Home Forums Article Discussions Article Discussions by Author Discuss content posted by Bill Leung Random default string for a column using CASE and NEWID RE: Random default string for a column using CASE and NEWID

  • June 14, 2012 at 3:14 am

    #1500850

    SELECT

    CAST(NEWID() AS CHAR(36)),

    CASE CAST( ASCII (SUBSTRING( CAST( NEWID() AS VARCHAR(64)), 1, 1)) AS INT) % 2

    WHEN 0 THEN 'OPTION 1' ELSE 'OPTION 2' END,

    CASE ABS(CHECKSUM(NEWID()) % 2)

    WHEN 0 THEN 'OPTION 1' ELSE 'OPTION 2' END

    FROM (VALUES(0),(1),(2),(3),(4),(5),(6),(7),(8),(9),(10),(11),(12)) r (n)

    Uniqueidentifier CASTS more correctly to a CHAR(36)

    ABS(CHECKSUM(NEWID()) is handy for generating a pseudo-random integer.

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

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