Introduction to XML DML (Part 1) - Using the modify() method: insert
This is the first part of a 3 part blog which will attempt to show some different ways of how...
2012-01-16
16,282 reads
SQL Server Rocks!
Revised: Difference between collation SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS and Latin1_General_CI_AS
This is a revised post of an original article that I first published in December. Even though I thought that...
2012-01-09
260,363 reads
Retrieving position() value of node by using XQuery alone
You can only use the position() function within an xquery predicate and can't use it to return the position value...
2011-12-28
6,808 reads
FOR XML PATH using node tests in column aliases
I've used SQL to generate countless blobs of xml over the years and one feature that I have come to...
2011-12-20 (first published: 2011-12-15)
8,860 reads
Finding orphaned database users
Database users can become orphaned for a few reasons. For example, a database restore to another instance or deleting the...
2011-10-29
1,642 reads
Convert comma separated string to table and vice versa
I know that this subject has been blogged about numerous times but I thought I'd post an alternative way of...
2011-10-28
9,443 reads
Finding orphaned database users
Database users can become orphaned for a few reasons. For example, a database restore to another instance or deleting the...
2011-10-20
21,514 reads
Simple XML exist performance enhancement
I came across this really simple best practice from BOL for the xml method exist which when used will give...
2011-10-17
1,988 reads
Denali
Is all set to be officially known as SQL 2012 and will be finally released in....... 2012!
Announced at the PASS...
2011-10-15
751 reads
SQLBits9
SQLBits9 – “Query across the Mersey” was held in the majestic Adelphi hotel. This was my first SQLBits experience and was...
2011-10-10
912 reads
Blogs
The flight recorder: Replaying what an AI agent did on my SQL Server
By Arun Sirpal
“What exactly did it do on my server?” is the first question a DBA...
Announcements from the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference — Barcelona 2026
By James Serra
Microsoft shared a broad set of Fabric, Power BI, and SQL updates at FabCon...
Au Revoir for now
By Steve Jones
No, I’m not quitting or retiring. Just going on vacation, but I leave tonight...
Forums
Let's Talk Certifications
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Let's Talk Certifications, which is...
The Hidden Security Risks of Role Combination in SSAS Tabular
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Hidden Security Risks of...
The Empty Aggregate
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Empty Aggregate
Question of the Day
The Empty Aggregate
I have this table in a SQL Server 2025 database:
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[CustomerOrder] ( [OrderID] [int] NULL, [CustomerID] [int] NULL, [total] [money] NULL ) ON [PRIMARY] GOWhat is returned from this code? (answers are for the sum and then the count)
SELECT SUM(total) AS sum,
COUNT(total) AS count
FROM dbo.CustomerOrder;
See possible answers