Basics of XML and SQL Server, Part 1: Streaming XML
This article demonstrates how to generate an XML stream from SQL Server using the 'FOR XML PATH' statement, and how to explore that XML stream interactively using an XSL transformation.
Data Gravity
Does data have gravity? Will the law affect how applications are built and deployed? Steve Jones has a few thoughts.
Three Attack Vectors in SQL Server 2005
This article outlines three different tried and tested methods of obtaining access to databases in SQL Server 2005 where no database-level administrative access exists.
SQL Server 2012 - The Virtual Launch Event
Microsoft has scheduled a virtual launch event for SQL Server 2012 on Mar 7. Register now to learn about the next version of SQL Server.
Large table cleanup with minimal locks
How do you delete millions of rows with minimal impact to the business? This article gives you a way to accomplish the removal of old data.
Zettabyte
Today we have an editorial originally published on Mar 13, 2007 that is being re-run as Steve is on vacation. This one looks at all the world's data.
SQL Saturday #114 - Vancouver
A free day of SQL Server training in Vancouver, BC, Canada on Mar 17, 2012.
SQL Saturday #115 - Portugal
A free day of SQL Server training in Lisbon. Register and come if you can.
Code Scanning
Today Steve Jones talks about code scanning and the analysis that tools can do for us today.
TSQL Challenge 77-Transform monthly resource efforts to weekly actuals
The challenge is to transform monthly resource efforts into weekly actuals.
Blogs
AI Helps Me with My Sloppiness
By Steve Jones
I type fairly well. Well, I type fast, but I do wear out a...
Automatic Index Compaction
By ReviewMyDB
Index maintenance has always meant nightly jobs and a window you have to defend....
The Goldilocks problem – Materialized Views
I’m sure you’ve all heard the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but...
Forums
SQL Art, Part 4: Happy 4th of July — A British DBA's Guide to Celebrating a War We Don't Talk About
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Art, Part 4: Happy...
How We Handled a Vendor Retry That Loaded Twice in Snowflake
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How We Handled a Vendor...
Cognitive Coverage
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Cognitive Coverage
Question of the Day
Getting the Average
I have this data in the dbo.Commission table in a SQL Server 2022 database.
salesperson commission Brian 12 Brian 16 Andy 7 Andy 14 Andy 21 Steve 20 Steve NULLAll the data is a varchar, and I decide to run this query to get the totals for each salesperson.
SELECT SalesPerson
, AVG(TRY_PARSE(Commission AS int)) AS TotalCommission
FROM commission
GROUP BY SalesPerson
GO
What average commission is calculated for Steve? See possible answers