SET ROWCOUNT limits the session, while TOP limits a statement. I reset ROWCOUNT after testing so later queries keep their intended limits.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
STRING_SPLIT Ordinals: Order the Rows You Read
STRING_SPLIT ordinals preserve a token position for SQL Server 2022 and later. This example keeps duplicate tokens, exposes an empty token and orders the returned rows explicitly.
SQL SERVER – Random Number Generator Script – SQL Query
Random Number Generator. There are many methods to generate random numbers in SQL Server.
Method 1: Generate Random Numbers (Int) between Rang
SQL SERVER – Replication Keywords Explanation and Basic Terms
A quick reference of Replication keywords I wrote for Jr. DBAs: publisher, subscriber, distributor, publication and article, each explained in plain words.
SQL SERVER – Explanation SQL SERVER Merge Join
What a Merge Join needs and when it is fast: two sorted inputs with matching column types. Presorted B-tree indexes make it quick, extra sorts make it costly.
SQL SERVER – Restrictions of Views – T SQL View Limitations
SQL Server views come with many rules, like ANSI_NULLS and QUOTED_IDENTIFIER being on. My list of view limitations, corrected with help from Ben Taylor.
SQL SERVER – Good, Better and Best Programming Techniques
My notes for a programmers meeting on Good, Better and Best Programming Techniques in SQL Server, plus a funny bug ticket about a client who got no email.
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Pinal Dave is an SQL Server Performance Tuning Expert and independent consultant with over 24 years of hands-on experience. He holds a Masters of Science degree and numerous database certifications.
Pinal has authored 19 books and 125 Pluralsight courses. To freely share his knowledge and help others build their expertise, Pinal has also written more than 5,800 database tech articles on his blog at https://blog.sqlauthority.com.
Pinal is also a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1) and CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2).
Nupur Dave is a social media enthusiast and an independent consultant. She primarily focuses on the database domain, helping clients build short and long-term multi-channel campaigns to drive leads for their sales pipeline.
Shaivi Pinalkumar Dave is a book author and a women’s artistic gymnast.

