r_slot,

To address your original question, each single quotation mark within a string must be preceded with the single quote literal marker:

SELECT 'Giro d''Italia'

UNION

SELECT 'This is an empty string: '''''

output:

---------------------------

Giro d'Italia

This...

clay.calvin,

The SUM() function is another option that may be applicable. Compare the MAX() function to the SUM() function (note I have changed the VALUES in the fourth insert to demonstrate...

igloo,

I generally try to avoid using case statements in joins. Instead, I prefer to build the join criteria as a series of OR conditions. Try the following construction in place...

Early in the article you mention the benefit of creating a SELECT statement to preview the rows that will be updated. Here is a useful form for previewing the changes:

UPDATE...

Thanks! That worked with only a couple of minor changes:

SQL Kiwi (5/25/2012)

DECLARE @sql nvarchar(MAX) =

(

SELECT

N'DROP VIEW' +

...

Excel rocks for data analysis, but it does have some irritating quirks, particularly when working with csv files. I frequently receive customer data in csv format that contains leading zeros...

The SqlStudio.bin file associated with SSMS 2008 appears to contain user preferences. I recommend renaming this file instead of deleting it.

Kluge-ware

Software that shouldn't work but does, usually a result of spaghetti-coding and/or piecemeal coding.

The program that creates the dBase file is a canned student information system that utilizes dBase for data storage. The system does not provide any tools for working with the...

This may be a little off-topic, but is there a way to convert dBase files to xml for import into SQL Server 2008 (64-bit) tables?

The SQL Server 2000 installation routine creates a registry entry for launching SQL Server Service Manager (minimized to system tray) at startup:

Key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

String Value:

Service Manager = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\sqlmangr.exe" /n

If...

The syntax for the 'RubbishDays2008_Property.dbf' file should be:

select *

into test

from openrowset('msdasql', 'driver={microsoft dbase driver (*.dbf)};dbq=c:\directory\', 'select * from RubbishDays2008_Property')

Replace 'dbq:=c:\directory\' with the appropriate path where the 'RubbishDays2008_Property.dbf' file is stored.

This...

With a 32-bit SQL Server installation, you can use the Microsoft dBase Driver through the MSDASQL provider:

select *

into <tablename>

from openrowset('msdasql', 'driver={microsoft dbase driver (*.dbf)};dbq=c:\', 'select * from filename')

You just need...