Fix STRING_AGG 8,000-byte limits, enforce ordering, remove duplicates before aggregation, and compare its timing with XML.
Why Opening an MDF File Directly Goes Wrong
Before you attach MDF file copies, check SQL Server versions, service permissions, and missing files, then choose a safer restore or attach path.
The WINDOW Clause: Name a Window Once and Reuse It
Use the WINDOW clause to reuse partition and order rules, extend named windows with frames, and keep SQL Server calculations consistent.
SAMPLED vs DETAILED: Running index_physical_stats Safely
A misspelled table name quietly turns into a scan of everything. Here is the guard, and a fair comparison of the three scan modes on one small index.
SQL SERVER – Find Weekend and Weekdays from Datetime in SQL Server 2012
Is today a weekend or a weekday? A question from the very first SQL Bangalore User Group meeting, answered with the CHOOSE function in SQL Server 2012.
Cursor Options That Matter: LOCAL, FAST_FORWARD and STATIC
Test SQL Server cursor options, including LOCAL FAST_FORWARD and STATIC, on one loop while measuring time and tempdb cost.
SQL SERVER – Using RAND() in User Defined Functions (UDF)
Using RAND() in a user defined function throws Msg 443, invalid use of a side-effecting operator. Here is a simple workaround that lets a UDF use a random value.