Microsoft® SQL Server 2005 Unleashed

Chapter 24. Creating and Managing User-Defined Functions

IN THIS CHAPTER

• What’s New in SQL Server 2005

• Why Use User-Defined Functions?

• Types of User-Defined Functions

• Creating and Managing User-Defined Functions

• Systemwide Table-Valued Functions

• Rewriting Stored Procedures as Functions

• Creating and Using CLR Functions

SQL Server provides a number of predefined functions that are built in to T-SQL. The supplied functions help extend the capabilities of T-SQL, providing the ability to perform string manipulation, mathematic calculations, data type conversions, and so on within T-SQL code. Although SQL Server provides a pretty extensive set of functions, you might sometimes wish you had a function that is not provided. You could create a stored procedure ...