Data Types

Hello, Is there any document that tells you the pro/cons for using one data
type over another? I just recently upgraded from Access to SQL Server 2000.
I used the Access upgrade wizard and was wondering how it determines when to
assign types to ntext or text. Also, if the character in the text field are
less than 2000 should I convert this field to say varchar(2000) or
nvarchar(2000)?
Thanks
Don
If you need unicode then nvarchar else varchar.
Don't use text unles the field could go over 8000 chars (4000 for nvarchar).
Always review what the upgrade wizard has done - it makes all text fields nvarchar I think which is not good.
It's usually a good time to review the database design.
"Don" wrote:

> Hello, Is there any document that tells you the pro/cons for using one data
> type over another? I just recently upgraded from Access to SQL Server 2000.
> I used the Access upgrade wizard and was wondering how it determines when to
> assign types to ntext or text. Also, if the character in the text field are
> less than 2000 should I convert this field to say varchar(2000) or
> nvarchar(2000)?
> Thanks
> Don
>
>
|||As Nigel says, review the actual needs, because the upgrade wizard seems to
choose large datatypes... If a tinyint will do , do not use an int or
smallint...
Wayne Snyder, MCDBA, SQL Server MVP
Mariner, Charlotte, NC
www.mariner-usa.com
(Please respond only to the newsgroups.)
I support the Professional Association of SQL Server (PASS) and it's
community of SQL Server professionals.
www.sqlpass.org
"Don" <dons100@.ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:lCkDc.1791$kK4.474@.newssvr16.news.prodigy.com ...
> Hello, Is there any document that tells you the pro/cons for using one
data
> type over another? I just recently upgraded from Access to SQL Server
2000.
> I used the Access upgrade wizard and was wondering how it determines when
to
> assign types to ntext or text. Also, if the character in the text field
are
> less than 2000 should I convert this field to say varchar(2000) or
> nvarchar(2000)?
> Thanks
> Don
>
|||As Nigel says, review the actual needs, because the upgrade wizard seems to
choose large datatypes... If a tinyint will do , do not use an int or
smallint...
Wayne Snyder, MCDBA, SQL Server MVP
Mariner, Charlotte, NC
www.mariner-usa.com
(Please respond only to the newsgroups.)
I support the Professional Association of SQL Server (PASS) and it's
community of SQL Server professionals.
www.sqlpass.org
"Don" <dons100@.ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:lCkDc.1791$kK4.474@.newssvr16.news.prodigy.com ...
> Hello, Is there any document that tells you the pro/cons for using one
data
> type over another? I just recently upgraded from Access to SQL Server
2000.
> I used the Access upgrade wizard and was wondering how it determines when
to
> assign types to ntext or text. Also, if the character in the text field
are
> less than 2000 should I convert this field to say varchar(2000) or
> nvarchar(2000)?
> Thanks
> Don
>