logic explanation

Question

logic explanation

faroz2003

SSC Journeyman

Points: 92
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March 16, 2012 at 6:58 am

#253294

Hi All,
Pls explain me what is the logic in the below table
select * from xyz where year(isnull(last_updated_on,created_on)) <2012
note :Last_updated_on, and "created_on" is a column in my db containing date value.
Pls advice
thanks in advance

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calvo SSChampion Points: 12930 More actions · Answer 1

ISNULL() is a function that returns a second value if the first is null. In your situation, if the last_updated_on field is null the created_on field will be used.

YEAR( ISNULL(<if this is null>,<use this>) )

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Koen Verbeeck SSC Guru Points: 259115 More actions · Answer 2

This query selects all columns and the rows from the table xyz who satisfy the condition that the row was updated before the year 2012. If the row was never updated (last_updated_on is NULL), it must be inserted before the year 2012.

Basically you're selecting all records that were created or updated before the year 2012.

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Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004414 More actions · Answer 3

As written, it also creates a performance problem because it will never use an INDEX SEEK. This type of predicate is frequently referred to as a "non-SARGable" predicate. "SARG" is short for "Search Argument". It's one of the reasons why I strongly recommend never using a NULL to indicate that a row hasn't been modified. You should use a date of 9999-12-30 instead. Yeah, I know that there are 31 days in December but there are some advanced search techniques that sometimes require that you look for things one day further out than the day you're actually looking for so you need that one day of space in 9999-12-30 to accomodate that.

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First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
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CapnHector SSCoach Points: 16143 More actions · Answer 4

Jeff,

Depending on the application would using the created on date for the first modified date be better than some future date?

so in the above query it would be rewritten

select * from bla

where YEAR(date_modified) < 2012

would (I guess) solve the "SARG" problem and simplify the query.

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GSquared SSC Guru Points: 260824 More actions · Answer 5

I don't think Year is SARGable. Better bet is "DateModified < '1/1/2012'".

SARGability may not matter much in this case, since it's liable to pull a range of data anyway, and scans are often more efficient for those anyway.

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faroz2003 SSC Journeyman Points: 92 More actions · Answer 6

Hi calvo,Koen Verbeeck,Jeff Moden ,capn.hector,GSquared ,

Thanks to all.

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004414 More actions · Answer 7

capn.hector (3/16/2012)
Jeff,
Depending on the application would using the created on date for the first modified date be better than some future date?
so in the above query it would be rewritten
select * from bla
where YEAR(date_modified) < 2012
would (I guess) solve the "SARG" problem and simplify the query.

Yes, using the first created on date for the modified date is fine. The query above, though, is not. As G2 points out, WHERE YEAR(Date_Modified) is not SARGable either. You should use something like the following to find a full year, instead.

WHERE Date_Modified >= '2012'

AND Date_Modified < '2013'

With the correct indexing, it would do an INDEX SEEK to the first date followed by a very high speed range scan.

--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 8

Jeff Moden (3/16/2012)
capn.hector (3/16/2012)
Jeff,
Depending on the application would using the created on date for the first modified date be better than some future date?
so in the above query it would be rewritten
select * from bla
where YEAR(date_modified) < 2012
would (I guess) solve the "SARG" problem and simplify the query.
Yes, using the first created on date for the modified date is fine. The query above, though, is not. As G2 points out, WHERE YEAR(Date_Modified) is not SARGable either. You should use something like the following to find a full year, instead.
WHERE Date_Modified >= '2012'
AND Date_Modified < '2013'
With the correct indexing, it would do an INDEX SEEK to the first date followed by a very high speed range scan.

Wouldn't the WHERE clause look more like this for this year?

WHERE

Date_Modified >= DATEADD(yy, DATEDIFF(yy, 0, GETDATE()), 0) AND

Date_Modified < DATEADD(yy, DATEDIFF(yy, 0, GETDATE()) + 1, 0)

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004414 More actions · Answer 9

Lynn Pettis (3/16/2012)
Jeff Moden (3/16/2012)
capn.hector (3/16/2012)
Jeff,
Depending on the application would using the created on date for the first modified date be better than some future date?
so in the above query it would be rewritten
select * from bla
where YEAR(date_modified) < 2012
would (I guess) solve the "SARG" problem and simplify the query.
Yes, using the first created on date for the modified date is fine. The query above, though, is not. As G2 points out, WHERE YEAR(Date_Modified) is not SARGable either. You should use something like the following to find a full year, instead.
WHERE Date_Modified >= '2012'
AND Date_Modified < '2013'
With the correct indexing, it would do an INDEX SEEK to the first date followed by a very high speed range scan.
Wouldn't the WHERE clause look more like this for this year?
WHERE
Date_Modified >= DATEADD(yy, DATEDIFF(yy, 0, GETDATE()), 0) AND
Date_Modified < DATEADD(yy, DATEDIFF(yy, 0, GETDATE()) + 1, 0)

BWAAA-HAAA!!! "It depends!"

--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)