The Messages tab in SSMS shows what a query did, not what it returned. This post reads row counts, PRINT output, warnings and errors line by line, and explains what SET NOCOUNT ON changes.
Keeping Admin Scripts One Click Away in SSMS Template Explorer
Organize SSMS Template Explorer scripts, fill reusable parameters, review a copy-only backup, and preserve custom templates on disk.
SQL Code Generators: Let SSMS Write the Script for You
SQL Code Generators in SSMS turn clicks into T-SQL. This post shows the Script button on dialogs, the Generate Scripts wizard and Select Top 1000 Rows, plus the checks I run before I trust a generated script.
Using Management Studio: A First Tour of SSMS 22
Using Management Studio gets easier once you know where to look. This first tour of SSMS 22 covers the connection dialog, Object Explorer, the query window, running a query, reading the results and saving a .sql file, with one small demo script to follow along.
SQL Code Comments: Notes Your Future Self Can Read
SQL Code Comments are the notes SQL Server skips and your teammates read. This post shows the two comment styles, what is worth writing in them, a header block for scripts and procedures, and how to stop a comment from lying after the code changes.
Running SQL Code: Execute, Batches and GO in SSMS
Running SQL code in SSMS starts with F5 or the Execute button. This post covers running only a selection, what a batch is, why GO is not T-SQL, why variables disappear after GO, and how GO with a number repeats a batch.
SQL SERVER – Check Database Level (IsNullConcat) and Session Level Settings (CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL) using T-SQL
A follow up on CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL: how to check the database level IsNullConcat setting and the session level setting using T-SQL.