Reading SQL Server's Transaction Log
This article shows how you can read the [RowLog Contents] in the Transaction Log, for Real!
What Do You Want from SQL in the City?
After the SQL in the City tour wrapped up this week in Seattle, Steve Jones looks back and asks a question. What type of training would be best for you.
Script to create dynamic PIVOT queries in SQL Server
Pivoting is a common reporting requirement - data is stored in columns and you need to present it in rows. This was a nice feature that was added to SQL Server, but you don't always know all of the values you need to pivot on. This tip looks at how you can dynamically create the pivot command to handle these unknown values.
More Than One Way to Skin a Cat
There are many ways to accomplish a task in SQL Server, and almost every technology. But too much choice might not be the best thing for beginners.
Partitioned Tables, Indexes and Execution Plans: a Cautionary Tale
Table partitioning is a blessing in that it makes large tables that have varying access patterns more scalable and manageable, but it is a mixed blessing. It is important to understand the down-side before using table partitioning.
Savvy Managers
Data quality is everyone's business and it takes some work. Steve Jones talks about some hints for you and your manager to make things better in your data systems.
SQL Server 2012: Installing Data Quality Services
Greg Larsen shows you how to install Data Quality Services and the companion client tool called Data Quality Client for SQL Server 2012.
Blogs
A New Word: Dolorblindness
By Steve Jones
dolorblindness – n. the frustration that you’ll never be able to understand another person’s...
Claude Code Helps Analyze Test Data Manager Log Files
By Steve Jones
I had a customer ask about analyzing their Test Data Manager (TDM) usage to...
PowerPoint to HTML with Claude AI
By Steve Jones
I had an idea for an animated view of a sales tool, and started...
Forums
Optimism Without Illusion or Why AI Needs Blunt Technologists
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Optimism Without Illusion or Why...
SSIS with VS2022 64/32 issue with Excel files
Hi all, I'm trying to do classic scenario for loading multiple Excel files into...
Case part is sloooooow
Hi So the case statement is slowing this down - but for the life...
Question of the Day
The String Distance I
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned by this code:
SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE('tim', 'tom')
Assume preview features are enabled. See possible answers