Cast() doesn't do styles. You're right about that.

Not directly.

Where does the value come from when you aren't hard-coding it into a sample for this forum?

Good on solving it. Make sure that higher ups in the business/organization know that this is NOT how it should work. You shouldn't be designing a bizare database...

You can probably use Insert...Execute. Just have the Execute(@SQL) statement where you would normally put a Values or Select statement. I know it works with procs, and I...

Wouldn't the Max() operator get you what you need?

Stefan Krzywicki (10/26/2010)

Was I not polite enough in my request for clarification on several of Mr. Celko's points? I know I've seen him return to...

My issue with defining it as "two and only two" tables, is that it moves SQL away from its declarative model and into a procedural model. Tell the computer...

Change the Outers to Inners on the join and apply, see if that does what you need.

da-zero (10/26/2010)

GSquared (10/26/2010)

Bad idea!

First, you won't be able to query it mathematically. ...

I had the same thought.

Replace "select *" with your update statement, and you'll have valid T-SQL. Wrap it in a transaction, use the Output clause to test it, and roll it back. ...

Can a position have more than one person assigned to it? It sounds like they can't.

If not, add a PersonID to the Positions table, and get rid of the...

A database in Bulk Logged mode probably has some bulk ETL processes in it. The next log backup after the bulk load has to include the data from the...

The error is meaningless without the query. Can't help without that.

Nope. Incorrect. A join...