VAR and VARP describe sample and population variation. Keep observation count and missingness visible when reporting their results.
STCurveToLine: Convert Curves to Linear Approximations
STCurveToLine approximates circular curves with linear geometry. Compare curve, polygon, point, empty and NULL results by their type and state.
geometry STNumPoints: Closing Coordinates Count Again
geometry STNumPoints counts coordinates in the spatial description. A square ring contains its closing coordinate as well as its four distinct corners.
geometry STGeometryType: Type Names Say More Than Dimension
geometry STGeometryType identifies the represented shape type, which carries more information than its dimension. I compare single and multiple shapes in one small query. Equal dimensions do not mean that their structures are interchangeable.
hierarchyid GetAncestor: Stop at the Root
hierarchyid GetAncestor returns a logical ancestor path. Its zero-distance result is the original node, while a request beyond the root returns NULL.
TRY_CAST: Parse Failure and Prohibited Conversion
TRY_CAST helps classify bounded integer text while preserving missing input separately. A prohibited int-to-xml request still needs error handling. A narrow text target can succeed while discarding characters.
geometry Collections: Read Members With STGeometryN
geometry Collections hold member shapes that STGeometryN can return individually. I extract a point and a line from one fixed collection. A third request deliberately exceeds its member count.