could enlighten me as to why ISNUMERIC(‘7d8’) returns 1?” Sure enough, SELECT ISNUMERIC('7d8') returns a 1. WTF? d isn’t numeric! OK, sure, if you say “seven-dee-eight” out loud …

T-SQL

Databases

T-SQL Tuesday #77– My favorite SQL Server feature

April 12, 20163 min read

For T-SQL Tuesday, I reflect on the SQL Server features I use and the ones I leave behind.

Databases

Decoding sql_handle

February 29, 20163 min read

If you’ve ever looked at sys.sysprocesses or sys.dm_exec_requests (or a number of other DMVs), you’ve noticed there is a column called “sql_handle” that contains some binary gobbledygook. Books Online gives the (un)helpful definition as “Hash map of the SQL …

T-SQL

Databases

RECONFIGURE—When to use WITH OVERRIDE?

November 17, 20153 min read

When to use WITH OVERRIDE on your RECONFIGURE statement

T-SQL