SQL Select Question

[Rob Panosh]

Hello,

This is probably a stupid question but I am going to ask it anyway because I
don't know the answer to it. Both SQL Select Statements, below, execute and
retuurn the same results. Why would on put the [ around the table and
column names?

SELECT Customer.FirstN ame FROM Customer
or
SELECT [Customer].[FirstName] FROM [Customer]


Thanks,
Rob Panosh

[Makjalele]

Re: SQL Select Question


brackets are used when table/column names contain spaces or keywords.in
other cases brackets may be used also but also could be avoided.


"Rob Panosh" <rob_!!!NO!!!SP AM!!!_panosh@as dsoftadfdware.c om> wrote in
message news:3fd716b0@n ews.splitrock.n et...[color=blue]
> Hello,
>
> This is probably a stupid question but I am going to ask it anyway because[/color]
I[color=blue]
> don't know the answer to it. Both SQL Select Statements, below, execute[/color]
and[color=blue]
> retuurn the same results. Why would on put the [ around the table and
> column names?
>
> SELECT Customer.FirstN ame FROM Customer
> or
> SELECT [Customer].[FirstName] FROM [Customer]
>
>
> Thanks,
> Rob Panosh
>
>
>[/color]

[David Portas]

Re: SQL Select Question

See the following topic from Books Online:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/acdata/ac_8_con_03_6e9e.asp

In your example the delimiters are not essential since the names don't
include special characters or reserved words. However, using the delimiters
protects your code against the possibility that a name used as an identifier
may be declared a reserved word in a future version of SQL Server. That's
not likely for words like "Customer" but in the interests of a common style
and good programming practice this style may be adopted for all identifiers.
As with any aspect of coding style, different developers have different
preferences and practices.

The ANSI standard delimiter is to use double quotes which works in TSQL
assuming the QUOTED_IDENTIFI ER option is ON. [] is an alternative notation
used in Access and SQLServer.

--
David Portas
------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup
--

[Rob Panosh]

Re: SQL Select Question

David,

Thank you for the explanation.

Rob

"David Portas" <REMOVE_BEFORE_ REPLYING_dporta s@acm.org> wrote in message
news:gaudnT1_Da I0ikqiRVn-iw@giganews.com ...[color=blue]
> See the following topic from Books Online:
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en...on_03_6e9e.asp
>
> In your example the delimiters are not essential since the names don't
> include special characters or reserved words. However, using the[/color]
delimiters[color=blue]
> protects your code against the possibility that a name used as an[/color]
identifier[color=blue]
> may be declared a reserved word in a future version of SQL Server. That's
> not likely for words like "Customer" but in the interests of a common[/color]
style[color=blue]
> and good programming practice this style may be adopted for all[/color]
identifiers.[color=blue]
> As with any aspect of coding style, different developers have different
> preferences and practices.
>
> The ANSI standard delimiter is to use double quotes which works in TSQL
> assuming the QUOTED_IDENTIFI ER option is ON. [] is an alternative notation
> used in Access and SQLServer.
>
> --
> David Portas
> ------------
> Please reply only to the newsgroup
> --
>
>[/color]

[Rob Panosh]

Re: SQL Select Question

Makjalele,

Thanks ....

Rob

"Makjalele" <stupidaria_dom estica@net.hr> wrote in message
news:br7400$ngv $1@ls219.htnet. hr...[color=blue]
>
> brackets are used when table/column names contain spaces or keywords.in
> other cases brackets may be used also but also could be avoided.
>
>
> "Rob Panosh" <rob_!!!NO!!!SP AM!!!_panosh@as dsoftadfdware.c om> wrote in
> message news:3fd716b0@n ews.splitrock.n et...[color=green]
> > Hello,
> >
> > This is probably a stupid question but I am going to ask it anyway[/color][/color]
because[color=blue]
> I[color=green]
> > don't know the answer to it. Both SQL Select Statements, below, execute[/color]
> and[color=green]
> > retuurn the same results. Why would on put the [ around the table and
> > column names?
> >
> > SELECT Customer.FirstN ame FROM Customer
> > or
> > SELECT [Customer].[FirstName] FROM [Customer]
> >
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Rob Panosh
> >
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]