Which syntax is better and why?

Question

Which syntax is better and why?

grevesz

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June 10, 2008 at 12:44 pm

#208280

Hello,
Could someone please educate me on why each of the following two syntaxes would be better than the other:
SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('productlevel') mycolumnname
SELECT SERVERPROPERTY('productlevel') as [mycolumnname]
Thanks!
Gabor

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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Suresh B. SSC-Insane Points: 22986 More actions · Answer 1

In my openion, second one is better. The key word 'AS' serves as a hint. It is easy to guess that mycolumnname is an alias.

Anipaul SSC-Insane Points: 24681 More actions · Answer 2

Anipaul

SSC-Insane

Points: 24681

June 11, 2008 at 2:02 am

#827105

Second one...

It is having more clarity........

Christopher Stobbs SSC-Insane Points: 21098 More actions · Answer 3

I agree the second one is much better on the eye

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Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004409 More actions · Answer 4

I agree mostly... the second one... just loose the square brackets for readability purposes and don't use aliases that require them with the rare exception being reporting queries.

--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)

pduplessis-723389 SSChampion Points: 10599 More actions · Answer 5

Just call me lazy to type but I always go for the first one, simply because repeating the word "as" it a lot of typing

But if I write a query that someone else is going to read, then I normally add the "as" so they can read a little better

~PD

mtassin SSC-Insane Points: 23099 More actions · Answer 6

I don't know... I hate them both...

I still like

SELECT

fieldname = a.field1,

fieldname2 = a.field2

FROM

table1 a

I know it's not perfect SQL syntax... but the = sign just feels more readable to me.

So your above would look like this.

SELECT mycolumnname = SERVERPROPERTY('productlevel')

--Mark Tassin
MCITP - SQL Server DBA
Proud member of the Anti-RBAR alliance.
For help with Performance click this link[/url]
For tips on how to post your problems[/url]

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004409 More actions · Answer 7

Now, I agree with THAT! That's my favorite format because it puts all of the aliases in the same position horizontally speaking AND it's the same format required by updates. Makes conversion of a SELECT for test to an actual UPDATE super easy, too!

Rumor has it that that form is being deprecated and I really, really wish they wouldn't remove it. Leave a good thing be... and, NO, I don't give a rat's patooti if it's ANSI or not.

--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)

mtassin SSC-Insane Points: 23099 More actions · Answer 8

Jeff Moden (6/13/2008)
Now, I agree with THAT! That's my favorite format because it puts all of the aliases in the same position horizontally speaking AND it's the same format required by updates. Makes conversion of a SELECT for test to an actual UPDATE super easy, too!
Rumor has it that that form is being deprecated and I really, really wish they wouldn't remove it. Leave a good thing be... and, NO, I don't give a rat's patooti if it's ANSI or not.

I'm sure theres a way to petition to save it... if I had to go back to reading code looking for AS statements to find aliases again... I'd cry...

--Mark Tassin
MCITP - SQL Server DBA
Proud member of the Anti-RBAR alliance.
For help with Performance click this link[/url]
For tips on how to post your problems[/url]

RBarryYoung SSC Guru Points: 143329 More actions · Answer 9

I prefer [font="courier new"]{expression} AS {columnAlias}[/font], but I suppose its just because I am used to it. I agree with Jeff though, only use the brackets¹ when they are needed (column aliases that are keywords or that have non-alpha, non-numeric characters, such as space, etc.).

(¹ It's just "brackets" as there aren't any non-square brackets. "Curly brackets" is a misnomer perpetuated on us by the Illiterati, their real name is "braces".)

[font="Times New Roman"]-- RBarryYoung[/font], [font="Times New Roman"] (302)375-0451[/font] blog: MovingSQL.com, Twitter: @RBarryYoung [font="Arial Black"]
Proactive Performance Solutions, Inc. [/font][font="Verdana"] "Performance is our middle name."[/font]