Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736607 More actions · Answer 1

Hopefully all speeches are written by then.

Usually I'm meeting people, or slipping into sessions to report on things, or trying to relax and catch up in the convention center. Add to that meetings/parties and time to run, and I'm not sure I can spare the time to drive out to Bellevue.

SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 2

Speaking of Campaigns:

There is a judge in District C in Las Vegas up for re-election by the names of Steve Jones.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/few-sitting-judges-face-challengers-93223879.html

I found it interesting. Is Steve hiding something? 😀

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events

Jack Corbett SSC Guru Points: 184394 More actions · Answer 3

Steve Jones - Editor (7/23/2010)
CirquedeSQLeil (7/23/2010)
David Webb-200187 (7/23/2010)
For the BBQ fans at PASS in Seattle, the Warthog in Fife, and the Ark in Northeast Tacoma (both about 35 minutes south) are worth a trip.
WOOT
4 straight days of BBQ.
I think a 35 minute trip (each way) might be worth good BBQ.
I know I won't have time for a trip, but if someone wants to go for me, I'll buy their share.

I have to agree with Steve. Once the conference starts on Monday evening or earlier if you have pre-con's or volunteer meetings, there is usually something going on right in downtown Seattle, either a vendor party or dinner or something semi-impromptu like SQL Karaoke.

Plus meeting people from SSC or Twitter that you haven't met yet, or hanging with people you only see at the Summit.

Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
Check out these links on how to get faster and more accurate answers:
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help
Need an Answer? Actually, No ... You Need a Question

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736607 More actions · Answer 4

I could be a judge! Speedo under the black ghost cloak, pronouncing verdicts!

Too bad it's so hot in LV. My wife did not like that.

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95461 More actions · Answer 5

Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
Stefan Krzywicki (7/23/2010)
Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
Okay everyone, the hardest thing I have had to do since I started here (work) a little over 5 years ago is done, now the countdown to a new position is started.
Scared, nervous, anxious. :w00t:
Congratulations. May your new position be challenging, interesting and rewarding.
I'm sure it will be. :w00t:

Congrats Lynn, and best wishes! (Did you finagle with your new job to send you to the PASS summit? :-D)

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

Links:
For better assistance in answering your questions
Performance Problems
Common date/time routines
Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

SQLRNNR SSC Guru Points: 281334 More actions · Answer 6

Steve Jones - Editor (7/23/2010)
I could be a judge! Speedo under the black ghost cloak, pronouncing verdicts!
Too bad it's so hot in LV. My wife did not like that.

I know the feeling. Since you were here, it has cranked it up a few degrees. We cool off to about 100 by 11PM.

Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 7

WayneS (7/23/2010)
Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
Stefan Krzywicki (7/23/2010)
Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
Okay everyone, the hardest thing I have had to do since I started here (work) a little over 5 years ago is done, now the countdown to a new position is started.
Scared, nervous, anxious. :w00t:
Congratulations. May your new position be challenging, interesting and rewarding.
I'm sure it will be. :w00t:
Congrats Lynn, and best wishes! (Did you finagle with your new job to send you to the PASS summit? :-D)

I only wish I could have, would have loved to come to the PASS summit.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 8

Okay gurus, here is a question I was asked and I can't seem to find the answer.

Why can't I pass simple functions (1 + 2) or a SQL function into a procedure?

This is something I have known, but I can't find the answer in BOL.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 9

Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
Okay gurus, here is a question I was asked and I can't seem to find the answer.
Why can't I pass simple functions (1 + 2) or a SQL function into a procedure?
This is something I have known, but I can't find the answer in BOL.

Okay, I finally found it in BOL. Took a bit of hunting and reading.

Parameter values can be supplied if a stored procedure is written to accept them.
The supplied value must be a constant or a variable; you cannot specify a function name as a parameter value. Variables can be user-defined or system variables such as @@spid.
The following examples demonstrate passing parameter values to the stored procedure uspGetWhereUsedProductID. The procedure expects values for two input parameters: a product ID and a date. The examples show how to pass parameters as constants and variables and also how to use a variable to pass the value of a function.

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 10

Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
It is all based on change. Going into a new position with a new company. I have some idea of what I am walking into, but things could change easily. One change is going to be also working with Oracle as well. Definately going to be learning new things.

Good luck. What industry is the new company in? (if you can say)

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004434 More actions · Answer 11

Grant Fritchey (7/23/2010)
Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
Okay everyone, the hardest thing I have had to do since I started here (work) a little over 5 years ago is done, now the countdown to a new position is started.
Scared, nervous, anxious. :w00t:
Good luck Lynn. You don't need it. You'll be great.

I got a little behind on the thread... what new position? Regardless... I agree with Grant... you'll be great.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004434 More actions · Answer 12

Steve Jones - Editor (7/23/2010)
Speedo under the black ghost cloak...

GAH!!!! Now I have to jab out my mind's-eye! 😀

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

Matt Miller (4) SSC Guru Points: 124210 More actions · Answer 13

Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
Lynn Pettis (7/23/2010)
Okay gurus, here is a question I was asked and I can't seem to find the answer.
Why can't I pass simple functions (1 + 2) or a SQL function into a procedure?
This is something I have known, but I can't find the answer in BOL.
Okay, I finally found it in BOL. Took a bit of hunting and reading.
Parameter values can be supplied if a stored procedure is written to accept them.
The supplied value must be a constant or a variable; you cannot specify a function name as a parameter value. Variables can be user-defined or system variables such as @@spid.
The following examples demonstrate passing parameter values to the stored procedure uspGetWhereUsedProductID. The procedure expects values for two input parameters: a product ID and a date. The examples show how to pass parameters as constants and variables and also how to use a variable to pass the value of a function.

...why is just a fancy way to say - use a SET statement up front to set the parameter's value (using a function if need be), THEN use the parameter in your SP call. Just don't do it in one shot.

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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?

TomThomson SSC Guru Points: 104773 More actions · Answer 14

Matt Miller (#4) (7/24/2010)
...why is just a fancy way to say - use a SET statement up front to set the parameter's value (using a function if need be), THEN use the parameter in your SP call. Just do it in one shot.

Trouble is that there's no imaginable justification for this except poor language design or poor compiler design. Why should I have to create a local variable and assign a value to it? It's just extra verbiage. It can't be because the semantics of procedure call uses bodily replacement in the procedure text (or any other mechanism which would imply call by name) because if it did it could not be allowed to overwrite parameters not declared as output in the stored procedure body - and that is allowed. It can't be because it uses call by reference (for the same reason). It can only be because someone decided that neither should the compiler should be responsible for choosing the order in which parameters are evaluated, nor should the language defined it. That's is not very sensible; other languages either define an order (eg left to right) or explicitly state that it's undefined instead of refusing to do either and forcing their users to write pointlessly verbose code. Or of course it could be defined that an expression used as a parameter can not incude a reference to any table or view, so that evaluating it can have no side effects - not even on locks - and this is something that some languages do; but that would be chickening out nearly as badly as the current situation.

Tom

Matt Miller (4) SSC Guru Points: 124210 More actions · Answer 15

Tom.Thomson (7/25/2010)
Matt Miller (#4) (7/24/2010)
...why is just a fancy way to say - use a SET statement up front to set the parameter's value (using a function if need be), THEN use the parameter in your SP call. Just do it in one shot.
Trouble is that there's no imaginable justification for this except poor language design or poor compiler design. Why should I have to create a local variable and assign a value to it? It's just extra verbiage. It can't be because the semantics of procedure call uses bodily replacement in the procedure text (or any other mechanism which would imply call by name) because if it did it could not be allowed to overwrite parameters not declared as output in the stored procedure body - and that is allowed. It can't be because it uses call by reference (for the same reason). It can only be because someone decided that neither should the compiler should be responsible for choosing the order in which parameters are evaluated, nor should the language defined it. That's is not very sensible; other languages either define an order (eg left to right) or explicitly state that it's undefined instead of refusing to do either and forcing their users to write pointlessly verbose code. Or of course it could be defined that an expression used as a parameter can not incude a reference to any table or view, so that evaluating it can have no side effects - not even on locks - and this is something that some languages do; but that would be chickening out nearly as badly as the current situation.

Not that I agree with the argument, but I believe the reasoning had to do with not wanting to deal with the uncertainties around non-determinism. So - they want you to "pick" which non-deterministic value you might get from a function, and then pass it as a constant.

I do think it's fairly dumb, as you said, but that's the rationale as I understand it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?