How does TOP WITH TIES work with ORDER BY? A simple example shows how WITH TIES returns the extra rows that match the value of the last row.
SQLAuthority News – Meeting SQL Expert Imran at Hyderabad
I finally met SQL expert Imran Mohammed, one of the top helpers on this blog, over dinner in Hyderabad. He was much younger than I expected.
SQL SERVER – Comma Separated Values (CSV) from Table Column – Part 2
Comma Separated Values from a table column, part 2: SUBSTRING limits the XML length, so I rewrote the query with STUFF and FOR XML PATH to remove it.
XML exist: A Present Boolean Expression Still Exists
XML exist tests a nonempty XQuery result. Even false() returns a value, so use a node predicate to test presence and preserve NULL XML input.
Migrating From Access to SQL Server
Migrating from Access to SQL Server can keep the familiar front end while tables move, linked tables are tested, and Access queries are rewritten.
JSON_OBJECT: Decide Whether Missing Values Become Null
JSON_OBJECT constructs a typed object payload. Choose null or absent properties deliberately and preserve empty strings as present values.
Staging, Warehouse and Mart: Why Three Layers
Staging, warehouse and mart give data loads, trusted history, and focused reporting separate jobs; learn when each layer earns its place.
SQL SERVER – Fillfactor, Index and In-depth Look at Effect on Performance
Where in SQL Server does 100 equal 0? In Fillfactor settings. An in-depth look at how the Fillfactor of an index affects page fill and performance.
SQL SERVER – Difference TempTable and Table Variable – Table Variable in Memory a Myth
Is a table variable in memory while a temp table lives in TempDB? It is a myth: both are created in TempDB, and a simple script proves it.
SQLAuthority News – An Year of Personal Events – A Life Outside SQL
Do I have a life outside SQL? Yes, and it is beautiful. Three photographs from my year of personal events, told with very few words.