I got my DBA experience through necessity. I built a database (started out being for my own use at work), and then I got to administer it.

There is a...

Jeff Moden (5/10/2009)

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Paul White (5/10/2009)

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Given the limitations of FOR XML, I even prefer Paul Nielsen's approach! At least it doesn't die horribly if the wrong character is found in...

It probably can be done without a loop/cursor. I'd need create scripts for tables and insert statements for some sample data, to tell for sure. But it does...

Splitting the string into pieces is the easy part. Making sure you have the right part going into the right field is the tricky part.

The way to split it...

That kind of cursor is generally going to be faster than a While loop. In this case, you've already shown that it is.

The point of not using cursors, however,...

(For future reference, it's helpful if you provide the kind of test set-up that I have at the beginning of the solution below.)

Try this:

-- Set up Test Data

create table #T...

I'm going to ask a potentially stupid question: Have you tried swapping out the new server's network card?

GilaMonster (5/8/2009)

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GSquared (5/8/2009)

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GilaMonster (5/8/2009)

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From everything I've heard, I'm guessing that his Master's degree was done by coursework, not by dissertation. Odd thing is, I can't find any reference to a...

It is possible. Performance usually suffers, but it is possible.

Worst mistakes I've seen were all from one dev. He uses cursors to step through table variables, so as to populate other table variables that can then have nested...

GilaMonster (5/8/2009)

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From everything I've heard, I'm guessing that his Master's degree was done by coursework, not by dissertation. Odd thing is, I can't find any reference to a degree that...

Hey Barry, I could check in the storeroom, I'm pretty sure there are still some of those APL keyboards lying around. Doubt whether they have USB cables attached to them...

The best indexing will depend on what selects you are running, as well as what update/insert/delete activity the tables have.

For a table like this one, you really don't have a...

The Pivot operation should do what you need. Take a look at that one.

CLR can do OLE automation to access the Excel object model. You can fire off a macro from there.

No, I haven't done this. I have automated Excel before,...