The Baker's Dozen: 13 Productivity Tips for Transact-SQL 2005

SQL Server 2005 offers T-SQL language features that can improve your productivity.

Recompilation Feature

Importing Text-based data: Workbench

Robyn and Phil return with some fresh ideas about how to import text files into SQL Server, without resorting to DTS or SSIS scripting. They go on to show how much can be done in TSQL

Script foreign keys

Using this script you can create a list of sql commands for foreign keys manipulation.

Bit Manipulation Functions (4)

Four bit manipulation functions:
1. Turn bit ON
2. Turn bit OFF
3. Check if bit is ON
4. Toggle bit ON/Off

Aggregating Correlated Sub-Queries

Every now and then you may attempt to calculate an aggregate function -- such as SUM() -- on a correlated subquery, only to encounter the following error:

Display row value as a TABLE column using SQL select statement

Display row value as a TABLE column using SQL select statement

Combining Rows

Truncate Table

Working with Time Spans and Durations in SQL Server

What is the best way to return the "duration" of an event in SQL, given the start and end datetime values? How can we add up these durations to return grand totals? What data types should be used to return this data to our clients? How do we handle overflows, such as when hours go over 23 or minutes total up to over 59? Are there any T-SQL functions or other techniques that are useful in these scenarios?