Are the posted questions getting worse?

  • <Headdesk>

    You know that moment when, after 5-6 hours of unit testing (sometimes the entire previous day) and trying to find out why all your records disappeared, you realize that the new column you added and are joining on is full of NULL because you forgot to update it?

    That's my morning.

    On the plus side, I think I figured out my CROSS APPLY typo issue (half-typo, half-NULL column) that was screwing me up. So now I have to go back and update that thread today.

    Yep. Fun fun fun fun morning.

    Problem solved! Sorta. Yay?

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • Brandie Tarvin - Thursday, January 24, 2019 6:32 AM

    <Headdesk>

    You know that moment when, after 5-6 hours of unit testing (sometimes the entire previous day) and trying to find out why all your records disappeared, you realize that the new column you added and are joining on is full of NULL because you forgot to update it?

    That's my morning.

    On the plus side, I think I figured out my CROSS APPLY typo issue (half-typo, half-NULL column) that was screwing me up. So now I have to go back and update that thread today.

    Yep. Fun fun fun fun morning.

    Problem solved! Sorta. Yay?

    That's OK. I installed a patch to my own company's software that nuked all the data in the database. The article I was ready to write is waiting at least one more day while I collect all the data... again.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • ChrisM@Work - Thursday, January 24, 2019 6:30 AM

    The suspense is killing me! Someone please PM me the company name!!

    I know a company beginning with A that Rodney and numerous other SSC lurkers have worked for and left earlier than company A might have liked...

    I cannot possibly comment 😀
    But I am now slightly scared when looking for my next contract to avoid all companies starting with B!

    Cheers,

    Rodders...

  • Grant Fritchey - Thursday, January 24, 2019 7:51 AM

    I installed a patch to my own company's software that nuked all the data in the database.

    Improving performance, the Fritchey way!


    Hugo Kornelis, SQL Server/Data Platform MVP (2006-2016)
    Visit my SQL Server blog: https://sqlserverfast.com/blog/
    SQL Server Execution Plan Reference: https://sqlserverfast.com/epr/

  • Is it too early to mention SQL Bits?
    Who from the Thread are attending?

    I see Grant, Hugo and Gianlucci are presenting.
    I'm attending Friday and Saturday. Although I'll be there in Manchester from Thursday morning and I have to leave early Saturday.

    Cheers,

    Rodders...

  • So under the context of my current project, my boss asked me to put in some technical debt. Basic code clean up and performance enhancement of code I wrote back in 2007 and have been appending / modified on a regular basis since. The code has always been complicated from day one and my understanding of T-SQL has substantially improved since then.

    In the past two weeks, I have found 3 production bugs that no one has noticed. I've improved the code to cut out 20 minutes of time on one proc, 10 minutes on another, and I'm still finding stuff that can be tweaked to improve it.

    This is the same code built on "If Bertie was wearing a green tie on Sunday and it rained in China but the butterflies on Greenland were flying west, do X, but if all these are true and Susie was wearing white shoes after Labor Day, do Y."

    I cannot believe how much cleanup there is to do. And that I finally have time to do it. This code embarrasses me. I'm ashamed to have written it. To give you an idea of what I was dealing with, though, there were no less than 56 scope changes over the first year of the project. And there have been another 32+ since. Not to mention bug fixes for "black holes" that new business rules accidentally introduced.

    Wow... just... wow.

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • Brandie Tarvin - Thursday, January 24, 2019 8:28 AM

    So under the context of my current project, my boss asked me to put in some technical debt. Basic code clean up and performance enhancement of code I wrote back in 2007 and have been appending / modified on a regular basis since. The code has always been complicated from day one and my understanding of T-SQL has substantially improved since then.

    In the past two weeks, I have found 3 production bugs that no one has noticed. I've improved the code to cut out 20 minutes of time on one proc, 10 minutes on another, and I'm still finding stuff that can be tweaked to improve it.

    This is the same code built on "If Bertie was wearing a green tie on Sunday and it rained in China but the butterflies on Greenland were flying west, do X, but if all these are true and Susie was wearing white shoes after Labor Day, do Y."

    I cannot believe how much cleanup there is to do. And that I finally have time to do it. This code embarrasses me. I'm ashamed to have written it. To give you an idea of what I was dealing with, though, there were no less than 56 scope changes over the first year of the project. And there have been another 32+ since. Not to mention bug fixes for "black holes" that new business rules accidentally introduced.

    Wow... just... wow.

    How odd. Tried to edit this post and the Update Post button wouldn't work. So I'll quote myself instead.

    EDIT: I'm curious. Anyone else have a similar experience?

