Raw Materials - Order! Order!
Leibniz breaks out of a buyer's dilemma that might defeat a subtler mind.
Referencing Remote Data
Synonyms were added to SQL Server to make the references to remote data easier. However Steve Jones doesn't use them, do you? Are there benefits?
SQL Test: Seeing Red Change to Green
Rob Sullivan is one of the users who are helping shape the way that SQL Test develops, and here he explains what is going on, and why.
On Database Migrations and Agility
It always surprises me when Application programmers tell me that all 'Agile' techniques are directly applicable to database development. Ideally, yes; but reality gets in the way.
SSMS Shared SQL Templates
This article describes how to use the built in repository for SQL Server Management Studio Templates and how to customize and share a common repository with your team.
The Stubborn DBA
Today we have a guest editorial from Phil Factor. Phil wonders why so many people in technology can be stubborn. Are you a stubborn DBA?
Constraints and the Test-Driven Database
Bad data always seems to appear when, and where, one least expects it. Sam explains the great value of a defensive approach based on constraints to any team that is developing an application in which the data has to be exactly right, and where bad data could cause consequential severe financial damage. It is perhaps better seen as creating a test-driven database.
TSQL Challenge 73 - Implement Word Wrapping in TSQL
The challenge is to wrap the text by specified position.
Read-only Data
Today's poll looks at read only data and how you handle the backup and recovery of this data.
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1)
The first of a two-part series of articles examining the APPLY operator. Learn the basics of how this operator works and how it can help you solve some tricky problems.
Blogs
Presenting with Visual Studio Code
A while back I wrote a quick post on setting up key mappings in...
Advice I Like: In 100 Years
By Steve Jones
In 100 years a lot of what we take to be true now will...
dataMinds Saturday 2026 – Slides
At Saturday the 21st of February I’m presenting an introduction to dimensional modelling at...
Forums
AllocationType as ROW_OVERFLOW_DATA
Hello, I inherited a number of tables with like 20-30 column using nvarchar(256) in...
is it true we cant debug c# scripts in ssis anymore under vs
Hi, i'm running vs2022. I'm trying out a c# script that i'd like to...
Question of the Day
Missing the Jaro Winkler Distance
I upgraded a SQL Server 2019 instance to SQL Server 2025. I wanted to test the fuzzy string search functions. I run this code:
SELECT JARO_WINKLER_DISTANCE('tim', 'tom')
I get this error message:Msg 195, Level 15, State 10, Line 1 'JARO_WINKLER_DISTANCE' is not a recognized built-in function name.What is wrong? See possible answers