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Articles tagged T-SQL Formatting

The Basics of Good T-SQL Coding Style – Part 3: Querying and Manipulating Data

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SQL was designed to be a third-generation language, expressed in syntax close to real language, because it was designed to be easy for untrained people to use. Even so, there are ways of expressing SQL Queries and data manipulation in ways that make it easier for the database engine to turn into efficient action. and easier for your colleagues to understand. Robert Sheldon homes in on data querying and manipulation and makes suggestions for team standards in SQL Coding.… Read more

The Basics of Good T-SQL Coding Style – Part 2: Defining Database Objects

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Technical debt is a real problem in database development, where corners have been cut in the rush to keep to dates. The result may work but the problems are in the details: such things as inconsistent naming of objects, or of defining columns; sloppy use of data types, archaic syntax or obsolete system functions. With databases, technical debt is even harder to pay back. Robert Sheldon explains how and why you can get it right first time instead.… Read more

The Basics of Good T-SQL Coding Style

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TSQL Code must work properly and efficiently. That's not enough though. Unless you are working alone, have perfect memory and plan to never change job, then you need to comment and document your code, it must be inherently readable, well laid out, use informative and obvious names, and it must be robust and resilient; written defensively. It must not rely on deprecated features of SQL Server, or assume particular database settings. Robert Sheldon starts a series of articles that explains the basics.… Read more

Who the Devil Wrote This SQL Code?

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The way that you format T-SQL code can affect the productivity of the people who have to subsequently maintain your work. It is never a good experience to see SQL Code, cry out “Who the devil wrote this code?”, and then realise that it was you. Grant gives some examples of bad formatting and explains why you should never check-in badly-formatted SQL code.… Read more

Formatting SQL Code – Part the Second

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When you're formatting SQL Code, your objective is to make the code as easy to read with understanding as is possible, in a way that errors stand out. The extra time it takes to write code in an accessible way is far less than the time saved by the poor soul in the future, possibly yourself, when maintaining or enhancing the code. There isn't a single 'best practice, but the general principles, such as being consistent, are well-established. Joe Celko gives his take on a controversial topic.… Read more

SQL Server Intellisense VS. Red Gate SQL Prompt

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Fabiano Amorim is hooked on today's Integrated Development Environments with built-in Intellisense, so he looked forward keenly to SQL Server 2008's native intellisense. He was disappointed at how it turned out, so turned instead to SQL Prompt. Fabiano explains why he prefers to SQL Prompt, why he reckons it fits in with the way that database developers work, and goes on to describe some of the features he'd like to see in it.… Read more

Laying out SQL Code

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It is important to ensure that SQL code is laid out the best way for the team that has to use and maintain it. Before you work out how to enforce a standard, one has to work out what that standard should be for the application. So do you dive into detail or create an overall logic to the way it is done?… Read more

Transact-SQL Formatting Standards (Coding Styles)

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How should SQL code be formatted? What sort of indentation should you use? Should keywords be in upper case? How should lists be lined up? SQL is one of those languages that will execute anyway however you treat whitespace and capitalization. However, the way SQL is laid out will effect its readability and the time taken to review and understand it. Standardisation of code layout is an important issue, but what standard should you adopt? Rob avoids a direct answer, but tells you the sort of answers you'll need to decide upon when creating a strategy for formatting SQL code.… Read more

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