CUBE requests every grouping combination of its dimensions, including independent subtotals and the grand total. I compare its output population with ROLLUP before choosing it. More subtotal families are useful only when the report needs them.
SQL SERVER – How to Retrieve TOP and BOTTOM Rows Together using T-SQL
Need TOP 1 and BOTTOM 1 in one result? UNION fails with two ORDER BY clauses. Here is a simple T-SQL way to retrieve TOP and BOTTOM Rows together.
SQL SERVER – Transfer The Logins and The Passwords Between Instances of SQL Server 2005
How do you transfer the logins and passwords between instances of SQL Server 2005 after a hardware upgrade? I summarize Microsoft KB 918992 and its script.
SIN and COS: Use Radians for Trigonometric Inputs
SIN and COS read angles in radians and return float. These explicit degree conversions show signs, axis angles and fractional results at a chosen decimal display scale.
SQL SERVER – Dynamic Case Statement – FIX : ERROR 156 : Incorrect syntax near the keyword
Using CASE in ORDER BY to switch between ASC and DESC gives Error 156: Incorrect syntax near the keyword. I show two ways to write a dynamic case that works.
SQL SERVER – SELECT 1 vs SELECT * – An Interesting Observation
SELECT 1 vs SELECT * inside IF EXISTS: I ran 4 tests and both gave the same result and the same execution plan cost. Can you find a case where they differ?
Templates and Snippets in SSMS
Templates and snippets in SSMS turn repeated SQL patterns into editable starting points while keeping environment assumptions visible.