A reader needed a fixed width number display, like 1 shown as 0000001. SQL Server has no ready-made function, but a simple string trick does it.
When SSMS and Your Application Return Different Results
Investigate SSMS different results by comparing connections, parameters, session options, transactions, and plans against the application.
Reviewing a Table Change Script Before It Locks Production
Review a table change script for schema locks, data rewrites, supported online options, backfill batches, and a tested rollback.
SQL SERVER – List All Server Wide Configurations Values
I forgot the syntax to check the two digit year cutoff, so I listed all Server Wide Configurations with sys.configurations. A small script worth saving.
SQL SERVER – Simple Example of Creating XML File Using T-SQL
I always want to learn SQL Server and XML file. Let us go over a very simple example, today about how to create XML using SQL Server.
Choosing the Server Collation at Install Time
Choose the server collation before installation by checking application comparisons, tempdb behavior, and the cost of changing an instance later.
TRY_PARSE: Make the Culture Explicit for Numeric Text
TRY_PARSE needs an explicit culture when punctuation has a specific numeric meaning. I keep that culture beside the source text. A successful conversion alone cannot establish that the intended number was read.