A reader on SQL Server 2016 got Invalid object name STRING_SPLIT when trying the new function. Here is why the error shows up and how to fix it.
SQL SERVER – Puzzle – How Does YEAR Function Work?
SELECT YEAR(35000/20) returns 1904, which looks strange. This puzzle shows how the YEAR function treats a plain integer. Can you explain the result?
What is Alternative to CASE Statement in SQL Server? – IIF Function – Interview Question of the Week #164
What is the alternative to CASE statement in SQL Server? The IIF function. Here are two examples of CASE and IIF, and why IIF deserves more use.
SQL SERVER – Puzzle – Get the First Name From Full Name Without CHARINDEX
This First Name From Full Name puzzle excludes CHARINDEX and SUBSTRING. It came from a customer query during a performance health check.
How Does TOP WITH TIES Work in SQL Server? – Interview Question of the Week #159
Question: How Does TOP WITH TIES Work in SQL Server?
Answer: This is an ancient question I just encountered in the recent Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check.
How to Find DISTINCT COUNT of Column Rows Without Using Distinct Count Keywords? – Interview Question of the Week #157
Only one of ten candidates solved this: find the DISTINCT COUNT of a column without using those keywords. Here are the traditional answer and the trick.
SQL SERVER – Performance Observation of TRIM Function
Does the new TRIM function slow your queries like other functions in a WHERE clause do? Here is my performance observation of TRIM function in SQL Server 2017.