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Result of Max() function for the varchar datatype in SQL

  • November 16, 2009 at 4:35 am

    #139447

    Hi,

    What is result of the query if i use max function for the field which datatype is varchar

    Ex:

    Select Max(sname) from Student

  • November 16, 2009 at 4:57 am

    #1079601

    You will get the student with last character of your alphabet, probably Z.

    Zanzibar is MAX over Sweden. It's the way they are sorted.

    N 56°04'39.16"
    E 12°55'05.25"

  • November 16, 2009 at 4:57 am

    #1079602

    hi

    its simply returns the last sname in alphabetical order....

    Its something similar to

    select top 1 sname from students order by sname desc

  • November 16, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    #1079888

    To be a little more specific:

    to find the max sname is like searching for the largest ASCII value of the first position of sname, continues moving to the right for ties.

    SELECT max(sname) from(

    select char(8) + 'Zanzibar' AS sname UNION ALL

    select 'Zanzibar' UNION ALL

    select 'zanzibar' UNION ALL

    select ' Zanzibar' UNION ALL

    select '_Zanzibar' UNION ALL

    select '1Zanzibar' UNION ALL

    select '9anzibar' UNION ALL

    select '~anzibar') t


    Lutz
    A pessimist is an optimist with experience.

    How to get fast answers to your question[/url]
    How to post performance related questions[/url]
    Links for Tally Table [/url] , Cross Tabs [/url] and Dynamic Cross Tabs [/url], Delimited Split Function[/url]

  • November 16, 2009 at 6:51 pm

    #1079994

    The sorting order is defined by the collation used.

    See Working With Collations

    Paul White
    SQLPerformance.com
    SQLkiwi blog
    @SQL_Kiwi

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