Transact-SQL

User-Defined Functions

by Andrew Novick

The book is nolonger in print. The author has a limited number of paper copies available for sale.  Please contact him directly at:

anovick@novicksoftware.com

Transact-SQL doesn’t always offer the functions needed for a project, but with user-defined functions, introduced in SQL Server 2000, programmers can create their own. Transact-SQL User-Defined Functions discusses creating, using, and managing user-defined functions and system user-defined functions. The first part of the book explains the SQL syntax required to create, manage, and use UDFs, while the second part describes the system UDFs that Microsoft has added to SQL Server as tools to implement SQL Server functionality. 

	Find out about the three types of UDFs and how to create and use them.
	Learn how UDFs can be debugged with Query Analyzer and SQL Profiler.
	Retrieve metadata about UDFs using system stored procedures, system functions, INFORMATION_SCHEMA views, and from SQL Server’s system tables.
	See UDFs in action with practical examples of currency conversion, unit conversion, report generation and performance analysis.
	Learn what you can’t do in a user-defined function and about why not.
	Learn to use documented and undocumented extended stored procures in UDFs.
	Discover how to use system UDFs including undocumented system UDFs.  Learn how to create your own system UDFs and make them available in all databases.
	Read about standards for naming, formatting, and documenting UDFs.

The sample database in the downloadable files contains a ready-to-use library of over 100 functions and many additional functions that illustrate useful techniques.

The book is 454 pages and comes with a 150 example UDFs.

If you've purchased the book and are looking for the page with corrections, the code download, and links from the book.  Find it here.

Originally Published By Wordware.  This book is now out of print.  The author

About the Author

Andrew Novick develops applications as consultant, project manager, trainer, and Principal of Novick Software.  His firm specializes in implementing solutions to business operations problems using the Microsoft tool set: SQL Server, ASP, ASP.Net, Visual Basic and VB.Net.  2003 marks his 32^nd year of computer programming, starting in High School with a PDP-8 and moving on a degree in Computer Science, an MBA, and then programming mainframes, minicomputers, and for the last 17 years PCs.

When not programming Andy enjoys coaching Little League baseball, woodworking, mowing the lawn, and the occasional movie with his wife. He can be found on the web at this site or by e-mail at anovick@NovickSoftware.com.  Check out the web site for articles, tips, code samples, and instructional videos about programming SQL Server, VB, C#, ASP.Net, and other environments.