Understanding the difference between IS NULL and = NULL
This article by James Travis details the differences between IS NULL and = NULL. He also discusses the ANSI_NULLS setting.
2017-08-18 (first published: 2003-06-17)
143,606 reads
T-SQL
Show all User-Defined Datatypes for all Databases
This procedure displays all user-defined datatypes in all databases on a server. Another example of the power of dynamic T-SQL, this procedure dynamically generates SELECT statements for the systypes tables in each database and UNIONs them together so that they display in one recordset.
2003-05-30
166 reads
Table Pivoting revisited
A lot of table pivoting scripts use cursors to reach the desired results, but SQL scripting was developed to be utilized in a data set environment rather than sequential step-thru scripting.Normally, there are 3 types of Table Pivoting - 1) column explicit 2) column implicit and 3)single column. COLUMN EXPLICIT will place the row value […]
2003-05-29
428 reads
Much better way to "Get name of current database"
Use SQL's own method to get the current DBName, no function needed.
2003-05-27
1,096 reads
Nesting Stored Procedures
We're pleased to announce that Robert will be writing for us each month - generally on stored procedures, but occasionally on a different topic. This article discusses how nesting stored procedures works and how to use @@NextLevel. Good reading! If there is a stored procedure topic you'd like to see covered, add a comment to the article or email us at articles@sqlservercentral.com
2007-10-02 (first published: 2003-05-23)
53,525 reads
How to retrieve roles from a Database
If you have environment where you restrict access to database objects based on user roles and if you have a lot of databases on different servers in the same domain. The following script can generate roles from a given database in a format that can be used to create roles on different servers where the […]
2003-05-14
196 reads
How to get ColumnNames, datatypes and length
Very frequently I used to use sp_help to find column names, datatypes and length of datatypes. Sp_help outputs a lot of data which i really don't require to see. so I devised this script
2003-04-30
100 reads
How to get Foreign keys
If you ever have been put in a situation where your database has a lot of objects and some of those do not have primary keys, trying to find feels like needle in the haystack. I have modified the script contributed by Mr.Tandrei and Mr.Rahul sharma. The following script gives all the tables that do […]
2003-04-17
146 reads
Copy Permissions for a database
Copies the permissions from an existing database user to a new database user.Usage:exec copy_permissions_for_database 'From_User', 'To_User'* From_User must exist in the database.* To_User must not exist in the database.* To_User must exist as a login on the server.I used http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/awarren/sqlpermissionspublicrole_2.asp as a starting point.
2003-04-14
1,887 reads
Dynamically Generating HTML Tags from T-SQL
Here's a real-life challenge I was faced with at work: my company (a talent agency) needed me to create a report listing all of our actors that we represent - and for each actor, a comma-delimited string of each production that they've starred in. Simple enough, right......except that, within the comma-delimited list of productions, they […]
2003-04-11
795 reads
Blogs
Git forked
Forgive me for the title. Mentally I’m 12. When I started my current day...
Setting FK Constraints in Data Modeler
By Steve Jones
One of the things a customer asked recently about Redgate Data Modeler was how...
Webinar: Navigating the Database Landscape in 2026
By Steve Jones
For a number of years, we’ve produced the State of the Database Landscape report,...
Forums
Expanding into Print
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Downtime Caused by the Postgres Transaction ID Wraparound Problem
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Downtime Caused by the Postgres...
The String Distance I
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The String Distance I
Question of the Day
The String Distance I
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned by this code:
SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE('Steve', 'Stan')
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