Why does SQL Server say a procedure attempted to return a status of NULL and returns 0 instead? A reader asked on Facebook, and I explain what it means.
How to Pass Stored Procedure Result to Another Procedure in SQL Server
To pass stored procedure result values from one procedure to another, use an OUTPUT parameter. This post tests RETURN codes, INSERT … EXEC and table-valued parameters on a small order demo. It also shows the errors each method raises and when a function is the better tool.
SQL SERVER – Group by Rows and Columns using XML PATH – Efficient Concating Trick
A reader wanted students and courses grouped by course and instructor in a single row. Here is a simple concatenation trick with XML PATH that does it.
SQL SERVER – Resolve Cannot Resolve Collation Conflict Error – SQL in Sixty Seconds #047
A collation conflict error is common when databases use different collations. This SQL in Sixty Seconds video shows how to resolve it and why collation matters.
SQL SERVER – Identity Fields Review – The SQL Query Techniques Tutorial for SQL Server 2012
Identity Fields Review is a chapter abstract from the Joes 2 Pros SQL Query Techniques Tutorial for SQL Server 2012, a book first tested in my classroom.
SQL SERVER – Identify Last User Access of Table using T-SQL Script
How do you find the last user access of a table? A question at TechEd India 2013 led to this quick DMV script. Keep in mind the data resets on restart.
Does Column Order in CREATE TABLE Change How Rows Are Stored?
Someone wants to reorder columns to shrink rows. I measured it on SQL Server 2025, and the answer is mostly no, with one small exception worth knowing.