I've come across code that used synomyns. Since synomyns are not common for me, at first glance I was like "What? Where's that table coming from? It's not listed in the database! And there's no alias in the code!?!?!" But, I'd figured it out eventually and, looking through the code, when you are constantly using a table from another database, it does help on the readability of the code once you realize a synomym is being used. As I get more used to it, it won't throw me for a loop as often.

The problem I have with table aliases is not having the habit ingrained of where to look for the actual table names. Since I'm looking at the code in sequence, the aliases used in the select statement (the a.col1, a.col2, b.col1, c. col3) sometimes get confusing because the alias is defined later on in the code (in the FROM statement - from dbo.table1 as a) . I think the use of "as" in the defining of the alias is helpful because that makes it easier to spot to then understand where everything in the select part is coming from.

But then, I am also pretty new to the SQL scene, so I'll probably get better at spotting the aliases the more experience I get.

As for the leading commas, it's a preference thing mostly, but since I was forcibly taught in school that the comma has to go directly AFTER the word, that there can be NO SPACES between the word and the comma, I tend to go with the trailing commas. I have no wish to have my grammar school teacher haunting me because I put the comma on the next line. :crazy:

So, sorry all you leading comma guys, I'm with Jeff on this one. :w00t: