Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004414 More actions · Answer 1

Thom A - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 7:54 AM
BrainDonor - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 7:50 AM
Yeah, I've been asked if I can look at some SQL code that is in VBA/Excel, to correct an error in the spreadsheet. The database it is looking at (nothing to do with me, I hasten to add) has no foreign keys, no constraints, no stored procedures, no extended properties. Every little bit of logic must be in the front-end that uses that DB. And as it is a third-party app, just guess how willing they'd be to share what they know.
So... Inline SQL everywhere...? 😀

According to some documentation I saw about 18 months ago or so, EBAY does the same thing (using Oracle). That may be part of the reason why they actually do need 600 DB servers (on that same report).

--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: 1004414 More actions · Answer 2

BrainDonor - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 7:50 AM
Lynn Pettis - Tuesday, September 12, 2017 12:38 PM
Okay, having lots of fun working through a stored procedure that I will be rewriting. Taken about fifteen hours already just trying to figure out what it is doing and identifying requirements for the rewrite.
I may have figured out the reason for at least on permanent table that was created in tempdb (head..desk) and that may be a lack of understand the scope of a temp table. Plus, if it needs to be a permanent table, put it in your database.
There is so much going on and absolutely no comments to explain what is going on that I feel like I am bleeding from my ears trying to figure things out.
Jeff, you'd be pulling out you F-15 pork chop launcher already!
Yeah, I've been asked if I can look at some SQL code that is in VBA/Excel, to correct an error in the spreadsheet. The database it is looking at (nothing to do with me, I hasten to add) has no foreign keys, no constraints, no stored procedures, no extended properties. Every little bit of logic must be in the front-end that uses that DB. And as it is a third-party app, just guess how willing they'd be to share what they know.

Sounds like someone is sipping water with 2 straws from the "portability" bong.

--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)

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736504 More actions · Answer 3

Jeff Moden - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 8:17 AM
According to some documentation I saw about 18 months ago or so, EBAY does the same thing (using Oracle). That may be part of the reason why they actually do need 600 DB servers (on that same report).

The smell of opportunity ...

Thom A SSC Guru Points: 99133 More actions · Answer 4

Steve Jones - SSC Editor - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 8:35 AM
Jeff Moden - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 8:17 AM
According to some documentation I saw about 18 months ago or so, EBAY does the same thing (using Oracle). That may be part of the reason why they actually do need 600 DB servers (on that same report).
The smell of opportunity ...

Weren't/aren't eBay owned by PayPal? One would think that a company that deals solely in online transactions would perhaps use a more manageable system, no?

Thom~

Excuse my typos and sometimes awful grammar. My fingers work faster than my brain does.
Larnu.uk

BrainDonor SSCoach Points: 19254 More actions · Answer 5

Thom A - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 7:54 AM
So... Inline SQL everywhere...? 😀

Must be. I don't have the required access to that server to run a trace but I would love to. The code I have access to checks for specific values in certain columns but there are no dimension tables of any type in the database. I have no idea what is so special about 262339 in the WHERE clause.
Rumour has it that it used to be a FoxPro system and was just shoved into SQL Server with the absolute minimum amount of effort.

Steve Hall
Linkedin
Blog Site

Chris Harshman SSC-Forever Points: 42192 More actions · Answer 6

Thom A - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 7:54 AM
BrainDonor - Wednesday, September 13, 2017 7:50 AM
Yeah, I've been asked if I can look at some SQL code that is in VBA/Excel, to correct an error in the spreadsheet. The database it is looking at (nothing to do with me, I hasten to add) has no foreign keys, no constraints, no stored procedures, no extended properties. Every little bit of logic must be in the front-end that uses that DB. And as it is a third-party app, just guess how willing they'd be to share what they know.
So... Inline SQL everywhere...? 😀

I just had to investigate one of those spreadsheets last week... :sick:

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736504 More actions · Answer 7

Well, I corrected a doc issue and submitted a PR to Microsoft yesterday. Today, my change was accepted and merged, and is on this page:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/security/authentication-access/principals-database-engine

My change is the sentence under the list of certificate based logins.

Maybe we can start to alter the docs to better cover the functionality of the platform.

