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Transact-SQL Formatting Standards

How should SQL code be formatted? What sort of indentation should you use? Should keywords be in upper case? How should lists be lined up? SQL is one of those languages that will execute however you treat whitespace and capitalization. However, the way SQL is laid out will effect its readability and the time taken to review and understand it. Standardisation of code layout is an important issue, but what standard should you adopt? Rob avoids a direct answer, but tells you the sort of answers you'll need to decide upon when creating a strategy for formatting SQL code.

2009-09-09

4,890 reads

External Article

Options for hiding SQL Server code

I am aware of the WITH ENCRYPTION clause that is used to encrypt the code for objects like views, stored procedures and functions. It sort of fulfills my purpose and is easy to implement, but it does not cover all SQL Server objects. In this tip we look at another option to restrict users from viewing the definition/code of any SQL Server object.

2009-09-08

5,538 reads

External Article

Transact-SQL Formatting Standards (Coding Styles)

How should SQL code be formatted? What sort of indentation should you use? Should keywords be in upper case? How should lists be lined up? SQL is one of those languages that will execute anyway however you treat whitespace and capitalization. However, the way SQL is laid out will effect its readability and the time taken to review and understand it. Standardisation of code layout is an important issue, but what standard should you adopt? Rob avoids a direct answer, but tells you the sort of answers you'll need to decide upon when creating a strategy for formatting SQL code.

2009-09-08

4,913 reads

External Article

Getting rid of SQL Code

Joe becomes intrigued by the way that experts make errors in any area of technology, and suggests that the problem is more that of mindsets than lack of knowledge. He illustrates the point with SQL Development by means of the "Britney Spears, Automobiles and Squids" table, and the tangled Stored procedure, and shows ways of getting rid of both procedural and non-procedural code by adopting a different programming mindset.

2009-09-03

5,983 reads

External Article

Parameterized Queries

Previous T-SQL best practices articles have discussed different coding styles that led to slow and fast query executions, and ways to minimize cached plans. This article will be an extension on those concepts, focusing on how the SQL Server optimizer tries to parameterize a query if it can, as well as how you can build your own parameterized query.

2009-09-03

5,866 reads

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Question of the Day

Upgrading Admin Queries

I have a query from a former DBA that we run on SQL Server 2025 to check on database metadata. This query references sys.sysaltfiles. I want to refactor this code to be more modern. Which DMV should I reference instead?  

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