Bill McEvoy

Bill McEvoy is Master Chef/DBA for the Cooking with SQL Web site. He's been a DBA since SQL Server 4.2, and he specializes in batch processing and performance tuning.
Email:bill@cookingwithsql.com

My Latest Articles
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Author Articles

April, 2009
T-SQL 101: Stored Procedures
The final lesson in the T-SQL 101 series shows you how to create and execute stored procedures that get data into and out of databases.
SQL Server Magazine

September, 2008
T-SQL 101: Built-In Functions
T-SQL offers three types of built-in functions, including scalar functions. Scalar functions let you perform a wide variety of operations, such as retrieving dates and replacing strings, with only a few lines of code.
SQL Server Magazine

August, 2008
T-SQL 101: The CASE Function
Using T-SQL's CASE function, you can quickly transform numerical codes and other hard-to-decipher data into meaningful information.
SQL Server Magazine

August, 2008
T-SQL 101: Views
The virtual nature of a view is its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. Here's what you need to know to create views and use them wisely.
SQL Server Magazine

August, 2008
Indexed Views vs. Regular Views
Learn how indexed views differ from regular views.
SQL Server Magazine

August, 2008
Q: How do I retrieve values from a table and store the results in a string?
Learn how to retrieve values from a table and store the results.
SQL Server Magazine

July, 2008
T-SQL 101, Lesson 6
Creating a table "the old fashioned way" leads to a better understanding of the table and its columns. Plus, the resulting T-SQL code documents the table's structure and lets you easily recreate the table.
SQL Server Magazine

June, 2008
T-SQL 101, Lesson 5
Understand the differences between inner, outer, and cross joins before you use them in your queries.
SQL Server Magazine

May, 2008
T-SQL 101, Lesson 4
Thanks to the GROUP BY clause, you can write SELECT queries that produce detailed reports.
SQL Server Magazine

April, 2008
Take the Drudgery Out of Making Sure Your Databases Are Being Backed Up Properly
Ensuring that databases are being backed up properly is an important but time-consuming task, especially for DBAs who manage multiple servers and databases. The sp_ShowBackups stored procedure makes this task quick and easy.
SQL Server Magazine

April, 2008
T-SQL 101, Lesson 3
SELECT queries aren't just for retrieving data. You can also summarize that data by incorporating COUNT, MIN, MAX, AVG, and SUM functions into SELECT queries.
SQL Server Magazine

March, 2008
2 Stored Procedures to Tune Your Indexes
If you have to perform a full index analysis, here are two T-SQL stored procedures you can use to get detailed information about the indexes in a single table or an entire database.
SQL Server Magazine

March, 2008
T-SQL101, Lesson 2
Using a database named MyDB, a table named MyTable, and some dummy tables, you can learn how to create T-SQL queries that insert new data, update existing data, and delete old data.
SQL Server Magazine

February, 2008
T-SQL 101, Lesson 1
Whether you are new to T-SQL or you just want to brush up on the basics, you'll want to read and save this guide that walks you through how to write SELECT statements. Learn how to order and rename columns and how to filter and sort results.
SQL Server Magazine

January, 2008
Stored Procedure Documents Scheduled Jobs in SQL Server
Using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to document job schedules involves a lot of mouse-clicking and cutting and pasting. You can avoid all that hassle by using the sp_ShowJobSchedules stored procedure.
SQL Server Magazine

October, 2007
Take Advantage of Osql and Bcp Without Having to Remember All Their Command-Line Options
Here's a stored procedure that consolidates the basic functions of osql and bcp. Switching between these utilities' output is simply a matter of changing the value of an input parameter.
SQL Server Magazine

April, 2007
Searching the Web for SQL Topics? Give SQL Hunter a Try
Here's a search engine that targets SQL-related Web sites, which means you can enter fewer parameters when conducting searches for SQL material.
SQL Server Magazine

March, 2007
A Quick and Easy Way to View Errorlog Files
Using sp_ShowErrors to view SQL Server errorlog files is time-saving alternative to manually reviewing them in Enterprise Manager.
SQL Server Magazine

February, 2007
Retrieve Triggers from the SQL Command Prompt
The sp_ListTriggers stored procedure lets you list all the triggers in the current database or the triggers in a specific table.
SQL Server Magazine

September, 2006
Prove That the Database Isn't to Blame
If you've ever had users call to tell you that a SQL Server database is slow, you'll likely find sp_Now a handy tool. This stored procedure determines what processes are currently executing and consuming resources on a database server.
SQL Server Magazine

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