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[Focus]

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On Target with ADO.NET
Trying to keep up with changing data in your reports? You can provide variable-width crosstab reports by using dynamic SQL. But ADO.NET's relational features provide a more flexible, efficient, and secure solution.
 — Burton Roberts

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[Features]

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CHECK It Out
For accuracy and performance, you need to make sure that all IP addresses in your tables are valid. Here's how to write a CHECK constraint that validates character strings containing IP addresses.
 — Itzik Ben-Gan


Fast Answers
When you write a query, sometimes you want only a yes or no answer. In these cases, instead of using SELECT to return a rowset, you can execute an ADO.NET action command to get the specific information you need quickly.
 — William Vaughn

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[SQL Server Savvy]

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Lessons from Procedure Code
Reading procedure code can provide valuable tips about how SQL Server works.
 — Brian Moran

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[Editorial]

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The 64-Bit Era
Already, 64-bit SQL Server running on the Itanium 2 processor with Windows 2000 Advanced Server Limited Edition 1.2 has set a new SAP SD-user benchmark score.
 — Michael Otey

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[SQL Seven]

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The Best of Web Matrix
Web Matrix is a great way to get your feet wet using ASP.NET without shelling out the money for a full copy of Visual Studio .NET. Here are the seven best things about Web Matrix.
 — Michael Otey

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[Inside SQL Server]

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Investigating Trace Flags
Trace flags can be helpful for troubleshooting, but make sure you know what they do before you use them.
 — Kalen Delaney

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[Mastering Analysis]

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Collaboration Through DSO
From analysis to final decision, every business process requires collaboration among team members. Here’s how you can use DSO to add collaboration features to your next analytic application.
 — Russ Whitney

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[Solutions by Design]

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Seven Deadly Sins
In the early stages of a new career, everyone makes mistakes that prove to be costly lessons. You can shorten your adjustment period by avoiding these hidden traps.
 — Michelle A. Poolet

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[T-SQL Black Belt]

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Identifying Groups
It's a kind of magic: Create four set-based solutions to a common SQL problem.
 — Itzik Ben-Gan

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[Answers from Microsoft]

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Calling a Stored Procedure from Another Stored Procedure
Microsoft’s SQL Server development team not only describes how to call one stored procedure from within another in SQL Server 2000 and 7.0 but also presents caveats for maintaining optimum performance in both processes.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Character Limitation in sp_executesql
Microsoft’s SQL Server development team unlocks the key to character limitation when a reader uses a system stored procedure in a script.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Confining an Incremental Counter Value to One Table
If two rows contain the same number, certain queries might fail. Locking in a row’s incremental counter value might be the solution.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Creating and Loading Update Files
Here are two ways to create and load update files to a remote site.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Creating Individual Log-Reader and Distribution Agents
Creating a separate log-reader agent on a database during transactional replication is a no-no, but you can create a new Distribution Agent when you add a new publication.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Inserting Records into Two Tables at Once
You can effectively streamline your INSERT operation by adding records to two tables at the same time, but there’s one pitfall you should watch out for.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Sharing Data Between Two Sites
Microsoft’s SQL Server development team describes two techniques for updating sales data from one business location to another.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Text in Row vs. Varchar or Text
When you want to store text shorter than the 8000-character varchar data type limit, you have three options—depending on your SQL Server release. Microsoft’s SQL Server development team explains the pros and cons of using each.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team

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[Exploring XML]

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Filtering Values in XML Views
To organize your database, you usually normalize the data to maintain optimum performance. But XML documents aren’t normalized, they nest their elements instead. So how do you define an XML view on a normalized database? Read on.
 — Rich Rollman

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[Letters]

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Letters, November 2002
Readers ask about an easier way to restore to a new server, how to delete all the rows from two related tables, how to create two time dimensions in a cube, and more.
 — Various Authors

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[New Products]

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New Products, November 2002
Check out the latest SQL Server-related new and improved products.
 — Carolyn Mader