SQL Server Interview questions

1. What will be the outcome of the 2 select @@error statements?

declare @@error nvarchar(max)

set @@error = 'This is an error'
select @@error -- Select 1

if @@error > 0
print 'invalid error'
else
select @@error -- Select 2

Answer:
Msg 102, Level 15, State 1, Line 1 Incorrect syntax near '@@error'.
Explanation:
@@error is reserved by SQL Internals and can't be assigned a value as a variable. The second @@error statement
if @@error > 0
print 'invalid error'
could be true as @@error values are captured in values from 1 - 457, so running the Select @@error separately AFTER running this whole statement will return with error code 102, but the statement terminates as the first line when trying to declare @@error as a variable.

2. Is it possible, using a trigger, to update a data row before commiting the insert to a table by first updating the row in the INSERTED table ?

Answer: It is not possible to update the INSERTED or DELETED tables. The following error would occur:
Msg 286, Level 16,
The logical tables INSERTED and DELETED cannot be updated.

3. What is the output of the following queries?

DECLARE @inputValue NVARCHAR(20)
DECLARE @student TABLE
(Id INT PRIMARY KEY IDENTITY(1,1),
StudentName NVARCHAR(50),
StudentResult INT)

INSERT INTO @student
VALUES( 'Hardy', 100), ('Rocky', 98), ('Panky', 99)

--Select 1
SET @inputValue = 'Hardy'
SELECT * FROM @student WHERE StudentName IN (@inputValue)

--Select 2
SET @inputValue = 'Hardy, Rocky'
SELECT * FROM @student WHERE StudentName IN (@inputValue)

Answer:
Select1 returns 1 row; select2 return 0 row
Explanation:
IN command Determines whether a specified value matches any value in a subquery or a list. In the first Select query, Query Analyzer generates query (replace variable with its value) like
SELECT * FROM @student WHERE StudentName IN ('Hardy')
Same way, for the second query, query analyzer generates query (replace variable with its value) like:
SELECT * FROM @student WHERE StudentName IN ('Hardy, Rocky')
Because there is no student whose name is 'Hardy, Rocky', sql doesn't return any data.
So, the final result is: Select1 returns 1 row; select2 return 0 row.

4. What will be the result of the following?

DECLARE @MyTable TABLE (Col1 INT,
Col2 INT)

-- Col1 Col2
INSERT INTO @MyTable VALUES (1, 2),
(3, 4)

UPDATE @MyTable SET Col1 = Col2, Col2 = Col1

SELECT Col1, Col2 FROM @MyTable

Answer:
Values of Col1 and Col2 are swapped