KB,

The 1 in count 1 refers to the column in the first ordinal position, 2 the second, 3 the third, etc.

Here is a good example below...

CREATE TABLE #TEST

(A INT,

B VARCHAR (5),

C DATETIME)

INSERT INTO #TEST

SELECT 1,'DOG',GETDATE() UNION

SELECT 2,'CAT',GETDATE() UNION

SELECT 3,'BIRD',NULL UNION

SELECT 4, NULL, GETDATE()

SELECT * FROM #TEST

SELECT * FROM #TEST ORDER BY 1 DESC

SELECT * FROM #TEST ORDER BY 2 DESC

SELECT * FROM #TEST ORDER BY 3 DESC

SELECT COUNT (1) FROM #TEST

SELECT COUNT (2) FROM #TEST

SELECT COUNT (3) FROM #TEST

SELECT COUNT (A) FROM #TEST

SELECT COUNT (B) FROM #TEST

SELECT COUNT (C) FROM #TEST

SELECT COUNT (*) FROM #TEST