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Stairway to XML: Level 7 - Updating Data in an XML Instance

Rob Sheldon from SQLServerCentral.com

You need to provide the necessary keywords and define the XQuery and value expressions in your XML DML expression in order to use the modify() method to update element and attribute values in either typed or untyped XML instances in an XML column. Robert Sheldon explains how. More »

The PoSh DBA: Solutions using PowerShell and SQL Server

Additional Articles from SimpleTalk

PowerShell is worth using when it is the quickest way to providing a solution. For the DBA, it is much more than getting information from SQL Server instances via PowerShell; it can also be run from SQL Server as part of a system that helps with administrative and monitoring tasks. More »

Last chance for a day of free SQL Server training at SQL in the City 2012

Press Release from Red-Gate

SQL Server developers and database administrators have one last chance for a full day of free training and networking at SQL in the City 2012. More »

From the SQLServerCentral Blogs - Virtualizing Your Business Critical SQL Servers Anthology

kleegeek from SQLServerCentral.com

This week I completed a six-part blog series (more like five plus one) on the path to virtualizing your business-critical... More »

Today's editorial was originally released on Nov 20, 2007. It is being republished as Steve is at DevConnections.

OMG! The DB if FUBAR.

The sysop added an HDD and did a RAID rebuild OTF. AFAIK, the Vol with the MDFs got wiped for the CRM that runs 24/7.

I'm ROFLMAO. AWHFY? TTYL.

Can you imagine someone talking to you like that. I mean actually speaking with "words" like "T-T-Y-L?"

I saw this article about how most people are speaking English in business today, but with the globalization of many companies, it's easy to not only mis-communicate, but also offend. And that can be a big problem with not only co-workers, but also customers.

Whether we standardize on English or some other communication, I hope that we continue to keep the skills of our language alive. The new generation of workers, working in shorthands and their own slang, seem to be losing out on the ability to effectively communicate with others. Too often they want to bang something out on a keyboard rather than talking directly to someone.

I'm sure I sound like an old man, lamenting the good old days of paper, ink, and phones without voicemail. However it's not the shorthand or slang that bothers me as much as the lack of the ability to clearly articulate themselves that plagues many people in the IT world. When I started in this business, it was always an issue communicating because things were so highly technical and few people understood how computers worked. The geeks that could truly make a computer sing had trouble communicating with business users.

I think the same thing is true today with communication, despite the advances in making computer interations simpler, greater familiarity, and a comfort level with technology by many business users. For every step we've made in computing becoming more accepted by users in all aspects of society, we've gotten worse in our overall communication skills with acronym and shorthand overload. I almost shudder to think of the text-messaging generation entering the workforce.

Technical jargon is important. It helps us quickly, clearly, and easily communicate with other IT workers with very specific meanings, but it's not the way that we should communicate with those outside of IT. Even if you are never any type of analyst, designer, architect, it pays to be able to clearly and effectively communicate your ideas, thoughts, and concerns to others.

Save the shorthand and slang for those times when it's appropriate and be sure that you can communicate using clear and generally accepted English (or your native language) with everyone else you encounter in your career.

Steve Jones from SQLServerCentral.com

» Join the debate, and respond to today's editorial on the forums

The Voice of the DBA Podcasts

The podcast feeds are now available at sqlservercentral.podshow.comto get better bandwidth and maybe a little more exposure :). Comments are definitely appreciated and wanted, and you can get feeds from there.

The RSS Feed: or now on iTunes!

• Video Podcast - 7.0MB Quicktime
• Video Podcast - 7.0MB WMV
• Audio Podcast - 4.8MB MP3

Today's podcast features music by Everyday Jones. No relation, but I stumbled on to them and really like the music. Support this great duo at www.everydayjones.com.

I really appreciate and value feedback on the podcasts. Let us know what you like, don't like, or even send in ideas for the show. If you'd like to comment, post something here. The boss will be sure to read it.

