Doesn't Jack's script do that?

If not, then you'll...

Marios Philippopoulos (3/30/2008)

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Thanks all for your input.

Yes, it's true that by trying to replace xp_cmdshell with SQL CLR code that is just as generic opens the door to even more...

Hmmm, well SQL Server has "net-librarys" but I don't think that those are the same thing. If a MySql driver means what I...

You can use the CREATE DATABASE command or right-click on the "Databases" folderr under your server in Management Studio (called "SSMS" in these forums).

Snapshot Isolation does impose some overhead, both performance and diskspace, but it does offer a very simple way to present a transactionaly consistent view to your users.

FWIW, I teach many programmer how to use SQL Server and I have learned that the most important thing is to impose the following two rules/commandments right from the start:

I....

Thanks, Jeff.

rbarryyoung (3/29/2008)

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It is one of the hallmark proofs of computer science that you cannot write a program that can generally predict when other computer programs will halt (that's from...

Well, snapshot isolation is one way to go.

Another is what we call the "Shell Game". Instead of one set of tables, you have two (or three, depending on your...

Of course you should exercise caution in who has access to this procedure. For all of xp_CmdShell's security issues, custom-written replacements are likely to have even more.

Good post, Jeff.

I have almost always (90%+) had good results from the estimator, but then as you know, I hardly ever use cursors or recursion.

Now that I think...

Jeff:

Yeah, I do not usually like the recursive CTE's either (they make my brain hurt!) but I was afraid that a Numbers/Tally table approach would be invoking a...

Jeff:

Here is my Adventureworks version. It seems to be faster than the Tally Table approach, but I am not sure if they are returning equivalent datasets:

;WITH SORT_CTE_Insert ( PartyID,...

I have to agree!

OK, here is my entry. I went the pure CTE route, using some of the stuff that Cory started:

ALTER PROCEDURE dbo.sp_UPDATE_ALPHA_INDEX_PARTY

@start_date datetime,

@end_date datetime

AS

set...

Jeff Moden (3/28/2008)

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... If it's the first split, he uses 36 characters. If the Party_Name is more than 36 characters, the first row uses 36 characters and all the...