SQL Server Performance Forum – Threads Archive

Min Size of Column Name

Is there a minimum size of a column name in sql server? When I create the new column it has brackets wrapped around the name.
[from] What are the brackets used for?
The longer field names don’t have the brackets around them.

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From is a SQL Server keyword so the brackets are used to distinguish the column[From] from the keyword FROM as in SELECT [FROM] FROM table A. A good idea is to avoid keywords as column or table names if possible.

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I will user sender instead of from. Thanks.

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SELECT [User] FROM table A
Maximum length for varchar is 8000 if you want to store more than that use text type

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Its always better not to use SQL keywords as column name as that can lead to poor result.
U can try a column name by checking it in QA whether its a reserver word of SQL or not.
Simply type the column name desired and if the color of text changes from other than black color then its considered to be a SQL word. So u can avoid using such column names. Also avoid column name with space between two words replace spaces with underscores.
eg: user sender
with
user_sender

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It should be noted that the column name with spaces also should be within []
If the column name is number(not advisible usually), it should also be within []
declare @t table([1] int)
insert into @t values(34)
select 1 from @t –wont return 34 but 1
select [1] from @t –will return 34 Madhivanan Failing to plan is Planning to fail

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The Minimum size of column will be adopted when the column is created, check books online for data types topic. Satya SKJ
Moderator
http://www.SQL-Server-Performance.Com/forum
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no rights for the sake of knowledge sharing.

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