I tried the following on an NTEXT column

SET NOCOUNT ON

DECLARE @sPattern VARCHAR(50), @lValue TinyInt ,@lPos Int

SET @lValue=127

WHILE @lValue0

SELECT @lValue , @lPos, char(@lValue)

SET @lValue=@lvalue+1

END

WHEN I did SELECT SUBSTRING(Trace5,,1) I...

I would tend to stick with the built in DATETIME/SMALLDATETIME data types.

If you must use SMALLINT for times then I don't see the problem with parsing it.

For CHAR(4) your programmers...

In terms of internal file space I've found that deleting records from an indexed table does not automatically reclaim space.

Running a DBCC DBREINDEX does that, similarly dropping and recreating indexes...

As you pointed out the sysindexes script only works if the index statistics are kept up-to-date. I think your best bet would be to keep them up-to-date and use...

If you look at the processors tab of the server property have a look at the Parellism settings.

Does it have "use all available processors" checked?

What is the setting for "minimum...

The beatings will continue until morale improves!

The problem with such corporate eugenics is that when encouraging survival of the fittest no-one has the wit to ask "fittest at what"? ...

DECLARE @sDBName SysName

SET @sDBName=''

WHILE @sDBName IS NOT NULL

BEGIN

SELECT @sDBName = MIN(Name)

FROMMaster.dbo.sysdatabases

WHEREName>@sDBName

AND Name NOT IN ('Master','Model','MSDB','TEMPDB','DISTRIBUTION')

AND DATABASEPROPERTY(Name,'IsTruncLog')=0

IF @sDBName IS NOT NULL

exec sp_dboption @sDBName,'trunc. log on chkpt.',true

END

I've just tested this against a 50,000 record table with record length 4468 and a none unique varchar column that is part of a compound index.

In both cases the execution...

This recent article http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/jBulinckx/indexedviewswithouterjoins.asp showed how to do outer joins with and indexed view.

If you replace your SELECT * statement with explicit column names do you get any improvement in...

If you watch the locks using Enterprise Manager while your program is running do you seen anything significant?

Are the long running inserts being blocked by the shorter ones?

Does your logging...

I would be extremely suprised to find that Windows defrag and Diskeeper were the same product.

No-one would willingly buy a product that was as bad as Windows defrag.

I think the problem is that as you gain seniority you get promoted and assigned to lead teams without anyone giving any advice or training on how to go about...

The built-in Windows 2000 defrag is absolutely rubbish. You need at least 15% free disk-space to do a defrag and even if you have the tool will tell you...

I too have misgivings about the CLR. I've read somewhere that there are people in Microsoft who have misgivings. Something to do with a badly written piece of...

Nice debate Joe.

Short circuiting has been true of in every SQL you know about. I didn't know but I do now. Perhaps I should buy some of your...