Down Tools Week
Sometimes it's important for a developer or DBA to be given the opportunity to 'shake up their brain'. What falls out is almost always worth having.
2010-04-05
286 reads
Tony Davis
- Interests: football, modern literature, real ale
Double-Entry Bookkeeping for SQL Programmers
All defensive programmers should, in general, avoid unsupported techniques. However, there is a balance to be struck between adherence to 'best practice' approaches to SQL programming, and the need to get the job done. Perhaps certain critical code would benefit from use of the age-old practice of double entry bookkeeping?
2010-03-22
982 reads
Democratizing the Microsoft MVP Award
Tony Davis believes that it's time for a little more openness and democracy in the MVP award. In short, it's time to introduce community voting.
2010-02-08
139 reads
How Oslo can you go?
Some developers have reacted with dismay to the recent news that Microsoft’s Oslo project is being integrated into the SQL Server platform and renamed SQL Server Modeling. The overwhelming feeling seems to be that their DSL dream is being snatched away.
2009-11-30
93 reads
A Wish list for the Microsoft Flying Squad
Microsoft is very willing to lend its ear to new feature requests, but sometimes forgets to finish off the ones we've got.
2009-10-19
57 reads
DBAs and the Fear of Maintenance Plans
The Maintenance Plan wizard offers a quick and simple route to make sure essential database maintenance tasks are performed and scheduled. However, it needs to be used with a lot of care, and is no substitute for the judgment, experience and common sense of a flesh and blood DBA.
2009-10-05
376 reads
Did Oracle buy MySQL by accident?
The wording of the statement about MySQL that came out from Oracle after the merger was downbeat. The implication was "Oh no! Another Blooming Database to deal with". But surely they don't plan to just let it drift?
2009-08-17
348 reads
Music for DBAs
Tony Davis explains his theory on why developers and DBAs listen to very different types of music, while working, and offers his list of "classic tracks" for all DBAs.
2009-07-07
321 reads
The Busman's Holiday
It's a holiday weekend, but for some DBA's it's hard to escape the unwanted clutches of IT...
2009-07-06
80 reads
What is the Best Way to Test SQL?
Over the past five or so years, encouraging progress has been made with regard to testing .NET application code...I wish I could say that the same progress had been made with testing SQL.
2009-07-01
550 reads
Blogs
Optimising Costs: Strategies for Efficient Cloud Resource Management
By HeyMo0sh
Over time, I’ve realised that one of the hardest parts of cloud management isn’t...
Cost Visibility: Tracking and Analysing Your Cloud Spend
By HeyMo0sh
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in cloud operations is maintaining clear visibility...
Whiling away an afternoon, thinking
By Steve Jones
I come to Heathrow often. Today is likely somewhere close to 60 trips to...
Forums
Fun with JSON II
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Fun with JSON II
Changing Data Types
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Changing Data Types
Answering Questions On Dropped Columns
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Answering Questions On Dropped Columns
Question of the Day
Fun with JSON II
I have some data in a table:
CREATE TABLE #test_data
(
id INT PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR(100),
birth_date DATE
);
-- Step 2: Insert rows
INSERT INTO #test_data
VALUES
(1, 'Olivia', '2025-01-05'),
(2, 'Emma', '2025-03-02'),
(3, 'Liam', '2025-11-15'),
(4, 'Noah', '2025-12-22');
If I run this query, how many rows are returned?
SELECT t1.[key] AS row,
t2.*
FROM OPENJSON(
(
SELECT t.* FROM #test_data AS t FOR JSON PATH
)
) t1
CROSS APPLY OPENJSON(t1.value) t2; See possible answers