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Home » SQL Server 2005 » T-SQL (SS2K5) » Why INSER INTO ... UNION ALL?
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Florian Reischl
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 4:43 PM


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Hi everybody

Why using so many people the UNION ALL syntax to insert multiple values into a table instead of simple INSERT statements?

I just tried with 6000 values:

SET NOCOUNT ON
CREATE TABLE #t (id INT, txt VARCHAR(100))

INSERT INTO #t VALUES (1, 'hello')
INSERT INTO #t VALUES (2, 'hello')
-- and so on...
INSERT INTO #t VALUES (6000, 'hello')

versus:

SET NOCOUNT ON
CREATE TABLE #t (id INT, txt VARCHAR(100))

INSERT INTO #t
          SELECT 1, 'hello'
UNION ALL SELECT 2, 'hello'
-- and so on...
UNION ALL SELECT 6000, 'hello'

Inserting 6000 values with simple INSERT statements take less than 2 seconds. Inserting 6000 values with UNION ALL syntax took 6 seconds.

I know Microsoft prefers this syntax but why do you? Because the statement will be done in all or nothing (either everything works or nothing will be inserted)?

Thanking you in anticipation!
Flo

The more I learn, the more I know what I do not know
Blog: Things about Software Architecture, .NET development and T-SQL

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Post #672861
Bruce W Cassidy
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 5:24 PM


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I suspect the answer is: "because".

I do know they've got some improved syntax for doing multiple row inserts in SQL Server 2008, so there the "issue" goes away.

I also know if you use the UNION ALL syntax, you can embed the same SELECT statement as part of a CTE or a derived table/in-line view. You can't do that with a whole bunch of INSERT statements.

And I also know if you do the insert with UNION ALLs, it will generate one transaction rather than multiple transactions. Sometimes that's what you want.

But for how you are using it, a whole bunch of inserts is fine.
Post #672877
Florian Reischl
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 6:04 PM


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Hello Bruce

Thank you for your answer! In my opinion it "because" a absolutely valid reason :).

I just found a third possibility in MSDN forums http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/transactsql/thread/8d2888ab-9ad6-47f2-a01c-0a487b1dc995/ which I never saw. Example:

DECLARE @t TABLE (id INT, txt VARCHAR(100))

INSERT INTO @t VALUES
   (1, 'hello'), 
   (2, 'world')

SELECT * FROM @t

I do not have a specific business case at the moment I just would like to understand why other DBAs/developer do how they do and if there may be any advantage for my work.

Greets
Flo

The more I learn, the more I know what I do not know
Blog: Things about Software Architecture, .NET development and T-SQL

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Post #672892
The Dixie Flatline
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 6:07 PM


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Flo,

I'm afraid I'm unable to duplicate your results. I'm comparing an insert into/SELECT ... union all against a insert into VALUES for 1000 rows. The UNION ALL technique is running consistently faster on my machine, which I would expect because it's a single INSERT, as Bruce already stated.

Whenever possible you want to handle entire sets of data, instead of individual rows. When you look at the execution plan of the SELECT/UNION ALL approach, it amounts to single insert fed by the scan of an internal table of constants.

Bob

P.S. I also find it much easier to type up quick examples like are used in this forum using the SELECT/UNION ALL format.

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Post #672895
The Dixie Flatline
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 6:09 PM


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POST PostScript:

Row Constructors [ex: Values (1,'hello'), (2,'hello')] are new to 2008.

Be mindful that you are in a 2005 forum.

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Post #672896
Florian Reischl
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 6:15 PM


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Hi Bob!

Bob Hovious (3/10/2009)
Flo,

I'm afraid I'm unable to duplicate your results. I'm comparing an insert into/SELECT ... union all against a insert into VALUES for 1000 rows. The UNION ALL technique is running consistently faster on my machine, which I would expect because it's a single INSERT, as Bruce already stated.


Strange...! I tried on SQL Server 2005 in our company and on my SQL Server 2008. The single inserts are always faster than the union syntax..?

Bob Hovious (3/10/2009)
POST PostScript:

Row Constructors [ex: Values ((1,'hello') (2,'hello'))] are new to 2008.


Oups... sorry for that. I'm currently investigating SQL Server 2008...

Thanks for your reply!

Greets
Flo

The more I learn, the more I know what I do not know
Blog: Things about Software Architecture, .NET development and T-SQL

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Post #672900
Bruce W Cassidy
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 6:21 PM


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florian.reischl (3/10/2009)
Strange...! I tried on SQL Server 2005 in our company and on my SQL Server 2008. The single inserts are always faster than the union syntax..?


Probably dependant on the database recovery model.
Post #672903
The Dixie Flatline
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 6:23 PM


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I'm currently investigating SQL Server 2008...


No problem. But if you are asking questions about 2008, there is a separate forum for that :)

SS2k5 == SQL Server 2005.

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Post #672904
Mohit K. Gupta
Posted Tuesday, March 10, 2009 11:39 PM


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I have used both formats; I usually don't notice on the servers. But most of my servers are pretty powerful; but I have shown both those syntax to developers.

And most of my developer buddies hate UNION ALL because they find it it makes it hard to read. I liked Union all because I don't have to do INSERT INTO .blah blah again...

Me ((0.02/10)/10) cents o.O there is such thing right

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Post #672993
Florian Reischl
Posted Wednesday, March 11, 2009 3:16 AM


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Hi %

Thank you all for your suggestions! It seems to never mind wich syntax is used.

So as Bruce said; the reason for the used syntax is "because" :) .

Bob Hovious (3/10/2009)
I'm currently investigating SQL Server 2008...


No problem. But if you are asking questions about 2008, there is a separate forum for that :)

SS2k5 == SQL Server 2005.


Thanks! I'm only using it to investigate the differences in usage (like the new syntax ;) ). Currently we only use SQL Server 2000 and 2005 in development, test and production. So for the next time I stay a SQL Server 2005 user.

Thanks to all!
Flo

The more I learn, the more I know what I do not know
Blog: Things about Software Architecture, .NET development and T-SQL

How to Post Data/Code to get the best Help How to Post Performance Problems
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