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • Brandie Tarvin - Thursday, January 24, 2019 8:28 AM

    So under the context of my current project, my boss asked me to put in some technical debt. Basic code clean up and performance enhancement of code I wrote back in 2007 and have been appending / modified on a regular basis since. The code has always been complicated from day one and my understanding of T-SQL has substantially improved since then.

    In the past two weeks, I have found 3 production bugs that no one has noticed. I've improved the code to cut out 20 minutes of time on one proc, 10 minutes on another, and I'm still finding stuff that can be tweaked to improve it.

    This is the same code built on "If Bertie was wearing a green tie on Sunday and it rained in China but the butterflies on Greenland were flying west, do X, but if all these are true and Susie was wearing white shoes after Labor Day, do Y."

    I cannot believe how much cleanup there is to do. And that I finally have time to do it. This code embarrasses me. I'm ashamed to have written it. To give you an idea of what I was dealing with, though, there were no less than 56 scope changes over the first year of the project. And there have been another 32+ since. Not to mention bug fixes for "black holes" that new business rules accidentally introduced.

    Wow... just... wow.

    And don't forget you wrote that code about 12 years ago. Imagine if you were like so many others out there who haven't improved in 12 years. I would think doing this would be pretty cool. Definitely demonstrates how far you have come.

    _______________________________________________________________

    Need help? Help us help you.

    Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.

    Need to split a string? Try Jeff Modens splitter http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Tally+Table/72993/.

    Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
    Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Crosstab/65048/
    Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69953/
    Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 2) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69954/

  • rodjkidd - Thursday, January 24, 2019 8:28 AM

    Is it too early to mention SQL Bits?
    Who from the Thread are attending?

    I see Grant, Hugo and Gianlucci are presenting.
    I'm attending Friday and Saturday. Although I'll be there in Manchester from Thursday morning and I have to leave early Saturday.

    Cheers,

    Rodders...

    Last year I attended only the Friday, and at the last minute because of the work situation. At £400 it was pricey but there were a couple of memorable sessions - most notably Brent Ozar, who was brilliant. I haven't yet seen a menu for this year but I kinda have to go for at least a part of it 'cos my daughter lives in Manchester.

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

    For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
    Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
    Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

  • rodjkidd - Thursday, January 24, 2019 8:28 AM

    Is it too early to mention SQL Bits?
    Who from the Thread are attending?

    I see Grant, Hugo and Gianlucci are presenting.
    I'm attending Friday and Saturday. Although I'll be there in Manchester from Thursday morning and I have to leave early Saturday.

    Cheers,

    Rodders...

    Rodders

    It's never too early!  I'm going - this will be the first time I'll have been to all four days.  I don't think we've ever met, although I believe I was standing around when you had the picture for your avatar taken.  There's usually a quiz on the Thursday night - perhaps I'll see you there?

    John

  • John Mitchell-245523 - Thursday, January 24, 2019 8:38 AM

    Rodders

    It's never too early!  I'm going - this will be the first time I'll have been to all four days.  I don't think we've ever met, although I believe I was standing around when you had the picture for your avatar taken.  There's usually a quiz on the Thursday night - perhaps I'll see you there?

    John

    I'll be there on the Saturday at least.  There's no excuse when it's a bus ride away


    On two occasions I have been asked, "Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?" ... I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.
    —Charles Babbage, Passages from the Life of a Philosopher

    How to post a question to get the most help http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537

  • Chris, well that sounds like a good excuse as any to me! Sadly the only memorable things to me about last years event were not the sessions.
    Oh and going book shopping and having dinner with Gail Saturday night in Chinatown, and having JRJ jump on the tube going back as the same carriage as us!

    John - yes, as far as I know the traditional Thursday night quiz is on and I shall be there. Will be good to meet you in person.

    Neil - good stuff!

    Cheers,

    Rodders...

  • Neil Burton - Thursday, January 24, 2019 8:59 AM

    I'll be there on the Saturday at least.  There's no excuse when it's a bus ride away

    Sorry, missing again. Timing doesn't work for me.

  • Oh there is an agenda up.
    Looks like Thursday and Friday is incomplete though.

    SQLBits Schedule

    Rodders...

  • Steve Jones - SSC Editor - Thursday, January 24, 2019 9:10 AM

    Neil Burton - Thursday, January 24, 2019 8:59 AM

    I'll be there on the Saturday at least.  There's no excuse when it's a bus ride away

    Sorry, missing again. Timing doesn't work for me.

    I'm going. Taking in the Manchester City match on Wednesday night, teaching a precon on Thursday (which means minimal imbibing during the game), and a regular session on Friday.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

Viewing 15 posts - 63,016 through 63,030 (of 66,712 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply