Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Bible

Summary

T-SQL extends the SQL query with a set of procedural commands. Although it's not the most advanced programming language, T-SQL gets the job done. You can use T-SQL batch commands in expressions or packaged as stored procedures, user-defined functions, or triggers.

Following are a few key points to remember from this chapter:

• The batch terminator, GO, is only a Query Editor command, and it can send the batch multiple times when followed by a number.
• Ctrl+K+C converts the current lines to comments, and Ctrl+K+U uncomments the lines.
• IF controls only execution of the next line, unless it is followed by a BEGIN…END block.
• Variables can be incremented with +=.
• If the temporary space needs to hold more than 250 rows, then use a temp table; otherwise, use a table variable.

Chapter 17 moves into the next important step in T-SQL programming, stored procedures. This is where you take advantage of your knowledge of flow-control and make your procedures flexible and powerful.