Madhivanan's TSQL Blog

TSQL Tips and Tricks - Different ways to know the server name

Here are the three different ways to know the Server name using queries Method 1 : Use @@servername select @@servername as server_name Method 2 : Use sp_helpserver system procedure exec sp_helpserver Method 3 : Use sys.sysservers view select srvname from...

by Madhivanan on 08-30-2010 | 137 Views

SQL Server - Understanding full power of CASE Expressions

Many programming languages like VB6 support IIF function which is used to return a value based on a particular expression/condition. In SQL Server the equivalent is to make use of CASE Expression, which is used to evaluate many conditions and return a...

by Madhivanan on 08-24-2010 | 636 Views

SQL Server - Understanding the behavior of @@TRANCOUNT when querying from a client application

As you know, @@TRANCOUNT is used to inform you about the number of live transactions active at point. If you want to retrieve it's value using an application, you should be careful about the behaviour of the returned value. Let us consider the procedure...

by Madhivanan on 08-19-2010 | 718 Views

SQL Server - Identifying identity columns using TSQL

One of my friends asked me if it is possible to identify the tables with identiy columns as he wanted to run dbcc checkident command to all the tables of the database.There are actually many ways to identify identity columns from a table.The following...

by Madhivanan on 08-16-2010 | 763 Views

SQL Server - Writing IF-ELSE code in TSQL

This article intends to help the beginners to get started with Transact SQL code that uses IF-ELSE logic....

by Madhivanan on 08-11-2010 | 905 Views

SQL Server - The power of @@rowcount, and the pit falls, if you do not use them correctly!

It is very easy to embed a serious bug in your TSQL code by incorrectly using the @@rowcount function. This post demonstrates the correct way of using it....

by Madhivanan on 08-09-2010 | 944 Views

SQL Server - Quick and Easy auditing using host_name() and user_name() functions

This post demonstrates a few quick and easy methods to audit the data modifications on your SQL Server Database using the host_name() and user_name() system functions....

by Madhivanan on 08-04-2010 | 397 Views

Interesting enhancements to the VALUES Clause in SQL Server 2008

With SQL Server 2008, you can do many more interesting things using VALUES clause than the previous versions.The following examples will explain it's various usages in detail...

by Madhivanan on 08-02-2010 | 662 Views

SQL Server App_name() function - find out which application has modified your data

This post explains how to use the App_name() function to identify the client application that makes modifications to your data....

by Madhivanan on 07-28-2010 | 732 Views

SQL Server - Difference between TSQL Functions CAST() and CONVERT()

This post explains the differences between TSQL functions CAST() and CONVERT(). Though they seem identical, there are several differences between these functions. ...

by Madhivanan on 07-22-2010 | 1,668 Views

TSQL InitCap function - Convert a string to Proper Case

This post presents a TSQL function that can be used to convert a string to Proper Case....

by Madhivanan on 07-19-2010 | 767 Views

SQL Server - Having fun with DOT while writing TSQL code

This post takes you to a number of interesting findings using the DOT operator in TSQL Programming. Yes, they are fun....

by Madhivanan on 07-12-2010 | 1,395 Views

Export all table data to Text file

One of my friends asked me if it is possible to export each table's data to each text file so that those files can be used in another system for data import? The point is he wanted to move database from SQL Server to Mysql. But there was not possible...

by Madhivanan on 07-05-2010 | 986 Views

Understanding Datetime column - Part IV

This post follows my previous three posts Part I Part II Part III Best practices when using datetime values 1 Always use proper DATETIME datatype to store dates This is very important becuase lot of people use varchar datatype to store formatted date...

by Madhivanan on 06-29-2010 | 920 Views

Understanding Datetime column - Part III

SQL Server MVP Madhivanan comes up with the third installment of his DateTime tutorial...

by Madhivanan on 06-21-2010 | 1,354 Views