SQL Server 2012 adds seven new datetime functions, such as DATEFROMPARTS, DATETIMEFROMPARTS and EOMONTH. A quick look at building dates from their parts.
Surrogate Keys and Natural Keys
Surrogate keys keep warehouse history stable while natural keys preserve source identity; learn lookup, uniqueness, and change handling.
Moving Averages in T-SQL
Moving averages in T-SQL use ROWS BETWEEN for rolling windows, but date gaps and duplicate dates decide what the result actually means.
SQL SERVER 2012 – String Function CONCAT() – A Quick Introduction
SQL Server 2012 adds the String Function CONCAT(), which joins two or more values into one string. Examples show how it handles numbers, dates and NULLs.
XML Namespaces: Match the Namespace URI, Not Just the Tag
XML Namespaces are part of element identity, so a matching tag name alone can still miss a node. I compare three paths against one document. The namespace URI stays the same while the query binding changes.
SQL SERVER 2012 – Logical Function CHOOSE() – A Quick Introduction
A quick introduction to the logical function CHOOSE() in SQL Server 2012: it returns the value at a given index from a list, or NULL when out of range.
SQL SERVER – Denali – Conversion Function – Difference between PARSE(), TRY_PARSE(), TRY_CONVERT()
SQL Server Denali adds a new conversion function trio: PARSE(), TRY_PARSE() and TRY_CONVERT(). Here are the differences, answered as questions.