Phil Factor demonstrates the power of placeholders in SQL Prompt Snippets, for selecting and copying text. They make it very easy to build queries by dragging-and-dropping from the SSMS object explorer, and also to save queries as reusable views or inline table valued functions. Read more
Generating realistic test data is a challenging task, made even more complex if you need to generate that data in different formats, for the different database technologies in use within your organization. Dave Poole proposes a solution that uses SQL Data Generator as a ‘data generation and translation’ tool. Read more
Generally, you should prevent rowcount messages being sent, by adding a SET NOCOUNT ON at the start of every stored procedure, trigger and dynamically executed batch. Phil Factor demonstrates, and explains the nuances and exceptions. Read more
There are no advantages to using old-style join syntax. If SQL prompt identifies its use in legacy code, then rewriting the statements to use ANSI-standard join syntax will simplify and improve the code. Read more
Chris Unwin describes a strategy, using data masking, cloned databases and PowerShell, which will allow you to sanitize data before provisioning test or development environments. Read more
SQL Prompt will warn you if it spots use of EXECUTE, without specifying the schema in which the stored procedure resides, because it can cause slower execution times, or even result in running of the wrong procedure. Read more
Jon Hayman shows you how to set up Redgate Monitor to monitor Azure-based clustered SQL Server instances right alongside your on-premise clusters. Read more
How the table automapping feature works in SQL Compare, and how to control its behavior. Read more
Writing GROUP BY clauses is a very common, but tedious, activity for a SQL programmer. SQL Prompt will fill it in for you, with all non-aggregated columns returned by the query. Read more
Phil Factor shows how to use SQL Data Generator to produce as much pseudonymized data as you are likely to need for your testing, and then convert it to JSON so that you can also use it to test your MongoDB and Azure Cosmos databases, or to test out a new web service. Read more
