data types

I'm reading Sams TY SQL in 10 minutes and on the examples he uses CHAR for
practically everything, id's, addresses etc.
I upsized a small dbase from access and when I looked at a table, the
datatypes were a lot different. I noticed all ID fields were int and
nvarchar was used on most other fields. In the reserved words glossary, I
didn't see nvarchar. I guess it's missing a few types from the list.
I did a search for dbase schemas on google and found the Duwamish Book
example on MSDN. That dbase also uses nvarchar and int as the upsized access
dbase did.
Just curious why I should use nvarchar instead of char etc.
ThanksThe n in nvarchar indicates that it's for unicode. If you don't plan to use
unicode, you don't need to use nvarchar, and you can use varchar instead.
nvarchar is documented in the SQL Server Books Online.
--
Linchi Shea
linchi_shea@.NOSPAMml.com
"James" <no@.email.com> wrote in message
news:%23e1oE4TiDHA.1456@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> I'm reading Sams TY SQL in 10 minutes and on the examples he uses CHAR for
> practically everything, id's, addresses etc.
> I upsized a small dbase from access and when I looked at a table, the
> datatypes were a lot different. I noticed all ID fields were int and
> nvarchar was used on most other fields. In the reserved words glossary, I
> didn't see nvarchar. I guess it's missing a few types from the list.
> I did a search for dbase schemas on google and found the Duwamish Book
> example on MSDN. That dbase also uses nvarchar and int as the upsized
access
> dbase did.
> Just curious why I should use nvarchar instead of char etc.
> Thanks
>|||> I upsized a small dbase from access and when I looked at a table, the
> datatypes were a lot different. I noticed all ID fields were int and
> nvarchar was used on most other fields.
You shouldn't be using varchar unless you know you'll need to support
foreign alphabets / unicode characters.
For a description of the (n)(var)char/(n)text datatypes, see
http://www.aspfaq.com/2354
For an exhaustive discussion of differences between Access and SQL Server,
see http://www.aspfaq.com/2214
For some other issues with upsizing, see http://www.aspfaq.com/2182
> In the reserved words glossary,
Of a SAMS book? You should be using Books Online for this kind of thing,
IMHO. Also, see http://www.aspfaq.com/2080|||Thanks