» To submit an article, rant or editorial, log in to the Contribution Center

Today's Question:

--create table
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Musician] 
( [Musician_ID] [int] IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
  [Last_Name] [nvarchar] (50) NULL,
  [First_Name] [nvarchar] (50) NULL,
   CONSTRAINT [PK_Musician] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED 
    ( [Musician_ID] ASC )
  WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON, FILLFACTOR = 90) ON [PRIMARY] 
)
ON [PRIMARY]
GO

INSERT INTO Musician (Last_Name, First_Name)
 SELECT 'Lennon', 'John'
UNION ALL
 SELECT 'McCartney', 'Paul'
UNION ALL
 SELECT 'Harrison', 'George'
UNION ALL
 SELECT 'Star', 'Ringo'

--1
SELECT First_Name
 FROM Musician
 WHERE Musician_ID in (2)

--2
SELECT First_Name
 FROM Musician
 WHERE Musician_ID in ((2))

--3
SELECT First_Name 
 FROM Musician
 WHERE Musician_ID in (2,3)

--4
SELECT First_Name
 FROM Musician
 WHERE Musician_ID in ((2,3))

Which query (queries) will return an error ?

By Vic A

Think you know the answer? Click here, and find out if you are right.

This question is worth 1 point in this category: T-SQL. We keep track of your score to give you bragging rights against your peers.

We'd love to give you credit for your own question and answer. To submit a QOD, simply log in to Contribution Center.

 Inside the SQL Server Query Optimizer

This book will take you from the fundamentals of Statistics, Cost Estimation, Index Selection, and the Execution Engine, and guide you through the inner workings of the Query Optimization process, and throws in a pragmatic look at Parameterization and Hints along the way. Grab your copy today from Amazon!

We have this script:

create table Person
( id int
, name varchar(80)
)
go
select Id as ColA
     , name as colB 
 from Person
select Id, name name
 from Person
select colA = Id
 from Person
select colA = Id
, name = colB 
 from Person

Which of those queries will be NOT executed successfully?  

By Jose Anchieta C. JR

Answer: select colA = Id, name = colB from Person

Explanation: Invalid column name 'colB'. We can use column alias in a SELECT Statement. When an "=" is used, the right side of the equals must be a valid column.

Ref: SELECT - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa259187%28v=SQL.80%29.aspx

» Discuss this question and answer on the forums

Performance Tuning with SQL Server Dynamic Management Views

This is the book that will de-mystify the process of using Dynamic Management Views to collect the information you need to troubleshoot SQL Server problems. It will highlight the core techniques and "patterns" that you need to master, and will provide a core set of scripts that you can use and adapt for your own requirements. Grab your copy today from Amazon!

Lists tables, Stored Procedures and other Objects

suba sathyanathan from SQLServerCentral.com

This stored procedure helps you list all tables, stored procedures, functions, view and triggers in a database. More »

Here's a few of the new posts today on the forums. To see more, visit the forums.

SQL Server 2005 : Administering

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SQL Server 2005 : Backups

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SQL Server 2005 : T-SQL (SS2K5)

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SQL Server 7,2000 : Service Packs

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SQL Server 2008 : SQL Server 2008 - General

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SQL Server 2008 : T-SQL (SS2K8)

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Alphanumeric number generation - Hi, I need to write a SQL query to print the following aphanumberic sequence in SQL 2008. 0001, 0002, ... , 0009, 000A, ... , 000Z,...

SQL Server 2008 : SQL Server Newbies

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Stored Procedures and updating multiple tables - Was hoping someone could kick me in the right direction in regards stored procedures. My issue is if I have a...

sqlserver 2005 express installation - Hi, I have installed sql server 2005 express management studio. After the successful installation, I try to open it and the connect...

Loop through table to group associated records - Hi All, I have a table containing about 1mil records that i need to loop through, find associated records and insert...

SQL Server 2008 : SQL Server 2008 High Availability

How to reintialize single article in replication - Hello Team, How to reintialize single article in replication sqlserver2008 Thanks in advance

Unable to lanuch replication monitor - Hello Team, I am Unable to lanuch replication monitor using sqlserver2008 Thanks in advance

SQL Server 2008 : SQL Server 2008 Administration

Log space full 100% - Two of my databases are showing 100 % log space. I have no space left on the disk to increase the...

Error Connecting to Named Instance - I had to install a new instance of SQL Server 2008 R2 Express on Windows 2007 because our SQL Server...

DBA basic - Hi, Where/how do you suggest to start learning about the basics of a DBA please? Thanks

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Data Warehousing : Integration Services

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Data Warehousing : Strategies and Ideas

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Data Warehousing : Analysis Services

nable to build SQL Server OLAP Cube when there is no rows corresponding to foreign key in a table - I am new to SQL Server OLAP Cubes. I am having the following issue like ex I have purchase order and...

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Microsoft Access : Microsoft Access

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