Implementing
User-Defined Functions
Overview
Introducing User-Defined Functions
Implementing User-Defined Functions
Lesson: Introducing User-Defined Functions
Types of User-Defined Functions
The CREATE FUNCTION Statement
The ALTER FUNCTION and DROP FUNCTION Statements
Types of User-Defined Functions
Scalar Functions
Similar to a built-in function
Inline Table-Valued Functions
Similar to a view with parameters
Returns a table as the result of single SELECT statement
Multi-Statement Table-Valued Functions
Content like a stored procedure
Referenced like a view
The CREATE FUNCTION Statement
Creating a Function
USE Northwind
CREATE FUNCTION fn_NewRegion
(@myinput nvarchar(30))
RETURNS nvarchar(30)
BEGIN
IF @myinput IS NULL
SET @myinput = 'Not Applicable'
RETURN @myinput
END
Restrictions on Functions
The ALTER FUNCTION and DROP FUNCTION Statements
ALTER FUNCTION ALTER FUNCTION dbo.fn_NewRegion
(@myinput nvarchar(30))
Retains assigned RETURNS nvarchar(30)
permissions BEGIN
IF @myinput IS NULL
Causes the new SET @myinput = 'N/A'
function definition to RETURN @myinput
replace END
GO
existing definition
DROP FUNCTION dbo.fn_NewRegion
DROP FUNCTION GO
Lesson: Implementing User-Defined Functions
Scalar User-Defined Functions
Example of a Scalar User-Defined Function
Multi-Statement Table-Valued Functions
Example of a Multi-Statement Table-Valued Function
Inline Table-Valued Functions
Example of an Inline Table-Valued Function
Best Practices
Scalar User-Defined Functions
RETURNS Clause Specifies Data Type
Function Is Defined Within a BEGIN…END Block
Return Type Is Any Data Type Except text, ntext, image,
Can Be Invoked Anywhere a Scalar Expression of the
Same Data Type Is Allowed
Example of a Scalar User-Defined Function
Creating the Function
USE Northwind
CREATE FUNCTION fn_DateFormat
(@indate datetime, @separator char(1))
RETURNS Nchar(20)
AS
BEGIN
DECLARE @datestr Nchar(20)
SET @datestr =
CONVERT(Nvarchar(20), datepart(mm,@indate))
+ @separator
+ CONVERT(Nvarchar(20), datepart(dd, @indate))
+ @separator
+ CONVERT(Nvarchar(20), datepart(yy, @indate))
RETURN @datestr
END
Calling the Function Using a Parameter
SELECT dbo.fn_DateFormat(GETDATE(), ':')
Inline Table-Valued Functions
Content of the Function Is a SELECT Statement
Do Not Use BEGIN and END
RETURNS Specifies table as the Data Type
Format Is Defined by the Result Set
Example of an Inline Table-Valued Function
Creating the Function
USE Northwind
GO
CREATE FUNCTION fn_CustomerNamesInRegion
( @RegionParameter nvarchar(30) )
RETURNS table
AS
RETURN (
SELECT CustomerID, CompanyName
FROM Northwind.dbo.Customers
WHERE Region = @RegionParameter
)
Calling the Function Using a Parameter
SELECT * FROM fn_CustomerNamesInRegion(N'WA')
Multi-Statement Table-Valued Functions
BEGIN and END Enclose Multiple Statements
RETURNS Clause Specifies table Data Type
RETURNS Clause Names and Defines the Table
Example of a Multi-Statement Table-Valued Function
Creating the Function
USE Northwind
GO
CREATE FUNCTION fn_Employees
(@length nvarchar(9))
RETURNS @tbl_Employees TABLE
(EmployeeID int PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
[Employee Name] Nvarchar(61) NOT NULL)
AS
BEGIN
IF @length = 'ShortName'
INSERT @tbl_Employees SELECT EmployeeID, LastName
FROM Employees
ELSE IF @length = 'LongName'
INSERT @tbl_Employees SELECT EmployeeID,
(FirstName + ' ' + LastName) FROM Employees
RETURN
END
SELECT * FROM dbo.fn_Employees('LongName')
Calling the Function Or
SELECT * FROM dbo.fn_Employees('ShortName')
Best Practices
Use Complex Scalar Functions on Small Result Sets
Use Multi-Statement Functions Instead of Stored
Procedures That Return Tables
Use Inline Functions to Create Parameterized Views
Use Inline Functions to Filter Indexed Views
Lab A: Creating User-Defined Functions
Exercise 1: Creating a Scalar
User-Defined Function
Exercise 2: Creating a Multi-Statement
Table-Valued User-Defined Function
Exercise 3: Creating an Inline Table-Valued
User-Defined Function
Date Format
