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Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions (Transact-SQL) |
This article lists and describes conventions that are used in the syntax diagrams for Transact-SQL. |
rwestMSFT |
randolphwest |
12/28/2022 |
sql |
t-sql |
reference |
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>= aps-pdw-2016 || = azuresqldb-current || = azure-sqldw-latest || >= sql-server-2016 || >= sql-server-linux-2017 || = azuresqldb-mi-current ||=fabric |
[!INCLUDE sql-asdb-asdbmi-asa-pdw-fabricse-fabricdw]
The following table lists and describes conventions that are used in the syntax diagrams in the [!INCLUDEtsql] reference.
| Convention | Used for |
|---|---|
| UPPERCASE | [!INCLUDEtsql] keywords. |
| italic | User-supplied parameters of [!INCLUDEtsql] syntax. |
| bold | Type database names, table names, column names, index names, stored procedures, utilities, data type names, and text exactly as shown. |
| | (vertical bar) | Separates syntax items enclosed in brackets or braces. You can use only one of the items. |
| [ ] (brackets) | Optional syntax item. |
| { } (braces) | Required syntax items. Don't type the braces. |
| [ , ...n ] | Indicates the preceding item can be repeated n number of times. The occurrences are separated by commas. |
| [ ...n ] | Indicates the preceding item can be repeated n number of times. The occurrences are separated by blanks. |
| ; | [!INCLUDEtsql] statement terminator. Although the semicolon isn't required for most statements in this version of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion], it will be required in a future version. |
| ::= | The name for a block of syntax. Use this convention to group and label sections of lengthy syntax or a unit of syntax that you can use in more than one location within a statement. Each location in which the block of syntax could be used is indicated with the label enclosed in chevrons: <label>. A set is a collection of expressions, for example <grouping set>; and a list is a collection of sets, for example <composite element list>. |
Unless specified otherwise, all [!INCLUDEtsql] references to the name of a database object can be a four-part name in the following form:
server_name.[database_name].[schema_name].object_name
| database_name.[schema_name].object_name
| schema_name.object_name
| object_name
-
server_name
Specifies a linked server name or remote server name.
-
database_name
Specifies the name of a [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] database when the object resides in a local instance of [!INCLUDEssNoVersion]. When the object is in a linked server, database_name specifies an OLE DB catalog.
-
schema_name
Specifies the name of the schema that contains the object if the object is in a [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] database. When the object is in a linked server, schema_name specifies an OLE DB schema name.
-
object_name
Refers to the name of the object.
When referencing a specific object, you don't always have to specify the server, database, and schema for the [!INCLUDEssDEnoversion] to identify the object. However, if the object can't be found, an error is returned.
To avoid name resolution errors, we recommend specifying the schema name whenever you specify a schema-scoped object.
To omit intermediate nodes, use periods to indicate these positions. The following table shows the valid formats of object names.
| Object reference format | Description |
|---|---|
| server_name.database_name.schema_name.object_name | Four-part name. |
| server_name.database_name..object_name | Schema name is omitted. |
| server_name..schema_name.object_name | Database name is omitted. |
| server_name...object_name | Database and schema name are omitted. |
| database_name.schema_name.object_name | Server name is omitted. |
| database_name..object_name | Server and schema name are omitted. |
| schema_name.object_name | Server and database name are omitted. |
| object_name | Server, database, and schema name are omitted. |
Unless stated otherwise, the examples provided in the [!INCLUDEtsql] reference were tested by using [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull] and its default settings for the following options:
- ANSI_NULLS
- ANSI_NULL_DFLT_ON
- ANSI_PADDING
- ANSI_WARNINGS
- CONCAT_NULL_YIELDS_NULL
- QUOTED_IDENTIFIER
Most code examples in the [!INCLUDEtsql] reference have been tested on servers that are running a case-sensitive sort order. The test servers were typically running the ANSI/ISO 1252 code page.
Many code examples prefix Unicode character string constants with the letter N. Without the N prefix, the string is converted to the default code page of the database. This default code page may not recognize certain characters.
The [!INCLUDEtsql] reference articles encompass multiple versions of [!INCLUDEssnoversion-md], starting with [!INCLUDEsql2008-md], as well as [!INCLUDE ssazure-sqldb], [!INCLUDEssazuremi_md], [!INCLUDEssazuresynapse-md], and [!INCLUDEssazurepdw_md].
There's a section near the top of each article indicating which products support the article's subject. If a product is omitted, then the feature described by the article isn't available in that product.
The general subject of the article might be used in a product, but all of the arguments aren't supported in some cases. For example, contained database users were introduced in [!INCLUDEssSQL11]. Use the CREATE USER statement in any [!INCLUDEssNoVersion] product, however the WITH PASSWORD syntax can't be used with older versions. Additional Applies to sections are inserted into the appropriate argument descriptions in the body of the article.