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

Started documenting the issues of the current code and the requirements for a rewrite. Managed to rewrite a segment of the existing code using the DRY principle. The OUTPUT clause and table variables sure come in handy for accomplishing this task.

jasona.work SSC Guru Points: 50118 More actions · Answer 9

Time for something completely unrelated to SQL, although if anyone is in Atlanta, GA next year the weekend before Labor Day, we could always arrange to meet up for a bit...

The wife and I have planned our next big vacation and we're going to DragonCon!
For those who don't know of it, their history: http://dragoncon.org/?q=history
This is probably one of *the* biggest US geek / nerd / cosplayer / comic book fan / SF fan / Fantasy fan / movie / TV cons around.
This is a convention that, this year, had a swarm (herd?) of people in inflatable T-Rex costumes disco dancing in the lobby of one of the host hotels.
Then on another evening an impromptu Jedi lightsaber fight on the steps of the same hotel, with around a dozen Jedis showing up...
Scientists, TV and movie actors, you name it...

Yes, I'm geeking out, can't help myself, just browsing the list of guests and Fan Tracks from this year is making me giddy...

Luis Cazares SSC Guru Points: 183706 More actions · Answer 10

jasona.work - Thursday, September 14, 2017 5:19 AM
Time for something completely unrelated to SQL, although if anyone is in Atlanta, GA next year the weekend before Labor Day, we could always arrange to meet up for a bit...
The wife and I have planned our next big vacation and we're going to DragonCon!
For those who don't know of it, their history: http://dragoncon.org/?q=history
This is probably one of *the* biggest US geek / nerd / cosplayer / comic book fan / SF fan / Fantasy fan / movie / TV cons around.
This is a convention that, this year, had a swarm (herd?) of people in inflatable T-Rex costumes disco dancing in the lobby of one of the host hotels.
Then on another evening an impromptu Jedi lightsaber fight on the steps of the same hotel, with around a dozen Jedis showing up...
Scientists, TV and movie actors, you name it...
Yes, I'm geeking out, can't help myself, just browsing the list of guests and Fan Tracks from this year is making me giddy...

I should remain in Atlanta for next year. I hope that my wife let my inner geek free to attend to DragonCon at some time, there has been something going on for that weekend (this year was moving to a house). Anyway, it'll be nice to meet you since we didn't meet when I was in Michigan.

Luis C.
General Disclaimer:
Are you seriously taking the advice and code from someone from the internet without testing it? Do you at least understand it? Or can it easily kill your server?

How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help: Option 1 / Option 2

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 11

Time to start planning for SQLSaturday #700 in Colorado Springs, CO next year!!

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736504 More actions · Answer 12

Lynn Pettis - Thursday, September 14, 2017 2:11 PM
Time to start planning for SQLSaturday #700 in Colorado Springs, CO next year!!

Very cool! We got a round number!

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004414 More actions · Answer 13

Steve Jones - SSC Editor - Thursday, September 14, 2017 2:15 PM
Lynn Pettis - Thursday, September 14, 2017 2:11 PM
Time to start planning for SQLSaturday #700 in Colorado Springs, CO next year!!
Very cool! We got a round number!

~~Will both of you be there for that one?~~

Gaahhh... crud... never mind. The hotel prices are nuts that year.

--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)

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 14

Jeff Moden - Thursday, September 14, 2017 5:36 PM
Steve Jones - SSC Editor - Thursday, September 14, 2017 2:15 PM
Lynn Pettis - Thursday, September 14, 2017 2:11 PM
Time to start planning for SQLSaturday #700 in Colorado Springs, CO next year!!
Very cool! We got a round number!
~~Will both of you be there for that one?~~

Gaahhh... crud... never mind. The hotel prices are nuts that year.

Not making any promises but if I cleanup my dad's basement and move a bed into the room daughter used while home for the summer (she slept on the couch), I could probably put you up with me. Just a matter of motivation on my part.

I'd also have to check with my dad to be sure he was okay with this, but don't see why he wouldn't.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 15

And, yes Jeff, I will be there since I am one of the directors of the Colorado Springs User Group. I sort of have to be there. Whether or not I am speaking, heaven only knows at this point.