Expressions in queries

I'm new to SQL Server and converting a VB app from Access back end to
SQL Server back end. In this app I use a lot of expressions in
queries
e.g. SELECT iif(isnull([MyText],"",[MyText]) as sRemoveNull
or SELECT [SaleDate]>=#01-Jan-2004# as bUseSale
I can't get anything of the sort to work in SQL Server. I've written a
few UDFs to cope with some more common expressions, but for some cases
it would be much easier to be able to use a complex expression within
the query.
Stored Procedures are not really appropriate as queries are built in
VB and the SQL string passed to SQL Server.
Am I missing something obvious?
Thanks,
MattThese two examples may help. You can check out the full syntax of these
expressions in SQL Server Books Online.
SELECT COALESCE(mytext,'') AS sRemoveNull
SELECT CASE WHEN saledate>='20040101' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END AS bUseSale

> queries are built in
> VB and the SQL string passed to SQL Server.
In the world of SQL Server that's generally a really bad idea. Standard
practice is to use SPs for all data access unless you have an exceptional
reason not to. SPs make the most sense from the point of view of
performance, security and maintainability. If you just want to continue
using SQL the way you've always used Access then you can't expect to realize
all the benefits of the platform change. You may well be better off sticking
with your Access backend.
David Portas
SQL Server MVP
--|||Thanks David, that'll get me started.
Re your further comments, I was also going to post the
"How do I do SELECT * FROM @.tablename" question last night,
but did some reading here first and found numerous responses along the
same lines as yours. I've read two articles from www.sommarskog.se
about dynamic SQL and it seems I have to accept that I'll have to do
things quite differently in the future than I have been (sticking with
Access is not an option). The upside is that I'm learning heaps and
enjoying doing it.
Thanks for your comments.
Matt
On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 18:03:56 -0000, "David Portas"
<REMOVE_BEFORE_REPLYING_dportas@.acm.org> wrote:

>These two examples may help. You can check out the full syntax of these
>expressions in SQL Server Books Online.
>SELECT COALESCE(mytext,'') AS sRemoveNull
>SELECT CASE WHEN saledate>='20040101' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END AS bUseSale
>
>In the world of SQL Server that's generally a really bad idea. Standard
>practice is to use SPs for all data access unless you have an exceptional
>reason not to. SPs make the most sense from the point of view of
>performance, security and maintainability. If you just want to continue
>using SQL the way you've always used Access then you can't expect to realiz
e
>all the benefits of the platform change. You may well be better off stickin
g
>with your Access backend.
>--
>David Portas
>SQL Server MVP