Calculates the nth due date for any given date, while accounting for weekends.  Read more...

This article describes and demonstrates the problem of using asterisk to select all fields from a table within a table function. (from Apr 2008)   Read more...

In a recent tip I outlined a process for converting a date, stored as an integer into a datetime data type. Date and time information for run history of SQL Server Agent jobs is stored within the msdb..sysjobshistory table as an integer data type, not as a datetime as one would expect. As promised, this tip picks up where we left off. On converting the integer-typed run_time into a format that is more user friendly for presentation purposes.  Read more...

Unlike other relational database management systems that shall remain nameless, SQL Server's underlying coding language, T/SQL, does not have a built-in function for padding string values. I recently took it upon myself to create my own and as you'll see I got a little carried away  Read more...

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SCHEMA BINDING is commonly used with SQL Server objects like views and User Defined Functions (UDF). The main benefit of SCHEMA BINDING is to avoid any accidental drop or change of an object that is referenced by other objects. A User Defined Function (UDF) may or may not access any underlying database objects, but in this tip we show how using SCHEMA BINDING with a UDF can improve performance even if there are no underlying objects.  Read more...

This article describes and demonstrates the problem of using asterisk to select all fields from a table within a table function. (from Apr 2008)   Read more...

Like my tdard split but this will take a string and split it by 2 delimiters  Read more...

Calculates the nth due date for any given date, while accounting for weekends.  Read more...

Computed columns in SQL Server 2000 allow you to have a calculated value available easily in a query. However by using a function instead of a simple formula you can build some very interesting solutions. New author Tim Chapman brings us a look at this technique.   Read more...

SQL Server string manipulation using T-SQL leaves lots to be desired. Many postings and complaints about T-SQL deal with strings, but there are ways to work with it. Author Eli Leiba brings us a way to split out portions of a string that contains tokens with a user defined function. Read on to see how this is accomplished and the code used to perform the splitting.   Read more...

Many programming languages have supported User Defined Functions for years, but they are new to SQL Server 2000. In this article we will look at some of the ways functions can be used within SQL Server 2000.   Read more...

User defined functions were added in SQL Server 7 and enhanced in SQL Server 2000, but they are still a relatively little used feature. Here's a look at a unique way that Leo Peysakhovich solved a problem using a UDF.   Read more...

Dinesh looks at the date functions, how to work with time zones (or not), and does a brief comparison to see how you do similar tasks in Oracle.   Read more...

Dinesh is back with another article on user defined functions, giving some more great examples. If you haven't read the first one, definitely go back and read it first.   Read more...

UDF's are useful if somewhat tricky. Dinesh uses a common scenario where you have a self referencing table (the common example is an employees table where each employee has a managerid that links to another employee in the same table) to illustrate how a UDF can make querying easier, how to use it as the basis of a computed column, and how to index that column.   Read more...

Vicktor has a bunch of scripts he uses to monitor performance, he explains why he built them and how to use them. Good coverage of the different reasons for slow performance.   Read more...

A monster book at 980 pages, it's written in 'how-to' format and has a ton of good material. Andy gave it the once over for us and reports back - see what he thinks!   Read more...

Andy sits down with an entry level book to see if he should use it at work as a teaching aid. Did he like it? Should you buy it? Read the review now!   Read more...

Alxander Chigrik presents some useful User Defined Functions you can add to your SQL Server.   Read more...